The Queen's Back

"Barbara, were you the one who tipped off the entertainment reporters yesterday?" Brendan asked.

Despite asking a question, his tone was certain. He played with the walnut in his hand, and it rolled again and again in his hand.

Barbara thought she had been discreet when she contacted the reporters, but she didn't expect the man in front of her to call her out directly.

For a moment, she felt a bit conflicted.

'The man in front of me doesn't look like someone to be trifled with,' she thought.

Rather than hiding and being exposed in the end, she reckoned it was better to just admit it outright. "Yes," she said.

'If this man didn't have any evidence, he wouldn't have sent someone to the hotel to fetch me,' she thought. 'All I know is that he's the man in the bathroom yesterday. I don't know anything else.' "You admit it very quickly," Brendan said.

"Since you called me over, doesn't that mean you already know?" Barbara replied with a question as she looked at Brendan with her big, innocent eyes.

Brendan warned, "Just this once. Before you do anything next time, think about your identity."

He was only doing this out of consideration for the fact that Barbara was Mona's cousin.

Barbara was still in a daze as she was led out of the villa.

She thought she would have to come up with an excuse for herself again, but unexpectedly, she ended up leaving just like that.

She had to think carefully before she did anything next time.

Six days was neither long nor short. Time passed as Maxwell counted the days on his fingers.

Noretin Design Competition was held in a lecture hall in downtown Noretin, which could accommodate over ten thousand people.

all wanted to see what this year's designs were like and which lucky person could

a mask, followed Leander backstage. Haley held a dress designed by Mona.

be

backstage area, Mona, Haley, and Elara

the gown. They did it

The top three from each city took part, and there were several hundred cities that sent contestants. Excluding some

out among these people

seemed to be a direct mentee of Danielle participating in this competition at Noretin. Danielle was almost retired, but her

her direct mentee participating in the competition,

"Mona, what should I do? I'm so nervous." This was the first time she had seen such a

looking at so many people

a light-hearted manner, "Don't be nervous. We just have to do our best. Besides, the gown is already prepared. Even if we don't get a ranking in the first round, with so many spectators, someone may like our gown. We can then sell it for a good price. When we go back, we can still have a nice meal." She thought, 'If I don't win this time, I'll come back next year. After all, I have plenty of time ahead of

you can still smile. Well, I'm really more concerned about the outcome than a contestant." Hearing Mona say this made her racing heart

rang, and

up her phone and glanced. As expected, Maxwell's name appeared on the screen.

you've arrived, huh?"

I'm at

Mona spoke, she gestured for Elara and Haley to keep an eye on the gown. Then, she strode toward the

six days since Mona last saw Maxwell. Even though

the entrance. As usual, he was dressed in a black suit, but today, he was holding

odds with

moment he saw Mona,

of roses into

keep counting the days on my fingers, I won't be able

It was as if in this small space at the entrance, there were only the two of

instinctively leaned toward the edge of the bed when she slept. Previously, that spot was occupied by Maxwell. When she leaned there for the last few days,