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

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

be an exaggeration to say that there was a

they reached the backstage area, Mona, Haley, and Elara went straight to

bag from the gown. They did it very gently, afraid of damaging the

were several hundred cities that sent contestants. Excluding some cities that did not participate, there were hundreds of groups in the first showcase alone. There were two more improvisation rounds to follow, making the

people was not

heard, there seemed to be a direct mentee of Danielle participating in this competition at Noretin. Danielle was almost retired, but her reputation in the fashion industry

really was her direct mentee participating in the competition, that mentee's skills should not be

nervous." This was the first time she had seen such a

many people

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

concerned about the outcome than a contestant." Hearing Mona say this made her racing heart calm down a

phone rang, and she guessed it

As expected, Maxwell's name appeared on the screen. Mona answered with a

you've arrived, huh?"

at

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

since Mona last saw Maxwell. Even though she did not say it out loud, she missed him

entrance. As usual, he was dressed in a black suit,

somewhat at odds with his cold

moment he

of

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

completely calmed down. It was as if in this small space at the entrance, there were only the

she 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