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Novel Catalog
Chapter 75: On the Day of the Competition
Manuel waved off Ainsley’s suggestion to help and walked into the kitchen. He had prepared a decoction earlier, which he now brought out in a bowl.
“It’s warm. I added extra water, so you’ll need to drink it all,” Manuel said, his tone soft but firm.
Ainsley eyed the bowl. It was massive, larger than her face. “That’s too much,” she murmured.
Manuel brought out another bowl, this one filled with more of the decoction. “For your health,” he said with a gentle smile.
Ainsley sighed, feeling overwhelmed. But she picked up a spoon and began drinking, trying to ignore the discomfort of Manuel’s gaze, which seemed to follow every movement she made.
“Mr. Gage, it’s late. You should rest,” Ainsley urged, wishing he would leave her to finish the concoction in peace.
This time, Manuel didn’t protest. “Remember to finish it,” he said as he exited, leaving her with the large bowl of bitter liquid.
Ainsley took a deep breath and focused on drinking the decoction, trying to push away the taste. The more she drank, the less bitter it became, possibly because she was distracted by the memory of Manuel’s bright eyes and his earlier words: “Remember to finish it.”
The day of the competition arrived, and Mollie’s entrance caused a stir. The school board had invited numerous reporters, all eager to cover her presence. As Ainsley escorted Mollie into the auditorium, a sense of anticipation filled the air.
Meanwhile, across the auditorium, Serina caught sight of Kaitlin. The latter approached her with a sly smile. “Serina, you’re close to Ainsley. Did she tell you anything about the competition? Why not share it with us?”
Her voice laced with arrogance, Kaitlin’s words drew the attention of several contestants nearby. Serina shot her an angry glare. “Ainsley’s not like some people who only seek to please the powerful,” she retorted sharply.
Kaitlin, unfazed, smirked. “Serina, I’ve always been kind to you, but you always favor Ainsley. I’ll be the one to surpass you in this competition—unless, of course, you’re planning to cheat with Ainsley’s help.”
“Why are you so confident?” Serina shot back. “I’ve never seen you put much effort into your studies. And I’m not the only one participating. There are plenty of other top students here.”
Ignoring Kaitlin’s taunts, Serina turned away, focusing her attention elsewhere. Kaitlin, however, fixed her gaze on Ainsley, who was busy organizing things at the judge’s table. Her thoughts darkened: This time, Ainsley will see who the real focus is. And with Mr. Gage here, I’ll show him who deserves to win.
The Student Union had prepared a grand setting for the competition, with two hundred sets of tables and chairs placed for the contestants. The judges, seated in the center, prepared to observe the proceedings, and the seat closest to the stage was reserved for Manuel.
As the sponsor and honored guest, Manuel had to be present, and Ainsley had arranged everything meticulously. It was her job to ensure everything ran smoothly, especially with such high-profile individuals involved.
Once the contestants were seated, their phones and unrelated items had been collected. The judges were ready, and after Raymond’s speech, the competition began.
Just as the host introduced the judges, a student from the planning department approached Ainsley, looking panicked.
“Ms. Easton, something’s wrong,” the student said urgently.
Ainsley’s heart skipped a beat. “What’s happened?”
“Please come with me,” the student urged.
Leading her out of the auditorium, Ainsley’s worst fears were confirmed. The safe containing the test papers had been damaged.
“It was locked this morning, but now it’s been broken into,” a staff member explained, looking almost on the verge of tears. “There were supposed to be 248 test papers. Now, we only have 247. One is missing!”
Ainsley frowned, her mind racing. She had been the only one with the key, and she had locked it up before leaving last night.
“What should we do, Ms. Easton?” The staff member asked, nearly frantic.
“Don’t panic,” Ainsley instructed, trying to remain calm. “We’ll use the backup. Get me the flash drive, please.”
She quickly pulled out the flash drive containing the new test papers. “Take two trusted people, make five hundred copies, and bring them back as quickly as possible,” she directed, as the competition continued to unfold.
Back in the auditorium, Ainsley sat down just as Raymond finished his speech. The room fell silent when Mollie took the stage. She spoke warmly about Ainsley’s efforts, drawing attention to the talented students at the University of Washington.
“I never thought I’d be a judge for any competition,” Mollie began. “But after Ainsley showed me some remarkable theses, I realized the students here are exceptional…”
Her praise for Ainsley’s students only deepened their gratitude toward her. Ainsley, who had made all of this possible, felt both pride and pressure as the spotlight shifted back to her.
After Mollie’s speech, the host turned to Manuel. “And now, a few words from the sponsor of this competition, Mr. Gage!”
Manuel stood, nodding slightly to acknowledge the crowd. When his gaze locked with Ainsley’s, she immediately looked away, feeling a rush of nervousness. The audience, sensing the unspoken connection, erupted in applause. Many girls in the crowd were clearly captivated by him.
The competition itself began with a knockout round. Contestants were given ten multiple-choice questions, and those who scored under ninety points were eliminated. The second round was a team competition, where groups of five contestants would watch a video and analyze the psychological issues depicted.
However, during the first round, Kaitlin’s confident expression faltered. As she flipped through her test papers, her eyes widened in disbelief. These questions aren’t the same as before. She shot a look at Ainsley, who only smiled in return.
“Ainsley…” Kaitlin muttered angrily, realizing she had been outmaneuvered.
