Applause rattled through the hall as the contestant before me stepped down.
I walked to the center of the platform.
The screen behind me buzzed once, then flared to life.
White light burned at the edge of my vision.
My palms were dry; I'd made sure of it.
I hadn't come all this way and worked weeks on four hours' sleep a night just to flinch now.
I gripped the mic in one hand, the laser pointer in the other.
I began.
"Good afternoon, judges, guests. I'm Mirabelle Vance."
I paused just long enough to make them look up.
"The theme: Evening Gala. Gemstones. Composure. I designed a four-piece set intended for high-profile, high-visibility events. Met-tier, red carpet-ready. But every clasp, hinge, and suspension curve is engineered for full comfort. Nothing that
