Viviane did not respond. The air seemed to freeze. Kylaine's smile had long since frozen, the shock not fading from her face. She was even more anxious than Viviane had anticipated, quickly setting down the gift in her hand. She rushed to the computer, constantly refreshing the page to check the results of the semifinals.
Of course, the results remained unchanged.
“No way this is happening.” Kylaine's voice was low, yet filled with unwavering certainty, shattering the oppressive silence.
She took a deep breath, her chest heaving with intensity, seemingly striving to contain the shock and anger within. “Viviane, I’ve seen your work before. It’s brilliant—full of talent and originality. Even if you didn’t come in first or second, there’s no way you wouldn’t make it past the semifinals!" K
