Chapter 13 Love in Equilibrium
After some time had passed, Elsa received a notification from the organizers of the competition in her email inbox: Ms. Elsa Miller, congratulations on making it to the semi-finals of the ‘Valentine Visions’ designer competition. We have prepared world-class gemstone raw materials for you. You can bring your sketches to the Inspiration Studio, where your designs can be transformed into patterns and produced. Please arrive at 9 a.m. on July 1st at D05 hall at the International Convention Center for the semi-finals.
Her heartbeat unexpectedly raced with nervousness.
She had thought that from the moment she took a leave of absence from school, she would never have the chance to pursue her passion for jewelry design again, but she never expected that fate would give her this opportunity.
"Thank you, Chloe." She forwarded the semi-final notification to Chloe, and her hands were trembling with excitement.
"Out of more than 200 designers competing, only 15 have advanced to the semi-finals. Your skills have brought you this far. Best of luck," Chloe said, genuinely expressing her joy for her.
"Don't worry. I will give it my all!" Elsa said.
After her mother's departure, Elsa had felt nothing but agony every day, but this was the first time she had felt genuine happiness from within.
The day of the semi-finals arrived quickly.
"Next up, the third designer for today, Elsa Miller." In the host's melodious voice, Elsa gracefully stepped onto the stage.
She had crafted a pair of complementary necklaces for couples, each embedded with colored gemstones. The men's design featured an oak tree inset with sapphires, radiating a sense of masculine allure. The women's design, on the other hand, depicted a kapok tree adorned with pink gemstones, emanating an air of delicate charm. Both pieces were extraordinarily captivating in their own right.
On closer examination, it became apparent that the sides of the two trees were ingeniously designed with magnetic properties, enabling the two tree designs to attract each other and form a harmonious tableau.
"The couple's necklace I designed is called ‘Love in Equilibrium,’ inspired by contemporary poetry."
"From my perspective, genuine love and partnership involve two individuals who can face adversity together, depend on each other, and exist in harmony. This philosophy is encapsulated in these two necklaces."
As she spoke, Elsa's expression remained calm, but she was actually less confident.
She observed that there were more than a dozen judges at the semi-finals, all of whom were leading figures in the domestic jewelry design industry, with the exception of Luke.
She had been too focused on introducing her work earlier and hadn't noticed Luke.
She thought, ‘I hadn't seen Luke in nearly a month. Had he already married Karen?’
Her work was being presented to the judges. Her mind began to wander.
Luke decided to join the judging panel out of whim. A few days ago, when the organizers forwarded the shortlisted works for his perusal, "Elsa's" name stood out, compelling him to find out what this woman, whom he hadn't encountered in a month, was involved in.
Today, Elsa was wearing a loose embroidered white dress, white canvas shoes, and makeup-free with black-framed glasses, with her long curly hair casually draping over her shoulders. Among the meticulously dressed designers in suits and formal wear, she looked more like an independent artist.
From the moment she stepped onto the stage, the male judges beside her were momentarily captivated by her. Luke thought to himself, 'She is aware of her beauty and knows how to exploit it. It repulses me.'
“Love in Equilibrium.” When the work reached Luke's hands, he pondered over this phrase, a mocking smile playing on his lips.
He thought, 'She's striving so hard to tie the knot with me. Does she truly reckon she stands equal to me?'
Elsa didn't miss Luke's mocking expression, so her demeanor seemed a bit unnatural. Indeed, how could a woman like her, whom he perceived as using her body for personal gain, have the right to talk about love in equilibrium?
As expected, Luke gave Elsa the lowest score of the entire event.
Log in with Google Account
Chapters
Favorite
Settings
