Chapter 159 Jealousy, Zero Points
"RK Group? The parent company of RK Media?"
"Yes," the director replied, "If you conduct yourself well later, you may catch the attention of RK Media."
RK Media's vast resources spanned the globe, surpassing many domestic entertainment and fashion companies.
The group of people present erupted with excitement upon learning about the presence of someone from RK Group.
Natalie was the only one who was frowning.
‘RK Group, RK Media… Is it Isaac? No, if it were Isaac, the director would’ve directly said it was Isaac.’
Natalie could not help but think of Oliver. However, considering his position, why would he bother attending such a small event?
…
The venue for the photo selection was well-lit and meticulously arranged.
The judges arrived in succession.
Among them was a renowned domestic stylist, two runway directors with distinct styles, a fashion magazine editor-in-chief, and a mysterious judge.
Natalie's photo review was scheduled for last.
However, after each female model took their turn and returned, they could not help but gush among themselves.
"That person from RK is so handsome!"
"He’s got an extraordinary and cold temperament!"
“He looks so noble…”
Even the proud Arwyn could not resist stealing glances outside.
Upon seeing this, Natalie grew uneasy.
In the fashion industry, everyone was accustomed to attractive men and women. The kind of man who could make these ladies gush over him and describe him as handsome and noble was rare in all of Paykston. Handsome, cold, and noble?
Hailey, who had not looked well since being brought out by the bodyguards, seemed particularly uneasy. Taking advantage of a moment when nobody was paying attention, she pulled Natalie aside.
"Natalie!"
"What?" Natalie furrowed her brow, sensing Hailey's unusual behavior.
"You saw it, didn't you?"
"Saw what?"
"Mr. Windsor!" Hailey held onto Natalie's wrist, her eyes filled with a frenzied paranoia. She lowered her voice and asked Natalie, "Is it true that Oliver isn’t disfigured?"
Natalie's heart skipped a beat, and without hesitation, she denied, "What are you talking about? I don't understand."
Hailey continued to stare at Natalie, paying no heed to her words. She had deliberately looked at Oliver’s left ring finger. Indeed, there was a beautiful and gleaming wedding band. She had no doubt now that ‘Mr. Windsor’ was Oliver. If she wanted Oliver, she could give Natalie any chance at all.
Natalie was unaware that Hailey harbored such thoughts. Feeling increasingly uneasy, she wondered what would happen if Oliver's true identity were revealed. Would it have adverse consequences for him? How did Hailey find out about this?
At this moment, a staff member called out, "Natalie, it's your turn next. Get ready!" a staff member called out.
"Okay!" Natalie turned her head and replied. Then she turned back to Hailey and said, "Hailey, let me go! If you cause a scene now, it’ll be embarrassing for both of us!"
Hailey valued her reputation more than Natalie did. After letting go, she said, "Natalie, before this, I met the replacement judge from RK. It’s Mr. Windsor."
‘It’s really him?’
Natalie was stunned.
Hailey observed her reaction and continued with a smile, "I also showed him the photos of you and Roger together."
"What did you tell him?"
Natalie's face turned pale. She suddenly recalled that on the day of the photoshoot, Hailey had indeed been holding a phone on the side. She had assumed Hailey was simply engrossed in her phone, but she had not expected Hailey to surreptitiously take photos of her!
"Natalie, get ready to go on stage. Hurry!" the staff member urged.
Hailey crossed her arms and chuckled, saying, "Mr. Windsor was extremely angry when he saw the photos. Natalie, guess what kind of score Oliver will give you later?"
‘Score? A possessive man like him will definitely give me a 0! No, he might even disqualify me and end my career!’
…
The stage, a narrow catwalk, stretched ahead.
Natalie, following the team’s instructions, walked down the catwalk.
A large screen at the back displayed her photo with Roger.
The judges nodded in admiration, giving their opinions.
Only the man positioned farthest to the left appeared uninterested. He maintained a poker face while fiddling with his pen. Despite his impatience, his strikingly handsome features captivated everyone. Perhaps due to his good look, no one cared about his demeanor.
Natalie looked at Oliver nervously. Their eyes locked briefly, but his gaze was cold, in stark contrast to the warm gaze from the night before. At the same time, Hailey's ominous words echoed in her mind, chilling her to the core.
Others around the table were unfamiliar with Oliver's true identity, but they knew he was a respected guest from RK Group. As such, they treated him with utmost deference.
Oliver remained silent, casually giving scores.
Although he was not in the fashion industry, Oliver possessed a discerning eye. His scores tended to be lower, but they were rather accurate. In a single glance, he could distinguish between excellence and mediocrity.
At this moment, Oliver’s gaze was fixed on Natalie. He neither spoke nor gave her a score. His aura was so oppressive at this moment that even those prominent figures from the fashion industry felt stifled.
‘Clearly, he has no interest in the competition. Who’s so despicable to send him here?’
"Mr. Windsor?" the director at his side whispered, offering a gentle reminder.
Natalie expected Oliver to raise his scorecard, but to her astonishment, he asked, “In your opinion, what score do you deserve?"
His words sent an icy shiver down Natalie's spine.
She stared at him, fingers tightly clenched in front of her and lips pressed together. She wanted to say that his actions were irrational and unfair and that she hoped for an impartial evaluation. She also wanted to question his role as a judge and Hailey’s discovery of his identity. A thousand words lingered at the tip of her tongue, but none escaped her lips.
Natalie remained silent.
The tension in the room mounted.
Oliver's expression darkened as he raised the dual-digit scoring device.
"0."
‘0 points?’
The scoring system was out of ten. The score was displayed in double digits. This meant that if one was given 5 points, the score would be displayed as 05.
‘Is she destined to fail? Did she offend someone from RK Group? Just moments ago, he gave Hailey 5 points!’
The production team hesitated, debating whether to edit this segment out later or retain it for sensationalism.
Natalie widened her eyes in disbelief as she looked at Oliver.
‘Did he really give me 0 points? Is he so angry that he really intends to ruin my career and my dreams?’
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