CHAPTER 252
After setting his phone down, Xander walked over to his desk, took a seat, and began flipping through the scattered documents. He had been working for a while when there was a knock on the office door.
Xander glanced up, confused. Ronald had already informed him via WhatsApp that he was heading out for dinner, and most of the employees had gone home by that time. Who could it be?
His fingers drummed lightly on the table, and Arianna’s face flashed through his mind.
Could she have brought over the sauerkraut fish since she didn’t get to see him earlier that afternoon?
A small, amused smile tugged at his lips as he stood up, walked to the door, and opened it.
To his surprise, it wasn’t Arianna’s familiar eyes that greeted him. Instead, a woman stood there holding a packed dinner, her gaze soft and intense—the kind of look that could easily capture a man’s attention.
It was Harmony, smiling gently as she greeted him, “Xander.”
…
When the promotional photos from the competition were released, they caused quite a stir online.
Arianna, known as Mrs. King, was already somewhat of a public figure. Instead of living the luxurious, quiet life, many assumed she would, she chose to participate in the competition. This sparked heated discussions.
Some wondered if she was competing because of her skills, or if she was just using her ties to the King Group to get ahead. Opinions among netizens were split, and the discussion spread rapidly on social media.
The number of people confident in Arianna’s chances was far outnumbered by those who doubted her abilities.
That was the first thing Arianna saw when she checked her phone the next morning.
Scrolling through the flood of online comments, she remained unfazed. She had no intention of letting idle gossip get under her skin. The best way to silence her critics was by showcasing her talent and proving them wrong.
What truly mattered was the support of those closest to her, and that was all she needed!
............
The first round of the competition kicked off that day.
At ten a.m., Arianna, along with the other contestants, was led into the Starlight TV newsroom by William. As soon as they stepped inside, a wave of nerves washed over the group.
Three judges awaited them, all of whom had been established news anchors at Starlight TV for over a decade. After William introduced each judge and gave the contestants a few words of encouragement, he explained the rules of the first round.
“For this round, we’re going to select the new anchors who show the most potential for development. As a result, the rules are quite rigorous. We’ll be testing your ability to present breaking news. A news clip will be shown to everyone, and you’ll have five minutes to decide how to present it. We’ll draw lots to determine the order of presentations, and the three judges will then score each of you. Only seven of the fifteen contestants will advance.”
A collective gasp rose from the room as soon as Walter finished speaking.
The realization that half of the contestants would be eliminated in the first round sent a ripple of tension through the group. Everyone knew Starlight TV's reputation for challenging tests, but this was even tougher than expected.
Typically, newcomers spent months training before they were entrusted with handling breaking news.
William wasn’t surprised by their reaction. His gaze swept over the group before pausing on two contestants.
"If anyone has questions, now’s the time to ask. Otherwise, we’ll proceed with the lot drawing."
A contestant quickly raised a hand. "Mr. Schuck, I have a question!"
"Go ahead!"
"We’re all going to watch the breaking news together, but since the order is determined by drawing lots, won’t the person who goes first have less preparation time than those who go later? The first person has only five minutes to prepare—doesn’t that seem a bit unfair?"
Walter smiled. "Since you're drawing lots yourselves, luck is part of the game. There's no unfairness in that!"
With that, the rest of the contestants had no choice but to accept the situation. The thought of getting an early number was nerve-wracking, but they knew they had to leave it up to fate.
A box was placed on the table, and one by one, the 15 contestants stepped forward to draw their lot.
Arianna took her number and quietly returned to her spot. Right behind her, Harmony did the same and, with a friendly smile, asked,
"How’s your luck, Arianna? Got a guess on your number?"
Arianna, calm and collected, shrugged nonchalantly.
"Any number will do."
Her laid-back response didn’t go unnoticed, and some contestants started murmuring among themselves. Jane Plunkett, one of the more well-known competitors, spoke up sarcastically.
"Feeling confident, aren’t we? Let’s hope she stays this calm if she pulls number one."
Starlight TV's official social media had stirred up plenty of attention, especially around Arianna, mainly due to her connection with Xander, the CEO of the King Group.
Without any prior professional experience or notable achievements, her involvement in the competition was already a hot topic, which left some of the other contestants feeling overshadowed.
Jane's snarky remark was just loud enough for Arianna to hear, but she didn’t let it faze her. She remained composed and continued as if she hadn’t heard it at all.
She knew that internet chatter and public speculation were beyond her control. As long as she put in her best effort, nothing else mattered.
Competitions were won by skill and talent, not by petty remarks. Arianna lowered her gaze, unfolded the piece of paper in her hand, and stared at the bold, black number staring back at her—1.
