CHAPTER 267
“Don’t worry. The judges proposed this, and most of the contestants agreed. It’s perfectly fair. Personality and charisma are just as important for an anchor as skill,” William explained reassuringly.
Arianna smiled. “Well, I guess I can’t refuse, then.”
After hanging up the call, Arianna looked up to see Xander standing at the doorway. She wasn’t sure when he had arrived or how long he’d been there, but the sight of him made her beam with pride.
“I just got a pass to the final round, Xander! I’m only one step away from winning the competition,” she said, her eyes shining with excitement.
Xander smiled warmly as he walked in and sat beside her on the bed.
“I heard,” he said, his voice soft.
He gently propped her up with one hand, offering her a glass of water with the other.
“Here, drink some.”
Arianna took a few sips before looking up at him.
“Have you been here since bringing me home? You didn’t go back to the office?”
She knew he had an important meeting scheduled that day but had dropped everything to come to her after hearing the news.
“I stayed.”
“Xander, you don’t have to keep an eye on me all the time. I’m safe here, especially with Aunt Julia and Grandma King around. I hate to think that I’m pulling you away from work,” she said, feeling a bit embarrassed.
“If you don’t want to keep me from work, then maybe you should stop getting yourself hurt,” Xander teased lightly as he eased her back into bed and tucked the blanket around her.
Arianna’s face flushed with guilt. She knew she probably deserved the scolding, so she remained silent, giving him a look of pure innocence in hopes of softening him.
Seeing her expression, Xander’s resolve quickly melted. He set the glass on the bedside table and said gently,
“But… I won’t be able to stay with you over the next couple of weeks.”
“What?Why?”
“I’m heading to Axlelland for a business trip,” Xander explained.
Arianna immediately recalled hearing about the major project the King Group was working on with a company in Axlelland. It was their biggest deal of the year, and Xander had been tied up with preparations lately. His trip would be to finalize the agreement, and once sealed, it would mark another significant expansion for the company.
She nodded in understanding.
“Alright. Don’t worry about me. I’ll be fine while you’re gone. Focus on your work.”
After a moment, a smile tugged at her lips.
“But when you get back, it’ll be right in time for my final round in the competition. We can celebrate your big business deal and my victory together—when I bring home the trophy.”
Xander chuckled. “So confident, huh?”
“Of course. You’re my inspiration,” Arianna replied, her voice softening as she spoke the last part, though she meant every word.
Xander’s gaze deepened as he gently cupped her face, bringing his lips to hers in a tender kiss.
“I’ll be waiting for you to bring home that trophy,” he murmured, his voice husky and affectionate.
…
The next day, the second round of the competition took place, with the remaining six contestants giving it their all. Harmony and Jane advanced, which meant the final three contestants were Arianna, Harmony, and Jane.
Even while recovering, Arianna refused to relax. She remained dedicated, studying and practising every day, determined not to underestimate her competition until the final results were in.
A week later, Aunt Julia accompanied her to the hospital to have her brace removed and take another x-ray. The doctor confirmed that she was healing well, and Arianna breathed a sigh of relief.
Shortly after, William called to confirm whether she would be ready for the final round, which was set to take place in just three days.
The final round would be a live, online broadcast, where all three contestants would compete simultaneously. The scores would be based on a combination of votes from the audience and evaluations from the judges, with each accounting for 50 per cent of the final score.
Three days flew by in an instant, and the moment of truth was finally upon them.
Aunt Julia woke Arianna early that morning and practically dragged her downstairs. Still groggy, she was greeted by a flurry of activity as a group of young women rushed toward her. In no time, she found herself being gently guided to a professional salon chair, where the team immediately began working on her hair and makeup.
It took Arianna a few moments to process what was happening. She glanced over at the side of the room and spotted Grandma King sitting comfortably on the sofa, sipping her morning tea.
“Isn’t this a bit much, Grandma King?” Arianna asked, her voice still drowsy.
“Of course not!” Grandma King replied with certainty.
“You’re going to be seen by the entire country during the live broadcast today. You need to look stunning, the most radiant and captivating contestant there is!
“Besides, if Xander can’t be here to watch you in person, he can at least admire how gorgeous you look on the screen.”
Arianna smiled slightly. After all, every woman loves to look beautiful, especially when the whole world is watching.
It was only natural for a woman to want to show her most beautiful side to the man she loved.
Arianna smiled and gratefully accepted Grandma King's thoughtful gesture. She relaxed on the salon chair, letting the team of stylists work their magic.
..........
By eight that evening, Arianna, Harmony, and Jane were seated in their respective studios, facing the cameras as the much-anticipated live broadcast began.
Starlight TV’s official account had posted three separate live stream links, allowing viewers to choose their preferred anchor and cast their votes accordingly.
For the first half of the 30-minute broadcast, the number of viewers across the three streams was nearly identical, as most people clicked through each to get a sense of the competition.
But five minutes in, things began to change. Arianna and Harmony’s viewership numbers surged, while Jane's remained stagnant.
By the 15-minute mark, Arianna’s viewer count had skyrocketed. While Harmony’s audience continued to grow steadily, it wasn't matching Arianna’s rapid rise. Meanwhile, Jane’s viewership had started to decline.
At the 20-minute mark, the vote count appeared on the screen, and Arianna was in a commanding lead.
By the 25-minute mark, Arianna was still holding the top spot, with twice as many viewers and votes as Harmony. It seemed certain that she would take the crown.
But then, in the final five minutes, something unexpected happened—Harmony’s viewership spiked dramatically.
The broadcast concluded at 8:30 PM, and ten minutes later, William stood before Arianna and Harmony with the envelope containing the final results.
