Chapter 434 The Fate of Grace
Riley's brow was furrowed with disdain. He had never loathed anyone as much as he did in this moment, and that individual was his sister.
Staring at Grace on the stage, he found it impossible to associate her with their affable aunt in his memories. Though they shared a striking resemblance, their characters were worlds apart. Their aunt had been kind and forthright, embodying the Koch family's virtues. But Grace was cunning and vicious, hiding a serpent's heart under her soft exterior.
When their aunt had left home, he was nearly ten. Their parents had passed away early, and with Grandpa preoccupied with the family business, it was their aunt who had basically raised him and his sister. He remembered a lot from those days very clearly.
So, when Grace re-entered the Koch family's lives, he doted on her, not as overtly as Jeremy did, but he was always there for her, eager to fulfill her wishes.
When she first arrived at the Koch family residence, her act had been so convincing that their sense of indebtedness to their aunt had closed their eyes to Grace's true nature.
The truth about Grace was out now, and the crumbling facade only exposed the startling ugliness beneath.
"Grace..." he said, his voice heavy.
It was the first time he had used her full name. Panic set in instantly, her hands twisting the hem of her shirt, and her palms were slick with sweat.
"Brother..." Her voice was timid, filled with an endless sense of grievance and fear. She was like a frightened animal, so easily scared that a harsh word could seemingly knock her out.
For some reason, the live broadcast director zoomed right in on her, capturing every expression, every flicker in her eyes with pristine clarity. Some viewers, the type with a soft spot for damsels in distress, couldn't bear to watch. They forgot all about her past deeds and spoke out in her defense.
"Man, the truth is out. Give it a rest. How can you be so hard on a girl?"
"Yeah, she's obviously got her issues. Let's just give her a break this time, you know?"
"As soon as a beauty sheds tears, I melt. She looks so pitiful. C'mere, sweetheart, I'll make it all better. Don't cry now!"
"Let's drop it; she's realized her mistake. We don't need to keep harping on about it."
Most of those speaking up for Grace were men. However, some of the audience couldn't stand the charade any longer and started flooding the comments.
"She's faking it. Can't you see? Only you guys buy into her act."
"Dude, she's a classic fake bitch, a manipulator. I've only seen them on TV before, but here's one in the flesh."
"Feeling sorry for herself? She didn't go easy on contestant number twenty and her brother. Remember how vicious she was? I can still picture it."
"She's been secretly snapping pictures of Jeremy. Seems like she's planned this from the start. The more you think about it, the scarier it gets."
"She's just too dangerous."
A divide formed: one side backing Grace, the other hurling increasing vitriol.
The audience and the online comments reflected the same split. Everyone was shocked by Grace's two-faced nature. Her acting skills could have landed her on stage or screen.
But Riley wasn't buying it for a second. Without a shred of sympathy, he said, "Don't push your mistakes onto me or Grandpa. We wanted nothing more than for you to follow in your mother's footsteps. Every parent dreams of their children's success, and we are no different.
"But we never wanted you to steal someone else's hard work. Talent is talent; it can't be forced. Grandpa and I have told you time and again—to live with integrity, and be honest and upright, without taking shortcuts or harboring malice. Jeremy is your brother, yet you secretly photographed him and maligned him. You've chilled all our hearts."
Riley was a man of few words, never one for lengthy speeches, but that day was an exception.
Grace felt so ashamed, her face might as well have been on fire. If there had been a place to hide, she would've taken it without a second thought.
"Bro, I... I realize my mistake! I'm sorry I let you down," she stammered out.
Apologizing seemed to be the only path left.
While the judges were visibly upset by her appalling behavior, none dared to speak out against Riley's sister, only shaking their heads in disappointment.
"If you really acknowledged your fault, you wouldn't have accused Jeremy of misconduct when he stood up for Patricia's innocence. You didn't admit you were wrong," Riley continued unforgivingly.
Tears streamed down Grace's cheeks. She wanted to deny it, but Riley didn't afford her the chance.
"Enough, I don't want to hear more excuses. I'm so disappointed in you. Aunt Elise would be mortified by your actions."
Those words cut deep, hanging in the air without a shred of mercy. Grace's cheeks were stained with shame.
With nothing left to say, Riley turned to the microphone, his voice resonating with unwavering authority.
"Contestant number five, Grace, has plagiarized the work of contestant number twenty. She must publicly apologize to contestant number twenty and forfeit her competition privileges. She is henceforth permanently banned from future contests."
Shane didn't offer any reaction. However, murmurs of disapproval rippled through the crowd.
"She's getting off too lightly for all the wrong she's done."
"Just an apology? Being a sister really does have its perks; a lighter punishment for the same crime."
"She should at least be made to beg contestant twenty for forgiveness!"
"Yeah, how else can she prove her sincerity?"
In the world of professional jewelry design, such consequences were severe.
Every designer's ultimate dream was to join the Koch Group—the world's leading jewelry conglomerate. Being disqualified from the competition was like a permanent blacklist from the Koch Group.
For Grace, though, this punishment didn't feel heavy enough. She wasn't a professional jewelry designer, nor had she ever aspired to work for the Koch Group. The toughest part might have been apologizing to Patricia publicly. The audience was dissatisfied with the outcome, feeling that Riley was playing favorites, protecting Grace.
Grace clamped her teeth down on her lower lip, glaring ferociously at the audience as if she wanted to devour them whole.
Shane, seated too far away, with his advanced age affecting his vision, couldn't discern Grace's expression. In contrast, Riley, who was closer, observed every nuance on her face. What he saw further dampened his spirits. Indeed, even in that moment, she displayed no remorse.
Grace, fearing the situation could spiral out of control, immediately lowered her head and said, "I'm sorry, Patricia. I'm extremely ashamed of my actions, and I hope you can forgive me. I promise I'll never do it again."
This apology mirrored the one at the pool, where she had nearly drowned Patricia. However, it was nothing more than a casual 'sorry,' devoid of genuine remorse or accountability.
Patricia's gaze turned icy as she uttered, "Apology not accepted."
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