Flora’s Guide to a Second Chance at Love and Life
Chapter 500

With Sienna in the mix, Kaylee's chances of snagging a win seemed slim to none.

"Contestant number fifteen, you're up next! Are you ready?" The stage manager's voice echoed.

Sienna smiled as she walked over, "I'm ready."

"Get up there, then."

"Sure thing." With a nod, Sienna slipped into her dressing room and carefully wheeled out a mannequin draped in red velvet.

"Sienna's turn? Let's go see!"

Sienna was a top contender, neck and neck with Kaylee. Everyone buzzed about how the win would likely go to one of them. In the audience, Flora absentmindedly played with Connor's fingers, clearly uninterested in the competition.

"Hello, everyone. I'm contestant number fifteen, Sienna, from Imperial Tech University. Now, let me present my work..."

Sienna's voice rang clear and confident on stage, while Flora continued to toy with Connor's fingers, not even glancing up.

But then, gasps of awe spread through the room, and whispers about the brilliance of Sienna's design filled the air. Only then did Flora look up.

On stage, Sienna wore a striking red knee-length dress. Flora's eyes moved past her to the evening gown on the mannequin. Her eyes widened, then narrowed, a cold light creeping into them as realization hit. She let go of Connor's hand and straightened up, her face icy as she watched the stage.

Noticing the shift, Connor frowned and glanced at the stage too.

"Sienna's dress is incredible!"

"But isn't it weird? This design is so different from her usual style."

"Look at the judges-they seem thrilled. She's probably going to win."

Backstage, contestants crowded around the door, gasping in admiration at Sienna's work, completely ignoring Kaylee, who had turned ghostly pale.

How could this happen...

Sienna's design was almost an exact copy of hers!

At the judges' table, Louie eyed Sienna's dress, his forehead creasing.

The pattern on this dress...

Wasn't it one Club 257 had done before?

He asked coldly, "Miss Sienna, are you sure this is your original work?"

Sienna's smile faltered for just a moment, a flicker of panic and guilt in her eyes, but she quickly masked it, looking as composed as ever. "Of course, it's my original."

Louie scrutinized the dress beside her but said no more. The other judges seemed very pleased, bombarding Sienna with questions.

Sienna remained poised and eloquent: "My design concept was inspired by my idol Rafael's recent dance solo, which I've named 'Chasing Light'..."

She spoke passionately about her design, while Flora listened, her expression stony but her eyes stormy with emotion.

Kaylee trembled with anger. The design concept was hers!

All of it was hers!

Hearing Rafael's name from Sienna's lips felt like a slap in the face.

"Kaylee, you okay?"

Finally, someone noticed her distress.

Could it be that seeing Sienna's brilliant work had shaken her confidence?

Kaylee didn't respond. The cheers and applause from the audience felt like knives cutting deep into her heart.