Chapter 204

Before anyone could ask more, soft background music started playing—the press conference had officially begun. With Vincent Lee, the head of the Designers' Association, missing at the last minute due to some company issues, the planned opening speech was dropped. Even though the host quickly adjusted the flow, the atmosphere remained subtly tense and awkward. The murmuring complaints from VIP judges in the first row weren’t loud, but sitting right behind them, Caitlin Jordan could hear every word crystal clear. "What's Vincent thinking? Skipping an event this important?" "Apparently something came up with his company. Guess when you're young, chasing profits takes priority." "This is the top design competition in the country. Couldn’t he wait till after the press conference?" "Well, on one hand, his company is his own, and he is talented. But honestly, the guy's just a bit too impulsive. Still too green to handle things properly." "Yeah, next time we elect a president, we should all th