Sweet Divorce novel Chapter 46

A week later.

The design competition began today. Invited by the sponsor, Liam went to the competition with Rita.

Their car slowly came to a halt outside the venue

Rita didn’t rush to get off, instead, she handed a kraft bag to Liam.

“What is it?” the man took over the bag with puzzlement.

He tried to see what was in the bag but Rita stopped him. “Open it after the competition.”

What’s with all this mystery?

That made Liam so curious.

But he resisted the temptation since Rita asked him to open it later.

The competition was going to begin in a few minutes anyway.

They should better enter and get ready for it.

Putting the bag aside, he entered the venue with Rita.

As the elevator ascended, Rita took a look at the man beside her. “I want you to think it through after you read it, alright?”

Liam frowned, intrigued.

The elevator opened with a jingle.

Rita stepped out. She paused and turned around to look at Liam, said discreetly. “Give me a reply after you read it tonight.”

“I’ll wait for your reply, no matter how late it is.” she added.

The man nodded. “Noted.”

“Thanks.”

She relieved at the man’s approval, and then went to the competition.

In the elevator, Liam watched Rita as she vanished in distance. The clang of the elevator doors threw him back to reality.

What’s happening to him lately?

He just tripped out watching someone’s back.

The flickering number on the Led displayer somehow nagged at him.

***

9:30 a.m.

“Contestants, please design a diamond ring with the theme “Crazy in Love”, you will be given four hours to finish your design. Everyone drops your pen and leaves your seat when the bell rings.”

The voice of the judge reverberated.

All contestants, including Rita, sat down and grabbed the pen before them as a clang onset the competition.

Crazy in Love, the phrase put a bitter smile on Rita.

She had a profound understanding of it.

But she struggled to decide where to start with to design a diamond ring to convoy the notion.

The clock kept ticking. By now, all contestants except for Rita had started their designing.

“It’s been half an hour, what is Rita waiting for.” Sitting on the stand on second floor, Jacob was filled with concern.

He asked the man sitting next to him. “She won’t hand in a blank paper, will she?”

Liam lowered his eyes to glance at Rita. Abruptly, he squinted.

He appeared to be calm. But after all these years Jacob spent with Liam, he knew better than to believe that he’s really calm.

He stepped aside so Liam wouldn’t vent his feelings on him.

Among the audience, Zoe, tightening her grips at Noah’s shirt, was obviously nervous. “Noah, what’s happening? Why is Rita still not drawing?”

“She’s probably still thinking, don’t worry. We have to have faith in our daughter, she can do it.” His eyes kept staring at Rita’s hands while trying to comfort Zoe. On the inside, he was even more nervous than Zoe was.

Draw! Rita. Draw something.

“Don’t panic. Here, have some water and calm down a little bit.” Grace tugged two bottles of water into the Browns’ hands.

Curtly, they thanked Grace and went back fixating their eyes on Rita.

Grace looked at Charlotte, who was drawing with an air of confidence as if she were already the champion. Grace raised her voice. “It takes talent to be an excellent designer. Look at my sweet Charlotte, she’s in it to win it. ”

Noah tightened his grasp on the bottle at the sound of Grace’s voice.

Grace took quick note of Noah’s minor change in behavior, she smiled complacently. “People who talk but never take action will never make a good designer.”

The mockery intensified Noah’s anxiety.

And it was right at the moment when Rita finally picked up her pen.

And Noah took a sigh of relief.

The bell rang four hours later.

“Alright, everybody, put down your pen.” The judge urged. And one by one, the contestants put down their pens.

“Rules are changed this year. Every contestant’s design will be uploaded on the internet and voted by the mass. Thus the outcome won’t be published until next week, we appreciate your patience.”

The judge said as he signaled his assistant to collect the papers.

Rita left after handing in her design.

“Rita!” She heard her mom as soon as she stepped out the venue.

Zoe grabbed Rita’s hands, “Rita, did you finish it?”

“I did.”Rita nodded.

Her answer put Zoe at easy right away. “Thank god you finished.”

Come on, mom! Would you please have some faith in me?

Looking at her mom, Rita was speechless.

“Charlotte, what’s your level of certainty with winning the prize?”Beside them, Grace whispered to Charlotte

Charlotte answered her with a proud smile. “Say, ninety-five percent.”

“That’s my girl!” Grace was exhilarated. She turned to Amelia, said unctuously. “Mom, you could rest assured. Charlotte will definitely save the Brown Group this time.”

“Sweet girl, Charlotte, what do you want for dinner? It’s on grandma. ” Amelia had always been confident about Charlotte’s expertise. She asked her friends in the fashion industry before and received positive feedbacks.

She couldn’t wait to celebrate for her granddaughter even the outcome was still not known yet.

“Grandma, our situation doesn’t allow us to squander anymore. Let’s just go home and make our dinner ourselves.” Charlotte played a sweet baby-girl really well.

What a thoughtful girl! Amelia couldn’t like this granddaughter of hers anymore.

“Alright, let’s go home.”

Charlotte glanced over Rita, said hypocritically. “Rita, why don’t we have dinner together at home?”

It was not until now that Amelia noticed Rita.

But her eyes were full of loath when she looked at Rita.

Rita shook her head hurriedly. “No, I have plans tonight.”

She headed to the parking lot she saw her family off.

She was not lying, she had plans for the night.

Plans on something really important.

Liam got back to the parking lot before Rita did. He got in the car and picked up the bag Rita just gave him in the morning.

He opened it and saw a piece of paper written “Divorce Agreement.” His anger burst out like a volcano.