C5 The Contest Begins

"Iconic Mode designer contest" As Alice read the banner, she confidently strutted to the greenroom in her high heels, creating a buzz. Adorned in a chic, shoulderless black dress with a high ponytail and dark shades, she captivated the entire hotel with her elegance and magnificent style.

Skylar trailed her, engaged in a phone conversation. "For real?"

"Oh is that so?"

"Alright, keep me posted; there's a handsome reward coming your way." Skylar hung up and swiftly advanced two steps toward Alice.

"I've received some inside info about Monica courtesy of a junior designer at Pristine Moments fashion house."

"Bring it on...."

"Monica's behavior took a negative turn after her promotion to senior designer – she now bullies her juniors, takes away their projects, and has even been accused of pilfering designs from her colleagues."

"Is that so?" Alice halted, turned to Skylar, slided her shades atop her head, and raised her eyebrows inquisitively.

"Absolutely, she lacks dedication to her work and is consistently behind schedule with designs," Skylar affirmed, nodding her head.

Chewing her lower lip, Alice contemplated deeply before saying, "I see."

As she attempted to head again to the green room, Skylar gripped her wrist to halt her. "You've got to see this," she insisted, passing her mobile to Alice.

"Oh, interesting..." Alice's lips curved into a smirk. "What else do you have?" She gazed at Skylar's broader smirk and prompted for more.

"Indeed, not just Monica; three additional designers from 'Pristine Moment' are competing. The victor secures not only the movie contract but also receives generous rewards from Chairman Mason Rex, along with a promotion to head the fashion department."

"Hmm, intriguing...." Alice pivoted on her heels and continued walking towards the green room, with Skylar following closely.

The iPad in Andrew's grasp chimed, displaying a notification of an email from Ronny. Andrew promptly accessed the email, revealing Ronny's message: 'Boss, presenting an exclusive footage for you.'

Andrew, puzzled, tapped on the attachment, wearing a frown at Ronny's boldness. The CCTV footage captured Alice striding through the hotel corridor, showcasing her graceful walk and elegant style in a black dress. However, Andrew, with a stoic expression, remained unswayed by her charm.

Andrew carefully reviewed the entire footage, scrutinizing every nuance—her pauses, conversations with Skylar, the graceful slide of her shades, and the elegance of her slender hands. Unconsciously, he found himself replaying the footage once more.

"Hmm, while Alice's classy demeanor and grace align with mine, she falls short of being Mrs. Kingston," Andrew murmured, studying Alice's visage, and then proceeded to delete the email.

Escorting Alice to the greenroom, Monica's assistant Ella White presented the chosen ensemble. "Alice, this is your attire for the first round."

Glancing at the outfit and then at Skylar, Alice engaged in a silent, meaningful eye conversation with her.

"Are you confident about this outfit, Ella? Is it Monica's design?" Alice questioned, shooting a pointed glare at Ella.

"Alice, don't doubt my capabilities. Put this on and get ready," Ella replied in a stern tone.

In the face of Ella's impoliteness, Alice maintained her composure and inquired calmly, "I'm not casting doubt, but can you confirm that this outfit is indeed designed by Monica for the Iconic Mode contest?"

Ella scowled and reprimanded, "Alice, as Monica's assistant, I know her designs better than you do. Quit bothering me and get dressed quickly. Also, don't leave the greenroom until it's time to walk the ramp. Clear?"

Ella is intimately connected with Monica, involved in all aspects, and her closeness to the chairman's new favorite girlfriend makes her audacious. Nonetheless, Alice has no grounds to endure her disrespectful demeanor.

"Ella, don't overstep your boundaries, understand? While I may be modeling your boss's design on stage, I've earned respect as a celebrity. No one has the right to belittle me. Show some respect and refrain from getting under my skin."

In a composed yet firm tone, Alice cautioned Ella and signaled for Skylar. Skylar handed a memo to Ella, leaving her visibly startled.

"One million is an exorbitant amount for a designer to pay their model, especially considering you're friends with Monica. Where's your conscience in charging her so much?"

'Ahh, look who is talking about conscience; how could one be so brazen?'

"I have to earn a living, and my conscience allows me to charge Monica a reasonable fee," Alice shot back, entering the greenroom and slamming

"Ensure the stated amount is in this account before Alice gets ready; otherwise, she won't come out of the greenroom," Skylar conveyed, passing a document with Alice's account details to Ella and swiftly entering the greenroom.

Amidst a workload, Andrew's attention was diverted by yet another email notification from Ronny, presenting another video of Alice in front of the greenroom.

"This punk requires some serious treatment."

While viewing the footage, Andrew called Ronny and put the phone on speaker. "Ronny, it looks like you've been pushing yourself too much. Take a break and switch your responsibilities with Vicky."

"No worry, boss, the work is not tiresome at all and you'll not be bothered again for anything. I'll excel at my job even more."

In a rush, Ronny offered his apologies for being cheeky, recognizing that Vicky's tasks were too challenging for him to manage.

"You had better be..." Andrew shook his head and ended the call after issuing a warning to Ronny.

"While Alice was getting ready for the event, her phone rang. "Who's on the line?" she asked Skylar.

"As anticipated..." Skylar displayed the mobile screen to Alice. 'Mason calling.'

Alice gestured for her to respond to the call on her behalf. The purpose of his call was known to both of them.

"Hello Mason...."

"I'm sorry, but Alice is currently in the midst of her makeup and unable to speak. If it's crucial, I can switch to speakerphone."

Skylar simply followed Alice's instructions, arching her eyebrows and receiving approval with a thumbs-up.

"Fine, put it on the speaker." Mason clenched his fist and said.

Aware in advance that he would call regarding the contest fees, Alice recognized Mason as a self-centered manipulator who had taken advantage of Alice while she was blindly in love. However, that phase of madness had ended, and she was no longer willing to let anyone use her for their gain.

“Yes, Mason, tell me, what's so urgent?" Alice played oblivious.

A sense of satisfaction filled her as she realized he might be seething, yet he couldn't unleash his anger as the call was on speaker, audible to her entire team.

"Alice, you're billing Monica, our company's designer and your friend, who's already facing challenges in the industry. How can you be so insensitive? It's not like you're lacking anything," Mason shouted with excitement.

"So, do you want me to work for free?" Alice's stern tone made Mason speechless.

"I didn't mean it that way..."

"Monica intends to recruit a Hollywood actress as a model to showcase her design, so she should shoulder the expenses for her lofty ambitions. However, I fail to understand why you're favoring her over your girlfriend. Despite her role as our company's designer, this competition is unrelated to 'Pristine Moments.' She's participating as an individual."

"Mason, it's vital that you steer clear of my professional matters, just as I avoid meddling in your work." Alice unleashed the built-up anger that had accumulated since Mason proposed her as a model for Monica's designs.

"But, baby........"

"Mason, unless it's something urgent, kindly end the call and let me focus on getting ready. Or else I will be late on the ramp."

In a veiled threat, Alice hinted to Mason that pushing her further might result in unfavorable consequences for Monica.

"Fine, as you prefer, but make sure everything goes smoothly on the stage."

Without responding, Alice gestured for Skylar to end the call. Five minutes later, Skylar received a message confirming the deposited amount in the account.

Half an hour later, Ella knocked on the door and entered. "Alice, it's time. Please come out."

Tossing her phone aside after a round of Temple Run, Alice rose from her seat and exited, with Skylar in tow.

"You're the primary model for Monica. After the initial turn, two more will join you on either side, and eventually, Monica will make her entrance onto the stage, and..."

Ella was in the midst of explaining when Skylar interrupted, "Ella, Alice is well aware of her role, so there's no need for additional details..."

Ella acknowledged with a nod, shifting to the side to clear the path for Alice. While heading to the stage, a sudden, loud yell from behind made Alice pause and turn to address the commotion.

Alice and Skylar witnessed the designer crying and shouting at her assistant, causing a disturbance in the corridor.

"Skylar, isn't she Sophia, the last bridal collection winner? What's wrong with her?" Alice asked in confusion. She squinted her eyes, getting irritated by that loud yell.

"Alice, as a celebrity, steer clear of gossip. Don't concern yourself with others' issues; let's proceed to the ramp," Ella hastily urged, discouraging Alice from delving into unrelated matters.

"Alice, she's correct; head to the ramp first," Skylar advised.

With a casual shrug, Alice made her way to the stage. Gracefully walking the ramp, she was later joined by two more models. The trio's collective presence, highlighting Alice's magnificent style, calm allure, and charming face, captivated and stunned the audience.

The trio diverged into three separate directions, with Alice positioned on the middle ramp. After striking stylish poses, they turned and elegantly retraced their steps.

"Presenting the designer, Monica!" The contest host announced, and Monica commenced her walk, accompanied by the center model, Alice.

As they took a few steps, Monica whispered near Alice's ear, "What are you wearing?"

"The attire, crafted by you," Alice replied with a similar tone.

"Oh dear, what's this?" Monica exclaimed at the top of her lungs, stunning the entire audience.