CHAPTER 201: CHAPTER 201: I WANT BOTH THE TROPHY AND YOU

Holly spent an entire day with Blake Sinclair at The Grandflora Gardens.

The next day at noon, she was lying on the sofa when she suddenly received a call from her teacher, Miles Quill.

"Teacher?"

"Congratulations, Holly."

Those four short words from the other end made Holly’s hand tremble, nearly dropping the phone onto the carpet.

Her tongue felt tangled, unable to string together a complete sentence.

"Teacher, what did you... congratulations?"

She stumbled to pick up her phone, a bit dazed.

Miles chuckled quietly, "Silly girl, don’t get too excited yet. I won’t say much about the specifics, just remember to focus your thoughts on the exhibition piece for Corinium. The Blue Orchid Cup results will naturally be revealed."

Those few words contained the answer she’d dared not hope for months.

Since making it to the finals, she’d envisioned this day, but each time she thought making it this far was acknowledgment enough, not daring to hope for an award.

But the more she understood, the less she dared to believe that the Blue Orchid Cup award might actually fall to her, a "past trend" artist who left the pottery world five years ago.

After a few words, Miles hung up the phone.

Just then, the dimmed screen lit up again, a message popped up from the Blue Orchid Cup organizers.

She opened it; it was a golden invitation: "Dear Ms. Holly Crowe, we cordially invite you to attend the Blue Orchid Cup award ceremony at 10 AM tomorrow morning and celebrate together."

"Award ceremony." Holly finally felt a sense of reality.

The Blue Orchid Cup’s rule was that only the final gold, silver, and bronze award winners were invited to this ceremony.

Plus, the implied phone call from Miles...

Holly suddenly jumped up from the sofa, clutching her chest, skipping around on the spot.

Blake Sinclair just happened to come out of the study and saw Holly hopping around the living room, sunshine was dancing on her body, and she was visibly happy.

He was infected by her joy, and the corners of his lips lifted unconsciously, "What’s happening that’s making you so happy?"

Holly turned around excitedly, holding up her phone screen to him, "Email! It’s the Blue Orchid Cup winner’s invitation, and just now Miles called to congratulate me! Blake, do you think it’s what I think it is?"

Her eyes were amazingly bright, filled with expectation and disbelief.

Blake looked at the email, then looked down at her flushed cheeks from excitement, smiling broadly.

He gently ruffled her hair, speaking proudly, "Looks like The Great Artist Crowe’s trophy cabinet in the studio is finally going to welcome its first main character."

"Ah!"

Holly couldn’t help but exclaim, her smile becoming even brighter, yet she tried to hold back, patting her own face.

"Calm, calm! The final results aren’t announced until tomorrow! But, even if it’s just the bronze, I’m still very happy. After leaving the pottery world for so many years, coming back, any award would be my greatest recognition and encouragement."

"In my heart, you’re always the best, irreplaceable."

Blake looked at her, his eyes filled with pride for her.

He took her hand and gently rubbed it, teasing, "Since our Great Artist Crowe’s career is about to reach a highlight moment, I wonder if the day I get to officially enter the family is near too?"

Holly was amused by his words, and she lifted his chin playfully with her index finger, imitating his usual noble demeanor, "Rest assured, I want both the trophy and you."

"I’m very much looking forward, Holly."

The next morning.

In front of The Azure Hotel, a reasonable number of journalists and media were already gathered.

The Blue Orchid Cup finals were undoubtedly an event in the art scene.

Blake Sinclair drove Holly here, but she adamantly ordered him to stop one street away from the hotel.

Holly carefully adjusted her hat while looking at the car window.

Today she wore a black-and-white camellia Chanel-style suit, formal yet playful, took out a lipstick, and started touching up her makeup on her phone.

Blake looked at her, "Am I so unpresentable?"

He was a legitimate husband!

"There are too many journalists at the entrance, if you go there, it might not look good." She explained while smoothing her lip color.

Holly put away the lipstick, turned to see his resentful eyes, and smiled, comforting him, "There’s no celebratory banquet arranged this time, the ceremony should be over by noon."

"Then I’ll come to pick you up,"

Blake immediately seized the opportunity, his eyes filled with anticipation, "Coming back to Glynmere together tonight?"

He was constantly thinking about the important matter of "officially moving in."

Holly was amused by him, lightly tapping his chest with her finger, "Mr. Sinclair, are you that impatient?"

"Yes,"

Blake admitted frankly, "can’t wait."

He said while wrapping her shoulder and pulling her towards him, lowering his head wanting to kiss those enticing red lips.

But Holly laughed and turned her head away, pressing her finger against his lips, "No! I just applied the lipstick, can’t have it smudged!"

She took the chance to push him away, opened the car door.

One foot out of the car, she turned back and threw him an air kiss, "Wait for me to bring the trophy and take you home!"

Blake indulgently smiled, "Okay."

Inside the venue.

With the staff’s guidance, Holly took her designated seat in the front row.

Each side of her had an empty seat, with name tags that read Shannon Yarrow and Skye.

These three names here would jointly reveal the final outcome of this year’s Blue Orchid Cup.

Skye, a senior in college this year.

More thrilling than making it to the Blue Orchid Cup finals for her was sharing a stage with her long-admired idol.

Since finding out her seat was right next to Holly, she’d spent a sleepless night rehearsing her words for seeing Holly.

Yet when she actually saw Holly, Skye’s mind went blank, leaving only "Wow, the goddess is so beautiful."

She resisted the urge to scream, trying to remain calm, and after nodding and smiling at Holly, quickly lowered her head.

Her fingers flew over her phone screen, flooding her dorm group chat with "ahhhhhh."

Holly looked at the youthful, exuberant young woman beside her, unable to resist feeling the generational shift, "young waves pushing old ones."

At that moment, Shannon arrived.

She was dressed in a purple traditional-style long dress, still graceful and intellectual.

But her pale complexion and weary eyes revealed her poor state.

Holly’s gaze swept over her, noticing Shannon still wore that familiar Mutton Fat Jade Pendant around her neck.

She smirked internally, it seemed Shannon intended to carry this misunderstanding to the end, deliberately wearing it at occasions she attended to cement those rumors.

Shannon noticed Holly’s gaze, glanced at the pendant on her chest, with lips curling in mockery.

Recently, she’d heard rumors of Blake and Holly supposedly going through a divorce, and this absence of Blake at such an important event further convinced her their relationship was broken.

Thinking of the incompetent Mia Chapelle troubled Shannon, not only failing to execute the plan against Holly, but instead affecting her career with several crucial partnerships pulling out.

Fortunately, Shannon had some savings from her years in Brelond, barely managing to stay afloat.

This Blue Orchid Cup, as long as she secured the gold, would allow her to rise again, reclaiming everything!

At exactly 10 AM, the Blue Orchid Cup finals ceremony began simultaneously online and offline.

Outside the president’s office of Sinclair Group, Cole Tanner was pacing.

The meeting originally set for 9:30 AM, had been ordered delayed by President Sinclair for half an hour.

However, even by 10 AM, President Sinclair showed no intent of attending the meeting.

This type of situation had never happened before.

The secretaries kept signaling to Cole, urging him to go in and check.

Carrying everyone’s expectations, Cole knocked on the door.

"Enter."

Cole pushed the door open and entered.

He initially thought Blake was caught up in something delaying him, but upon entering, he found Blake not working as usual.

Instead, he was watching TV?

Slouched against his chair, eyes focused on the tablet screen, even a hint of proud smile at the corners of his lips.

Cole walked up a bit closer, hearing the sound from the tablet.

"... Next, we will reveal the final gold, silver, and bronze award winners of this year’s Blue Orchid Cup. First, the winner of this year’s Blue Orchid Cup gold award is ’Three Springs!’ Congratulations to the winner Holly Crowe!"

Cole instantly understood, Blake was watching the Blue Orchid Cup live broadcast!

For his wife!

The screen burst into applause and cheers.

The camera focused sharply on the figure in black-and-white attire in the front row.