At Xavier Jewelers, the buzz reached Evelyn's ears, who pondered over Lilah's motives. Could Lilah have bought this golden opportunity?

Curious, she turned to Katie with her suspicion.

Katie scoffed, "Lilah's all talk. Mirello Design Academy isn't swayed by money, and Gerard's absence leaves her without her usual support."

She was convinced Lilah was all smoke and no fire.

"But Lilah doesn't seem like she'd boast without cause," Evelyn interjected, hoping for some reassurance.

Katie, full of self-assurance, laid it out plainly. “Believe me, our picks are merit-based. It's a fantasy to think her whole team would get picked. Even with my stature, I only have a couple of spots to offer, and there's no guarantee of selection. Only the president and professors have the clout to bring in a crowd."

Evelyn's concern waned, yet she couldn't shake a niggling doubt.

"Could Lilah be on the faculty?"

The suggestion seemed outlandish even to her own ears.

Katie's sneer was all the answer needed. "A professor, really? If she were, wouldn't she have shut down the mockery about her credentials long ago? Trust me, becoming one of us is not that easy. If it turns out she is, I'd rip my head off and let her have her fun with it."

Convinced, Evelyn turned her attention back to the data on her screen, which showed a recent uptick, likely tied to the hype around Katie's persona. It appeared that betting on Katie's influence was a smart move.

The next day, anticipation hung in the air as Mirello Design Academy's public lectures drew near, scheduled for the afternoon at the convention center. The chosen few from the masses, invitations in hand, queued up, eager for the wisdom they were about to receive.

Katie had put forth two names from Xavier Jewelers, but as chance would have it, only one was chosen.

Katie, with a triumphant stride, accompanied her chosen colleague to the venue, her eyes skimming the list of attendees. No names from Phillips Jewelry. Confusion briefly furrowed her brow-Lilah's confidence was misplaced, surely?

In the sea of online chatter, Katie found the claim about Lilah vowing to usher her entire design team into the event. Skepticism was the chorus in the comments, though some green-eyed with jealousy.

They turned to Katie, the insider, for the truth.

“No sign of Phillips Jewelry here," she responded with finality, silencing the speculation and igniting a wave of mockery toward Lilah.

The topic flared up, climbing the ranks of trending searches. Katie's gaze drifted up, and there she was-Lilah, a vision in blue, commanding the venue's attention effortlessly.

Katie's surprise was evident; her eyes almost popped out of their sockets. It didn't make sense-Lilah's name was nowhere on the list.

And trailing behind her, the entire team from Phillips Jewelry. What was she up to?

Stationed at the doorway, Katie watched the unfolding scene. As Lilah neared, the security guard acknowledged her with a knowing nod, and she glided through with her entourage in tow.

"Stop," Katie's voice sliced through the air, high-pitched and accusing. Confronting Lilah, she couldn't mask the contempt. "Really, Lilah? Is sneaking in with a bribe to the security guard your big plan? You do know that's illegal, right? I should call the cops on you this instant."

Katie believed she had caught Lilah red-handed, breaking the rules.

There was a flicker of triumph in her voice as she confronted Lilah.