Chapter 1925

All the contestants were on edge, hands hovering over their buzzers, ready to jump in. The audience was just as tense, holding their breath and silently rooting for their favorites.

Honestly, the theory questions were way tougher than just designing something. Most people couldn't remember all those design principles from school-they were the kind of facts you only crammed for exams, not something you used every day.

The tension in the air was electric as everyone raced to answer.

"Let's give it up for Country M! They've scored the first point!" the host called out, her voice booming across the hall.

The crowd exploded in cheers. Country M's quick lead made the other teams grit their teeth and sit up a little straighter.

Fiona sat quietly in her seat, eyes fixed on the stage.

A few rows behind her, Jackson watched her with a look of quiet longing, his shoulders slumped in loneliness. Next to him sat Amy, who kept turning to chat with him, her tone light and familiar.

Amy was here as the Gregory family's representative, and since the Gregorys had made a deal with the Woods family, she and Jackson seemed to get along just fine—or at least, that's how it looked from afar.

But Fiona had always disliked Amy. Actually, "dislike" was putting it mildly-she could barely stand her.

Seeing Jackson laughing and talking with Amy just twisted the knife deeper.

"Mr. Jackson, who do you think will win the first round?" Amy asked, her smile so sugary-sweet she could've been auditioning for a romcom. When the cameras swung her way, she played up the innocent, lovestruck act.

But as soon as the cameras turned, she shot a look straight at Fiona. She knew perfectly well Jackson's attention was never really on her-it was on Fiona.

"Oh, it looks like Ms. Fiona's dress got a little dirty," Amy said, her voice just loud enough to carry.

Jackson's eyes narrowed, something dark flickering there.

"If you put as much effort into your own growth as you do into snide remarks, you might actually get somewhere," he shot back, his tone icy.

Amy just grinned, unfazed. "Don't worry, Mr. Jackson. I'll be graduating from Center College in a couple of years. I'll be better then, just wait and see."

Her laughter was so carefree that anyone watching might think she and Jackson were best friends.

"Actually, I've always been curious," Amy went on, her tone teasing. "You and Ms. Fiona used to be so close, then you just cut things off. Cold, even for you."

"My relationship with Fiona is none of your business," Jackson said flatly. "You'd do well to focus on your own life. The Gregory family is all you've got. If they weren't around, who would you even be?"

The words hit Amy right where it hurt. Her smile dropped, her lips pressed

together. Her whole face darkened, like a storm rolling in off the ocean.

Without the Gregory family, she was nothing. Did everyone really think being their heiress was her dream?

Her chest rose and fell with anger.

She glared at Jackson, her voice sharp. You're right-the Gregorys are all have. But Mr. Jackson, don't forget, you're still separated from your precious Fiona."

If she was miserable, there was no way she'd let Jackson be happy either.

Amy's eyes darted to Fiona, then to Country M's team, a hint of something spiteful in her gaze.

Meanwhile, Jane, sitting next to Fiona, noticed Jackson two rows behind them.

She leaned in, whispering, "Pretty sure Jackson's been watching you this whole time."

Fiona didn't even turn around. She kept her eyes on the stage, her expression blank. Whether Jackson watched her or not didn't matter anymore.

Things between them were already broken beyond repair. It couldn't get any

worse.

"Fiona, what's really going on with you and Jackson? You two used to be so close," Jane pressed, frowning. Before everything happened with the Kidd family, she remembered how in love Fiona and Jackson had been. But after the Kidds' downfall, Jane had gotten caught up in her own problems and lost track of Fiona's life-leaving her completely out of the loop.