The auditorium buzzed with excitement as the results of the art competition were displayed on the screen.
1st Place: Ivy2nd Place: Greg3rd Place: Ella4th Place: Min-jun....25th Place: Maria
Whispers broke out. Maria? 25th? People chuckle and laugh as they turned to glance at her, expecting a reaction. Maria, however, stood still, her arms folded and expression unreadable.
Maria sneered and walk to the judge table
"Ivy got first place?" Maria asked, voice calm yet cold.
Who are you the male judges asked
Ivy got first place Maria repeated again
"Yes, and she deserved it," said one of the judges, his eyes sharp, lips curled in arrogance. "Her painting was the finest. Now please, go back to your seat so we can proceed."
Maria gave a slow, mocking chuckle. "I'll sit down... if I can see Ivy's painting the ivy I know won't be able to get 1st place."
Gasps fluttered through the crowd. Ivy rushed to Maria's side, clinging to her arm like a victim. "Why are you doing this?" she whimpered. "You're making a scene!"
"I just want to see the painting. That's allowed, right?"
"Are you saying Ivy doesn't deserve first place?" one of the female judges snapped.
"Yes," Maria answered flatly. "I think you're lying, and Ivy didn't deserve to win."
Another gasp. The crowd erupted.
"Oh my God, Maria is insane."
"She's so jealous!"
"If ivy doesn't deserve the first place who then deserves it "
"Poor Ivy. She's so kind, and this is what she gets?"
A male judge held up Ivy's painting—a tranquil landscape. A few students clapped and nodded in approval.
"Have you seen it now?" he sneered. "Do you still think it's not the best?"
Maria raised an eyebrow and fold her hand. "Let everyone see mine then ."
"Maria, stop this," Ivy cried, eyes already filled with tears. "The judges made their decision. If you want the trophy so bad, I'll give it to you. Please stop embarrassing yourself."
" Tsk why should ivy give her trophy she work so hard for to her like this "
"She's so gracious," someone whispered. "Maria is wicked."
"Stop bullying Ivy!" a loud voice roared. The school bully, known for his temper and Ivy worshiper, stormed onto the stage. "You're disgusting, Maria."
Maria raised her eyebrows at him."I'm crazy for asking for my painting to be shown and for ivy and my painting to look and see who deserves the trophy very simple are you that dumb you can't process it she taunted.
"I will kill you,it about time someone put you in place he said folding his sleeves"
Ivy ran into his arms. "No, don't fight! She's my best friend. I'll make her happy even if it means giving her my trophy!"
The crowd went wild. Maria rolled her eyes. "This school has a strange definition of talent."
"Since I became a judge, I've never seen a sore loser like you," the corrupted judge barked. "If you're untalented, accept it. Don't drag others down."
The Vice Principal stepped forward. "Maria, to the office. This behavior is unacceptable. Are you saying the judges lied? Do you know who these judges are? I'm disappointed in you."
"Sir, please don't punish Maria," Ivy sobbed, kneeling. "Punish me instead."
"Tsk you guys are the one making this s big deal I just want my painting and I want prove for why she got first place Maria said pointing at ivy .
" Do you still need prove after seeing ivy painting are you blind the vice principal said with a snear the school bully wanted to say something but ivy covered his mouth still crying.maria rub her forehead already felling headache."at this point I don't want the trophy I just want to prove a point you guys have been yelling the moment ivy started crying so dies crying Jake someone right"
The self righteous crowd could not take it anymore and started throwing papers and stuff at Maria.
"Enough!" Maria's voice boomed, silencing the room. "Anyone else want to throw something at me? Try it. You might not live to regret it."
The crowd stilled. Even the Vice Principal blinked.
"I'll go to your office," Maria said, "once I find my missing art."
She walked to the art display table. Her canvas was gone.
"Where is my painting?"
"We threw it out," the bribed judge smirked. "It was terrible. What are you going to do about it?"
A slow, deliberate clap echoed through the auditorium.
Heads turned. A boy stood at the entrance, tall and striking. His jet-black hair was slicked back, school uniform sharp and tailored. He wore a lazy smirk and eyes that glinted with amusement and danger he was the definition of handsome a painting in the form of a human and his Aura added to it his brown hair , fox eye, kissable,long leg smooth white skin long finger,veiny hand a 6'5 hight well sculpture face .
Mike.
The king of the school. Son of the wealthiest man in the country. His reputation preceded him—ruthless, untouchable, devastatingly handsome.
He walked toward the stage, lackeys flanking him like bodyguards.
"Tsk, you all started the drama without me," Mike said voice smooth as silk. He walked past the stunned crowd and stood beside Maria.
With a wave of his hand, one of his guys placed a canvas on the table.
The crowd gasped. wondering who have this beautiful painting .
"If I'm not mistaken," Mike said, smirking, "this painting was found in our dear judge car is it yours?"
"It—it belongs to me!" the bribed judge stammered. "I bought it! Yes! From an unknown artist!"
"Right that means this unknown artist is talented for a well reputable judge to buy from him or her right the moment I saw it I fell in love so I took it out to examine in front of everyone I hope you don't mind ," Mike said with a smile , flipping the painting. Maria's signature was in bold at the corner. When he turned it back, everyone gasped again—the painting was breathtaking.
"oh this is Maria name in the painting so it belongs to her so this is her missing painting so why was it in your car hwy did you say you bought it from a unknown artist come on explain this?" he asked, voice soft, but eyes razor-sharp hai question like dagger going straight to the point where it hurts.
The judge adjusted his tie and gulped water.
"Brother Mike!" Ivy chirped, rushing forward. "I knew you'd help Maria! You're amazing!"
Maria rolled her eyes. "Ivy, sit down. And first deal with this problem before you climb into his arms?"
Ivy froze.
"Now," Maria said, facing the judges, "why did I rank fifth if this is my work and why was it in your car why did you lie and sat you bought it from someone else ?"
The other judges took a step away from the bribed one. He was visibly sweating.
The crowd looking at the judge weirdly and looking at her
Ivy, voice trembling, whimpered, "I don't know why I was given first place. I swear! Maria, please believe me! I also don't know why your painting is in the judge car either brother Mike believe". She walk towards him wanting to touch him
Mike placed a protective arm around Maria's shoulder.
The auditorium gasped again. Ivy's tears dried instantly.
The school bully growled. "You've seen your art, Maria. So stop blaming Ivy. It's the judge's fault, not hers!"
Ivy sobbed again. "I know you hate me because of what happened with Chris… I didn't know he was allergic to peanut cake! I told you to give it to him because I thought he liked it. Please forgive me don't use that to take revenge for me I don't know why I got first place I'm not the judge and I don't know why your painting is with the judge if it means forgiven me I will kneel down to you!"
Maria smiled coldly. "Fine. Then kneel."
The judge used the chaos to try slipping away—but Mike's lackey blocked him.
The tension hit its peak.
She slowly lowered herself.
"She's so petty!" someone yelled.
"She's heartless!"
"Ivy doesn't know why the painting is with the judge instead of facing the judge she is facing ivy instead"
"Enough!" the Vice Principal yelled. "Maria, stop this madness. Don't ruin this event for your selfish ego, and making your own class mate kneel this us not how the prestigious Nobel highschool raises their students."
"She's not ruining anything," Mike replied calmly. "She's demanding justice. Or is that no longer allowed? So self-righteous but you don't want to help the one that was wronged why "
Mike turned to the bribed judge. "You still haven't explained why the painting was in your car."
The judge snapped, "The painting is fake! Maria didn't make it—she stole it! She's never shown talent before, so how could she paint this, and maybe the painting she stole it from me have you ever think about it ?"
Maria let out a mocking chuckle as Mike rolled his eyes as he lick lip ."do you want to die so bad " he asked the judge lazily
Maria raised an eyebrow. "Let's prove it then. Let Ivy and I compete. One-on-one. Now and let us see who is fake and who is not who stole the painting and who didn't."
She sat at an easel. Ivy wobbled to her own, pretending to faint.
Mike caught her before she could fall.
"Are you okay?"
She nodded weakly.
"Good. Then draw."
The audience laughed nervously. Ivy's plan to feign sickness had failed.
She walked slowly to her easel but then suddenly slammed her hand into the supply table and fell down holding her broken wrist as she cried for real.
"My hand! It's broken!" she cried.
The school bully ran to her. "Are you okay, goddess?"
Maria ignored them, calmly finishing her painting and turning it around.
"Does this look fake to you?" she asked.
The crowd gasp not knowing how to feel to appreciate the painting or to support ivy who injured her wrist
Before anyone could respond, Mike's lackey grabbed the judge's phone and scanned his fingerprint. They forced him to unlock it.
"Is this how you treat people?!" the Vice Principal roared.
Mike didn't flinch. "If you won't uphold fairness, we will."
He scrolled through the phone. "Found it."
He read aloud:
'I want you to steal someone's painting for me.''Of course. I'll make sure Maria is disgraced. Ivy will win. The other judges will agree.tsk this is the fair judge with judge like this I wonder how many talent he gave destroyed over the years now let us go check the girl that fell down with nonody having to push her he mocked ivy '
The crowd went still.
Mike tossed the corrupt judge phone. Walked to Ivy. Took her phone from her pocket and pressed her bruised hand on it to unlock it. Threw the phone to his lackey.
Nothing was found.
Then Mike leaned down and whispered something into the already terrified bribed judge's ear.
The man turned ghost-pale as if he had no blood.
Ivy started sobbing harder. "Why would you think I'd harm Maria? She's my best friend!"
Before she can continue her voice was heard .I want you to not destroy her painting j stead hide it ivy voice can be heard over the recording
" What do you want to use the painting for I should just damage it and be done with it the bribed judge voice was heard."ivy raised her head and saw Mike holding the judge phone playing a recording from his phone the recording the call btw her and the judge so the bastards recorded her ivy thought and glare at the judge .
" It is a shame to destroy the painting it has more use and I paid you so make a way the recordiy countie to play before it stop
The crowd went silent for a full minute
A voice cut through the silence. "I did it."
Everyone turned.
A girl who always followed Ivy stepped forward.
"I saw Maria's painting and got jealous. I bribed the judge. I used change my voice to match Ivy's voice and her phone. Cause I wanted to cause a rift btw ivy and Maria ivy is a godess why does she have to be with Maria … but now I feel guilty."
"You betrayed me?!" Ivy screamed. "I thought we were friends!"
The girl's eyes watered. "I'll punish myself."
Then she ran toward the stage edge and leaped.
Screams echoed. She hit the ground below.
Maria look at ivy who has a lake but satisfied expression on her face Maria turned without looking back and walked away, trophy in hand.
Mike watched the chaos, then gave Ivy a final look—unmoved, unreadable—before turning to follow Maria.
His lackeys fell in behind him.
And the auditorium was left in stunned silence.