Chapter 138 The Competition Begins
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The competition had started, and it was soon Evelyn’s turn to take the stage as the third performer.
Christina instantly became a fan girl, recording Evelyn’s performance on her phone.
Seeing her grandmother’s radiant smile made Christina realize that the trip had been worthwhile, regardless of whether she won a prize or not.
After the competition, Christina even helped Evelyn aid Francis take a lot of photos.
Francis appeared even more amiable than usual, and his good looks made him the center of attention at the event. Even those who did not dance with him also sought the opportunity to take photos with him.
After spending some time backstage, the three teams made their way back to the stage just as the host was about to announce the results.
The host held the name list and announced clearly, “The winner of the night is team number three!”
The spot light then hit on Evelyn and Francis.
Evelyn beamed with a glorious smile, exuding confidence that surpa**ed those of her peers. Her self- a**urance alone made her the center of attention.
After announcing the runner-up and second runner-up, the host invited all the winners to the stage to take a group photo, capturing the moment as a cherished memory.
When it was time for the champion to take the photo, Francis walked down the stage and held his hand to invite Christina. “Shall we?”
The crowd turned their attention to Christina. She hesitated and wanted to decline his offer.
However, when she caught a glimpse of her grandmother’s eager gaze, she made up her mind and stood up.
Christina stood next to Evelyn, trying to maintain a distance from Francis. Francis gave her a baffling look before responding with a smirk.
“Can we have the champion team look into the camera? We’re going to take a photo now,” the photographer said.
Standing in the spotlight for the first time, Christina filt her nerves kick in. Her heart raced, but she still managed to maintain a polite grin on her face.
Since the competition was being live-streamed, viewers had the opportunity to watch the event in real- time both on television and online platforms.
Meanwhile, Nathaniel returned to Scenic Garden Manor after finalizing a contract, but to his surprise, Christina was nowhere to be found. He took a seat in his study, focusing on attending to his paperwork.
His gaze was drawn to the trending topics that appeared on the screen.
He clicked on the link and was directed to a live stream where he saw Christina, Evelyn, and Francis standing on stage, accepting their award.
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Chapter 138 The Competition Begins
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Since Christina and Francis were approximately the same age, their presence together in the frame was a perfect match, radiating youthfulness and charm. Evelyn’s position in the center also added a hint of warmth to the scene.
Sebastian, who stood next to the desk, started to break out in cold sweat.
He knew Nathaniel rushed all the way back to Scenic Garden Manor after signing the contract because he wanted to spend more time with Christina.
Little did he expect to return to an empty house and be greeted by such news. Sebastian could tell a storm was brewing inside Nathaniel, and anyone who dared to speak would have to be prepared to face his fury.
“Ahem… Ahem…”
Suddenly, Nathaniel started coughing violently. He knitted his brows, and his eyes darkened.
“Are you okay, Mr. Hadley? Should I call the family doctor over to check on you?” Sebastian asked with genuine concern.
“No.” Nathaniel regained his composure and turned off the screen.
It was hard to tell the emotion behind his indifferent expression, and that sent chills down Sebastian’s spine.
Nathaniel was not one to wear his heart on his sleeve. Beneath those deep gazes, a world of mysteries. was concealed.
Instead of bringing that matter up, Sebastian turned around, poured Nathaniel a gla** of warm water, sat next to him, and continued sorting out the documents.
Nathaniel’s incessant coughing broke the silence in the room.
As his coughing became intensified, Sebastian could not help but find an excuse to slip away. pretending to refill his cup with warm water. He quickly dialed Christina’s number.
Sebastian called her twice, but she did not answer the phone. In the end, he texted her to explain. Nathaniel’s situation briefly. Christina cares about Mr. Hadley, so she’ll rush home if she knows he’s not feeling well.
Meanwhile, after the competition, Senior Care and Support Association organized another gathering for all the contestants.
When Christina was helping her grandmother change clothes, she left her bag on her seat.
The phone in her bag rang, catching Francis’ attention. He peeped at the screen and saw a familiar
name.
The phone rang several times without being answered, and then a message came through.
Francis picked it up and glanced at it. Since the screen was locked, he could only read a portion of the display.
A hint of wickedness gleamed in his eyes as he stared at those words. He gently swiped his finger across the screen and tapped the delete key.
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When Christina came out of the dressing room, the phone remained quiet inside her bag, as if it had
never been taken out.
Grandma had a vibrant personality and quickly struck up friendships with fellow members of the a**ociation. Christina was pleased to see her grandmother’s heartfelt smile.
“Francis is a great kid. Not only can he act well, but he’s also an excellent dancer. You should invite him home for dinner more often.” Evelyn could not stop praising Francis.
Awkwardness was written all over Christina’s face when she heard that. “Granny, I’m already married. Remember?”
She wondered if Evelyn had forgotten about Nathaniel since she had not brought him home for quite some time.
Upon hearing that, Evelyn knocked Christina’s head gently. “What are you talking about? I only think of him as a friend. Of course, I remember Nat is my grandson-in-law.”
She had a fondness for Francis, similar to how an elderly person was fond of someone younger. On the other hand, even though Nathaniel was not particularly talkative, she could tell he had a deep respect. for the elderly.
Above all, Nathaniel cared for Christina deeply, and that was all that mattered.
Christina heaved a sigh of relief. She was concerned that Evelyn, who had a fondness for Francis, might try to play matchmaker between them.
After returning to her seat, she turned to Francis and spoke sincerely. “Thank you, and I’m sorry for misunderstanding you.”
Francis’ lips curled into a smile. “Is the invitation to have dinner with you still valid?”
“Of course,” Christina replied.
A dark glint flitted across Francis’ eyes when he received the answer he had been eagerly anticipating.
Christina powered on her phone and noticed several missed calls from Sebastian. However, when she tried to call him back, she was greeted with a busy line.
She knew Sebastian would not have called her multiple times without a good reason. Did something happen to Nathaniel?
Christina dialed Nathaniel’s number, but no one answered either.
A sense of unease started to grow inside her.
After thinking it over, Christina decided to return to check on Nathaniel. “Francis, could you please send my granny home? There’s something urgent I need to attend to.”
She left after bidding Evelyn farewell.
Just when Christina was about to leave, Francis’ phone rang. “Hey, Mr. Busy, how did you manage to make time for a charity event? Have you set your sights on a new prey?”
“Don’t a**ume I do charity work with any hidden agenda,” Francis scoffed coldly.
Chapter 138 The Competition Begins
At that moment, his gaze toward Christina became deep and mysterious.
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The man on the other end of the phone snorted. “Yeah, right. I might believe that from others, but not from you. Are you done? I’ll wait for you at the club.
He knew Francis like the back of his hand. Every action Francis took was with purpose. After all, Francis had entered the entertainment industry with the sole intention of seeking revenge against someone. “You’re going to get yourself into hot water for picking a fight with someone you shouldn’t.”
Francis responded with a wicked smirk. “I don’t mind getting into trouble as long as I can accomplish my objective.”
