Messing With Her? Are You Crazy! novel Chapter 589

Hailey’s mouth moved, but no words came out. Her face was ashen.

Before the competition, she thought she had done her homework.

She knew people loved to delve into the concepts and origins of a design. So, for every discarded sketch she found, she had diligently researched and written out a concept, memorizing them all.

But she never expected the judges to be this meticulous.

“Well? Contestant Number Four, what’s wrong?” Seeing her prolonged silence, Angela’s lips curled into a probing smile. “Isn't this your own creative idea? Why can’t you answer?”

Knowing she couldn't stall any longer, Hailey forced herself to speak, stammering, “I-I just thought… it looked better this way. Art… art is supposed to be… it's about creative freedom…”

Angela laughed again.

That laugh made Hailey’s palms break out in a cold sweat.

Angela's eyes narrowed as she slowly stood up. “In that case, one last question.”

She leaned forward, planting her hands on the table, the smile on her face chillingly cold.

“—Contestant Number Four, was this design truly, personally, created by you?”

The question landed like a bombshell, echoing through the hall.

For a few seconds, there was dead silence.

Then the room erupted.

“What does Angela mean? What does she mean, ‘personally created by you’? Is Angela suggesting… that Contestant Number Four plagiarized?”

“That’s impossible, right? The competition is so strict, how could she plagiarize?”

“Exactly, wasn't it a themed design? And the theme was given by Ms. Rainsford herself. How could Contestant Number Four have known the theme in advance?”

All eyes instinctively turned to Hailey.

Hailey knew, of course, that Daphne was talking about her.

Her face was ghostly white, her fingers digging into her palms so hard they might break, and her heart was pounding uncontrollably.

Daphne continued, “The first set, ‘Aurora Cloud,’ was a gift you gave to the Blackwood family’s daughter for her coming-of-age ceremony.”

“The second, the full ‘Starlight Brilliance’ set you’re wearing right now.”

“And, of course, this design draft for ‘Starfall Radiance.’”

“Three designs, and without exception, all of them bear the distinctive style of my mentor, Queen.”

“I’m genuinely curious, Contestant Number Four. Can you explain why your design process so closely mirrors that of my mentor, Queen?”