The Billionaire’s Secret Quartet novel Chapter 1717

Thalassa couldn't help but return the smile, acknowledging the greeting.

Cody kept the energy high as he announced, "Our second showcase is by contestant number eight, Heidi. Following her is number three, Thalassa."

As Cody introduced the designers, their creations were presented in grand, velvet-lined display cases on the stage, each accompanied by a voting box for the audience to cast their ballots.

Cody, ever the showman, explained the voting process with a grin, "We have ten patrons here tonight, each with a single vote to cast. Our esteemed patrons will vote for the design that resonates most with their personal aesthetic. The designer with the most votes will be crowned the winner of this semifinal round!"

This method of voting was seen as both fair and transparent by everyone involved.

The patrons were handed a piece of paper and a pen, simply asked to write down the number of their preferred design. Staff would collect the votes for tallying.

Soon enough, the votes were counted, and Cody held the results in his hand.

A wave of nervous anticipation washed over Thalassa; she couldn't help but glance over at Zoey, who was also looking her way. Their eyes met in a moment of shared anxiety.

Zoey, usually so stoic, offered Thalassa a warm, encouraging nod.

Thalassa nodded back, a small gesture of camaraderie before they both turned their attention back to Cody.

He teased the audience a bit longer, holding onto the suspense before finally diving into the results, "I know everyone's on the edge of their seats, wondering who out of our three talented designers has taken the lead. Well, the results are in my hand, and let me tell you, our patrons have exquisite taste."

Cody's preamble did little to ease Thalassa's nerves.

Finally, he announced, "Contestant number five, Zoey, with three votes! Contestant number eight, Heidi, also three votes! And contestant number three, Thalassa, three votes!"

The room was stunned into silence at the unexpected tie.

Thalassa's eyes widened in shock; a three-way tie was the last outcome she had expected.

Callum, sitting beside her, leaned in and quipped, "Three champions, now that's something you don't see every day."

"It can't be a tie across the board," Thalassa murmured, still in disbelief.

Cody then added, "Well, it seems like a tie, but actually, there's a twist. We have ten patrons, but only nine votes have been counted. It turns out Mr. Sinclair has been holding onto his vote, playing a bit of a wildcard. So, let's find out, who will Mr. Sinclair's vote go to?"