Bride To Be Not Me (Janice and Simon)

The venue went into lockdown. Signals were blocked and would only be restored after the judges had finished voting.

This measure was implemented to prevent leaks and eliminate any possibility of buying votes or coordinated manipulation.

When the four finalist entries, each randomly numbered, appeared on the massive screen, Hugo from Melody & Loops Creations could no longer maintain his composure.

Beneath each featured piece was an additional crochet—a supplementary piece submitted for the international championship.

As per the rules, any company competing at the international level was required to submit two works.

When Janice's crochet, with its bold mix of contrasting colors and asymmetric shapes, was unveiled, the entire venue was struck into stunned silence. It wasn't just Melody & Loops Creations—every company present was visibly shocked.

In the world of crochet, double-sided stitching was already regarded as a rare and highly intricate technique. But the use of differing colors and asymmetric shapes was even more groundbreaking and unheard of.

Even a powerhouse like Melody & Loops Creations couldn't guarantee they had a seamstress skilled enough to pull off something of this caliber. And even if they did, it wouldn't have been executed this flawlessly and certainly not to this extent.

Murmurs began to ripple through the audience.

"Is that an asymmetrical, multi-colored double-sided crochet?" someone whispered in awe.

Another person sighed. "It must be. Didn't you see the 3D rotation preview?"

"Could this be Melody & Loops Creations' entry?"

"No way. Just look at Hugo. He's completely thrown off."

People were starting to put the pieces together. That meant... the piece had to belong to Prosper Stitch Group.

With the two crochet giants from Nordmere and Solterra dominating the competition, the smaller companies in between were starting to lose hope. Some had already given up entirely.

"That's it. We're out. This year's just going to be a battle between those two powerhouses."

"A battle? What's left to fight over? The National Crochet Union has been searching for someone capable of multi-colored and asymmetrical stitching for years."

On the judging panel, the nine judges had put on their glasses and were closely inspecting the crochet piece -except Heidi.

The crochet on display depicted a mesmerizing interplay of water and fire, with threads that seemed to unravel and reconnect like a delicate web. One side featured bold red and deep teal tones. But the real magic lay on the reverse side.

While the outer contours still portrayed water and fire, the imagery itself had completely shifted-red clouds drifting over majestic mountains. Emerald springs, blazing flames, azure peaks, crimson clouds...

What a stunning visual paradox.

Even Calvin, who typically had little interest in crochet, found himself captivated.

He could hardly fathom that this was only the digital preview. If it was this mesmerizing in an image, how breathtaking must the real piece be?

Heidi cleared her throat and leaned in, exchanging thoughts with the judge seated beside her.

"Ms. Chapman, the crochet piece labeled No. 3 doesn't seem like the work of a local seamstress. I have my doubts."

With decades of experience in the crochet industry, Lucy Chapman was no stranger to fine craftsmanship. Even with her expertise, she wouldn't claim to have the skill to produce something so extraordinary.

"And what makes you so sure it wasn't created by a local seamstress?"

Lucy had always been cautious about those who idealized foreign influences.

When Heidi had returned from abroad, she had greeted Lucy with a kiss on the cheek—an act that instantly sparked a sense of aversion in her.

"If a local seamstress really had this level of skill, wouldn't she already be famous? The pieces for the international championship need to be chosen carefully. Personally, I think No. 4 is a far better contender." No. 4 was the entry from Melody & Loops Creations.

Lucy adjusted her glasses before leaning toward the two judges beside her to discuss further.

With a tone of authority, Heidi added, "We must be cautious. We can't allow opportunists to infiltrate this competition. If word of this gets out, it'll damage the reputation of our country's crochet culture. That's why I'm casting my vote for No. 4."

Lucy remained silent.

After the judges cast their votes, the results weren't immediately revealed. Instead, the competition moved into the public voting round.

A thousand audience members would cast their votes, with the highest and lowest scores being discarded before calculating the final average.

Heidi kept her composure, reflecting on the agreement she had made the night before with the vice president of the National Crochet Union.

The union had been trying to stifle Prosper Stitch Group's rise for quite some time. They couldn't allow the company to continue growing without interference.

Melody & Loops Creations had always adhered to the union's rules, but Prosper Stitch Group had chosen a different path. They operated independently, dismissing the union's authority completely.

This defiance had been a source of constant frustration for the union's senior members.

In the world of traditional crochet, there would always be those conservative purists who believed the craft should remain limited to delicate florals and intricate birds, as per the established norms.

But Prosper Stitch Group had broken those boundaries, experimenting with new, unconventional designs. To the old folks, this was nothing short of sacrilege—an insult to tradition.

This time, the National Crochet Union had made their stance clear. They would go to any lengths to ensure that Melody & Loops Creations took the top spot.

At exactly 12:30 pm, Janice was able to log into her secondary account again. That could only mean one thing-the judges' votes were locked in.