Chapter 142

A design popped up on the conference room screen, and Kevin's eyes lit up the moment he saw it.

"I love these colors! They're bold but not all over the place. Ever since I saw Ms. Eve's draft, I've been super impressed. Now, seeing the final product, it's even more stunning," Kevin said, giving Madeline a nod of approval.

Madeline grinned and started breaking down her design concept.

"I took a deep dive into Mr. Hamilton's past designs and philosophies, and mixed that with my take on your new product. That's how I came up with this design," Madeline explained confidently. Kevin, Dwayne, and even Isabella nodded along, clearly impressed.

Even though Isabella and Madeline were rivals, Isabella had to admit Madeline had some serious design chops.

Juliet, who was on Isabella's team, felt a wave of anxiety seeing Madeline's confident vibe and Kevin's praise.

"Ms. Taylor, aren't you worried? Madeline seems really strong," Juliet whispered to Isabella.

Isabella smirked slightly. She whispered back, "Her design is great, but that doesn't mean I'm out of the game. Watch closely; there's always something to learn."

Isabella listened carefully to Madeline's presentation, knowing there was always room to pick up new tricks from the competition.

Juliet, initially freaked out, saw Isabella's calm and decided to focus on Madeline's presentation too.

Madeline talked for almost 15 minutes, laying out her design in detail. Kevin and Dwayne clapped, and even Isabella joined in.

Juliet hadn't planned on clapping, but when Isabella glanced at her, she quickly followed suit.

"Ms. Eve, your design concept is amazing. I never thought our products could have such deep meaning," Kevin said, giving Madeline an approving look.

Madeline nodded politely and then turned to Isabella. "Ms. Taylor, your turn. Hope my presentation didn't put too much pressure on you."

Isabella smiled and was about to stand up to present her design.

But Thea sneered and said, "I don't think Ms. Taylor's presentation is necessary. Mr. Hamilton seems very impressed with Ms. Eve's work already. Another presentation might be...unwise, if Ms. Taylor's design isn't equally strong."

Juliet was fuming and was about to speak up, but Isabella held her back.

Isabella signaled Juliet with her eyes to stay quiet.

Juliet didn't get why Isabella was doing this. Thea was clearly trying to provoke them; shouldn't they say something?

Isabella looked at Kevin and smiled, "Mr. Hamilton, do you still want to see my work?"

Kevin nodded with a grin. "I watched your company's selection competition before. Both the first and second place were your designs. I took a closer look and found both works were excellent. I believe you have the talent, so I'm looking forward to seeing what you have."

"I hope I won't disappoint you," Isabella said, smiling. She hooked up her computer to the screen and displayed her design.

But as soon as Isabella's work popped up, both Dwayne and Juliet frowned.

Thea laughed mockingly, "What is this? A bunch of random lines? Ms. Taylor, did you spend days just drawing these? Did you have kindergarten kids help you?"

Isabella shot Thea a cold look. "You've said enough."

"What's wrong with what I said? Your drawing is just..." Thea's words trailed off as she felt a sharp gaze on her.

Dwayne was giving Thea a warning look. Madeline also frowned at Thea, shaking her head to signal her to stop talking.

Thea had to shut her mouth, glaring at Isabella with resentment.

After Isabella finished explaining her design concept, she looked at Kevin and asked with a smile, "Mr. Hamilton, what do you think of my work?"

Kevin's reaction was completely different from when he saw Madeline's work. He stared at Isabella's design, rubbing his chin, his brow furrowed as if in deep thought.

Dwayne, watching Kevin's reaction, felt nervous for Isabella.

'Isabella used only a few lines. Although these lines come together to create a highly artistic impression, they are the complete opposite of Madeline's use of vibrant colors. From what we know about Kevin's taste, he's more into Madeline's colorful style,' Dwayne thought, sighing, the ending already written in his mind.

Juliet clenched her fists tightly. She was getting so nervous, she was starting to lose faith in Isabella.

Madeline, who'd been sure she'd win, felt a sense of unease from Kevin's reaction and Isabella's confident smile.

'It's impossible. Just a few random lines-can they really beat me? It can't be. I've studied Kevin's preferences for a long time!' Madeline thought, unconsciously clenching her fists.

The conference room fell into silence. Time passed by, but Dwayne had no intention of rushing Kevin.

'Why hasn't Kevin made up his mind yet? Isn't he supposed to prefer Madeline's work more? But the longer he remains silent, the more it seems to favor Isabella. Could it be that Kevin wants to change his style?' Dwayne wondered.

Finally, Kevin lightly tapped the table, drawing everyone's attention to him. It was clear he had made his decision.