Faced with these harsh questions, Linda looked away in shame.


    Standing near the hotel entrance, she became increasingly visible to reporters as Sarah approached.


    Beyond Sarah, thepetition winner, Linda had also be a target for journalists. While the Decker Competition had seen its share of sabotage attempts before, those disqualified usually left Saint Nock in shame. Yet Linda remained, even showing up during the award ceremony.


    Soon, many reporters surrounding Sarah turned their attention to Linda.


    "Miss Ruben, how do you feel about your disqualification?"


    "Did you consider the consequences when you locked Miss Sanders in that bathroom?"


    Linda backed away in terror, retreating until her back hit the cold wall. She had nowhere else to go.


    The aggressive questions pierced her ears as she desperately looked for an escape.


    Sarah had already entered the hotel, and security was blocking the pursuing reporters. Linda seized this moment to slip inside.


    Catching her breath in the hallway, her hands ice-cold, she remembered considering leaving the day she was disqualified.


    But she couldn''t let go. She had to see who would win first ce.


    As she caught her breath, she noticed someone''s feet near her. Looking up, she saw Sarah.


    "You! Are you here to mock me?" sheughed bitterly.


    Sarah shook her head, her voice neutral. "Not interested."


    As she started to walk away, Linda called out.


    "Are you satisfied now? The whole world''sughing at me while you''re the celebrated champion. I''m just a jokenow." Sheughed cynically as tears rolled down her cheeks.


    Sarah paused without looking back. "That''s not true." She kept walking.


    Linda wiped her tears and stared at Sarah''s retreating figure, calling out desperately. "Sarah, I''m sorry! Please drop the charges. I''ve already been disqualified."


    "Your disqualification was themittee''s decision. The legal charges are because you broke thew," Sarah replied coldly.


    "You''ll ruin me! Please, Sarah. Locking you up wasn''t my idea - someone else suggested it." Linda took a deep breath.


    Sarah looked at her skeptically, unsure whether to believe her. "Who?"


    "I don''t know," she paused before adding, "I met that person at a bar."


    Two weeks earlier.


    As they began preparing for their defense presentations, the judges clearly favored Sarah and Eric.


    Linda watched their interactions


    with


    wing anguish. Unable t


    bear it any longer, she finally


    a bar to drown her sorrow St


    There she met a woman - elegant, with a perfect figure.


    More importantly, this woman seemed to understand exactly what Linda was thinking and worrying about.


    Drunk and emotionally vulnerable in the bar''s dim atmosphere, Linda poured out everything.


    The woman was sympathetic and offered advice. The idea to lock Sarah away had been hers.


    "You''re saying it was a stranger?" Sarah''s brows furrowed. "Can you remember what she looked like?"