The man''s face was strong and defined. His hair was midnight ck, and his eyes were deep and gray, framed by graceful brows. He had prominent cheekbones and a well-defined chin and nose.


    Elliott and Professor Bowden held their breath at the handsome man''s noble disposition in front of them. Though they didn''t know who he was, they knew immediately that he was not ordinary people.


    "This is Mr. Sterling." Garwood introduced them.


    Mr. Sterling? The current leader of the Sterling group?


    Elliott and Professor Bowden exchanged a surprised nce with each other. Mr. Sterling, who usually kept a low profile but was famous in the business, had nothing to do with the design or fashion industry. He wasn''t one of the sponsors, was he? Why did hee here all of a sudden? Did he start being interested in costume design?


    Professor Bowden reacted first and said politely, "We are grateful to Mr. Sterling for honoring this contest with a visit. Why not give us an advance notice? So that we can prepare for it in advance."


    "You''re wee. I came here today to ask you for a favor." Dn said slowly.


    Professor Bowden and Elliott looked at him wonderingly. What could make Mr. Sterlinge in person? He could have called them or sent someone to deal with the matter.


    "Sure, sir. Go ahead," said Elliott with a polite smile.


    "I heard that you have apetitor called Savannah Schultz who has just been disqualified from the contest," He said ndly, but Professor Bowden noticedtent anger in his tone.


    "Yes…"


    "Please take back what you said."


    The two people were stunned. Was Mr. Sterling here to intercede with them for Savannah? What was that girl have to do with Mr. Sterling?


    "Mr. Sterling, now that you know Savannah''s been disqualified, you must know why. How could someone like her stay here after she did morally wrong? It''s aplete humiliation for the otherpetitors!" Elliott frowned.


    Dn raised his thin lips with scorn.


    "Do you have any proof that she stole?" He asked coolly.


    "Proof? The ne was found in the fitting room she had just used. Isn''t that proof?"


    "Oh, so there''s no monitoring camera. It''s so easy for someone to get into the fitting room to nt stolen on her," snapped Dn.


    "Mr. Sterling, you have no proof that she''s wronged, do you?" Elliott was not convinced.


    "Then tell me, if she really wanted to beat her opponent by stealing her ne, why didn''t she just throw it away instead of keeping it in her fitting room? To let you find it?" Dn stared at Elliott coldly.


    Professor Bowden nodded in agreement.


    "That was merely a guess of yours!" Elliott gritted her teeth,


    "Ms. Elliott, I wonder why you push new people so hard. Do you insist on driving her out for justice only? Or something else?" Dn narrowed his eyes.


    "What did you mean? What else could I do it for?" Elliott''s face changed.


    "Savannah''s said to have done so well among thepetitors that she won praise from most of the jury in the first round. She''s even likely to be the winner. Is that why you''re so biased against her?" Dn looked fixedly at her.


    Professor Bowden looked at Elliott, frowning. Elliott was a fine designer, but it was said that she used to ride excellent new designers.


    "What do you want to say? Do you think I''m jealous of a little new designer? I disqualified her because I want to suppress her? That''s ridiculous! Is it worthwhile?" Elliott shouted.


    "Don''t exin it to me. You know it yourself." Dn said drily.


    "Anyway, the ne was found in her ce, and everyone saw it. No one would agree topete with a thief! Besides, I had just let the security guard take her away, how can I change my words and ask a thief to stay now?" Elliott was quite annoyed.


    "Are you sure you want to disqualify her from thepetition?" Dn asked coldly, and there was no mistaking the menace in his voice.


    "Yes," Elliott said with decision, though shivering under the chill in his eyes.


    She knew this man was powerful in business, but he could not have a hand in the designerpetition!


    As the chief jury in this contest, she had the right to disqualify apetitor!


    He couldn''t force her if she didn''t want to do as he was told.


    "Ms. Elliott, I heard that you''d created a new clothing brand recently and are preparing to enter the Europe market, right?" Dn changed the subject and gave her a quiet nce.


    "So what?" Elliott was restless again.


    "Europe has strict import inspection systems. It''s difficult for a new brand to develop smoothly in local markets. However, it''s easy to keep a new brand down or make it disappearpletely in the foreign market if something goes wrong with the new brand." Dn said slowly so that Elliott could hear clearly.


    Elliott''s face went white.


    What did this man mean?


    Was this a threat?


    If she insisted on disqualifying Savannah, would he end her new brand in Europe?!


    "Take back your words or ruin your brand, it''s up to you." His voice was quiet monotone.


    Elliott gasped.


    She knew he was not joking, and after a long silence, she bit her teeth and said bitterly, "I... I will keep Savannah in the contest."


    "Rest assured, Mr. Sterling," Professor Bowden breathed a sigh of relief and said, "Savannah showed promise in fashion design, and I''m sure she will go very far. The theft of the ne must be a misunderstanding. We won''t disqualify her."


    Dn nodded, satisfied, and then nced at Elliott, who looked a bit pale.


    "Besides, I don''t want this incident to go out. Savannah Schultz is not a thief. I don''t want to hear any prejudiced criticism towards her. Remember what I said."


    Even if that little woman continued topete, other participants would take her as a thief if the jury didn''t speak for her.