"Don’t let her out of your sight," Jemima ordered.

"Yes, ma’am," the guard replied. Jemima smiled and then dialed another number.

It was one of the judges.

"Hello, my love," Judge Alex said on the other end.

"I hope you haven’t forgotten about our deal."

"Of course not. You’re definitely getting the award today," the judge replied.

"All set," Jemima smiled and returned to her seat. Her eyes settled on Mr. King—the man who dominates the entire industry.

Her deepest desire was to have this man’s attention, even for a moment. His eyes suddenly met hers for a few seconds before shifting back to the crowd, and her heart skipped...