Chapter 742
ment the last contestant hit the buzzer, the International Medical Selection Competition finally wrapped up.
The entire hall fell silent. Every gaze locked on the stage, scanning the contestants’ faces, each one betraying a different emotion. People had speculated about a hundred possible outcomes and guessed at who might take the trophy, but absolutely no one had put Charlotte on their list.
No one saw her coming. Even with her hands bandaged up, Charlotte had managed to outshine and outscore everyone else.
Earlier, the group that had come along with Letty had been jumping and yelling her name, waving banners in the air. Now, they shrank into their seats, embarrassed, not even daring to lift their heads.
It was over. Letty had lost.
The Cabinda University had already set up their celebration. Reporters had their stories written, ready to go. Everyone had been waiting for Letty to win the whole thing.
But in the end, Charlotte stole the crown.
A student from a no-name school had just beaten out the top contenders from all the best medical programs. For The Cabinda University, it was a humiliation they’d never live down.
Meanwhile, over at Kingswood University, the campus erupted with laughter and cheers.
Onstage, Letty stood next to Charlotte, her face drained of color. She lifted her head and glanced out at the audience, only to see that all her cheering signs had disappeared. The only ones still shining were for Charlotte, lighting up the entire
hall.
Letty still couldn’t believe it. She’d lost to Charlotte, even after Charlotte got hurt. How was she supposed to face Lydia now? How could she go back to The Cabinda University after this?
Once the five contestants were lined up, the judges walked onstage to announce the results.
Scores flashed onto the big screen. No surprise-Charlotte was at the top, a perfect score. Letty came in second.
The overall ranking read: Charlotte, first. Letty, second. Alan, third.
Letty swayed, her legs suddenly weak. Her eyes filled with tears as she looked desperately at Lydia.
Lydia met her gaze and gave her a tiny, reassuring nod.
Letty froze Lydia had promised her there was a backup plan, that she’d make sure Letty would win.
urting.
Charlotte’s hands hadn’t been enough. What was the other plan?
The host spoke up. “Let’s welcome Dr. David, Vice President of the International Medical Alliance, to present the awards.”
Dr. David, sharply dressed, walked onto the stage. When he looked at Charlotte, his face softened with respect.
Just as everyone thought the event was over, a woman’s voice suddenly cut through the crowd.
“Excuse me, everyone. I just received a report by email. The questions for this competition were leaked…”
Gasps and murmurs filled the room. All eyes turned toward the source of the voice Lydia handed a USB drive. to a staff member, her expression serious.
Leaked questions?
For a competition like this, a leak would be a huge scandal.
Dr. David and the other judges exchanged confused looks. The questions were supposed to be written by the board, kept in a safe, and delivered to the exam room right before the test. Everything was supposed to be transparent. How could the questions have possibly been leaked?