Chapter Twenty_ Eight: The Challenge Within the Verdict
The applause for Sophia still echoed in the courtyard, lingering like smoke that wouldn't clear. Some students were already taking selfies with her, calling out for her to wave.
But Valerie didn't move.
She stared at the panel of judges seated beneath the ceremonial white canopy. Her fingers trembled at her sides, but her eyes—sharp and unwavering—began to burn with something deeper than anger.
Conviction.
She stepped forward.
Tina reached out, whispering urgently, "Valerie, don't. Let it go."
But Valerie gently pulled away.
She took a breath and faced the panel.
"If this competition is about making the most appealing version," she began calmly, "then yes, Sophia has won. But if it's about healing people—if it's about authenticity—then your verdict is incomplete."
A hush fell over the crowd.
Several judges exchanged surprised glances. Professor Weng looked up slowly, frowning.
"Miss Valerie," he said, his voice firm, "the evaluation was fair and multi-faceted. There is no need for theatrics—"
"It's not theatrics," she interrupted, voice rising. "It's a challenge. If her pill is the best overall… then mine should be tested for authenticity. For real-world effectiveness."
A ripple moved through the audience. Even some of the students who had been laughing fell silent.
"I didn't prepare mine to look beautiful," she added. "I made it to work. To stop a man from losing his mind. To give peace to a patient who hadn't slept for days. And I stand by my process."
Professor Hyeon Joo leaned forward at that.
A few rows away, Margaret snorted. "There she goes again—acting like a medical prophet."
Nelson hissed at her, "Desperation doesn't suit you, Valerie."
But Valerie stood taller.
"Your report said Sophia's pill matched 89.3% of the original formula," she said, turning back to the panel. "What original? Because it wasn't hers. It was mine."
There was a beat of silence.
And then Professor Weng, clearly irritated, stood. "This is not how protocols work, Miss Valerie. You had your chance. You were not selected. That is final."
Valerie's voice cut through him like flint.
"Then tell me—when you're sick, lying on a hospital bed with no hope… do you want a drug that looks good on a brochure, or one that actually saves you?"
A few gasps echoed. Some students nodded unconsciously.
Professor Hyeon narrowed his eyes. "You're saying Sophia used a different base composition?"
"Yes," Valerie replied. "Her formula has lemon balm and sweet clover for scent and softness—attractive, but medically unnecessary. Mine has dragon's root and snow moss—bitter compounds with slower absorption but long-lasting, healing effects."
Gasps erupted again—this time from the professors. These weren't common choices.
Weng, now clearly annoyed, stepped forward with his pointer. "Enough! You're embarrassing yourself, Miss Valerie. You are not the first student to lose. Accept it gracefully!"
Some students began whispering:
"She's just trying to sabotage the result…"
"Typical poor girl energy…"
"Maybe she really didn't make it. Just wants credit."
"Why didn't she show all this earlier?"
Margaret laughed cruelly. "What's next, Valerie? Want us to apologize for not giving you a crown?"
But Valerie didn't look at them anymore.
Her eyes had shifted—upwards.
To the balcony.
Where King sat.
What is this Man doing here?
The man in the mountain suite? Why is he here?
Dressed in slate-black, collar high, expression unreadable.
But his eyes—those deep, brooding eyes—were locked on her.
And for a flicker, Valerie's chest tightened.
He looked… curious.
No—invested.
Down below, the crowd murmured again as one of the side professors stood and leaned toward Professor Hyeon. Whispers passed quickly, and then Professor Hyeon nodded.
He stepped up with authority, calming the noise.
"The panel acknowledges Miss Valerie's concern. Therefore, in the spirit of academic integrity and transparency, both samples shall undergo additional testing for compound integrity and efficacy. Privately."
"Until then, the decision stands. But further analysis may be published in the university medical journal."
Valerie bowed slightly, accepting the compromise.
Sophia's face was stony.
Margaret, Nelson, and Natasha looked outraged.
But Valerie simply stepped back beside Tina.
Behind her, cameras were still rolling.
And from above, King leaned forward ever so slightly, lips curving just faintly.
Not a smirk.
Not amusement.
But recognition.
---
Valerie had just stepped back beside Tina, her chin lifted despite the humiliation, her words still echoing in the courtyard:
"When you're sick, do you want the drug that looks beautiful, or the one that works?"
The judges were shuffling papers, murmuring among themselves. A few tried to regain control of the scene with calming gestures. Professor Weng was about to announce a recess when—
A chair scraped loudly.
Everyone turned sharply.
He was standing.
From the grand balcony above the courtyard—where dignitaries usually sat behind tinted glass—the tall, imposing figure of King Albanian rose to his feet.
Dressed in custom black, with a dark coat draped like a royal cloak across his shoulders, King was unmistakable. The sunlight caught the pale gleam of his silver watch and his expression was unreadable.
A collective gasp exploded from the audience.
"Is that—King?!"
"No way—why is he here?"
"The chairman of the Albanian Conglomerate?"
"He came in person?!"
Phones were already being raised. The live stream numbers shot up into the hundreds of thousands, then millions within seconds. Notifications lit up every social media feed in the capital. The #CalmingPillChallenge was trending—and now, with King stepping in, it ignited like wildfire.
Wayne, his assistant, who had been quietly seated two rows back, immediately jumped up. "Sir—please. You don't have to—"
But King simply raised a hand and Wayne fell silent.
King's eyes dropped from the judges…
…to Valerie.
There was no mistake now. Recognition burned in his gaze.
The same girl.
The trembling girl in the mountain who'd made the world's silence enter his veins like warm water. The one who disappeared after writing only her name. The scent that lingered in his suite. The face he had been unable to find.
Her.
"I've been gone on a business trip for nearly a week," King said suddenly, his voice calm but rich, carrying across the entire courtyard without a microphone. "Since I left the mountain…"
"I haven't had a full night of sleep."
Gasps echoed again. Professors, students, faculty—all frozen.
"I understand both pills are said to assist with sleeplessness." His gaze swept toward the judges, then down to Valerie and Sophia. "Why not test them now? On me."
Wayne looked horrified. "Sir, the lab hasn't validated—"
"Is there any better lab than my body?" King said flatly.
Silence fell again.
Not even birds chirped.
Professor Weng stumbled over his words. "Chairman King—this is highly irregular. We cannot condone unauthorized testing on a person of your status—especially—"
"I own the pharmaceutical company that will likely sponsor your best graduate," King replied smoothly. "And this is my body, not yours."
Valerie stared at him, heart pounding.
Who does he think he is to intervene in her business? And why are them listening to him? She did not know this untouchable titan of business, had come down to intervene in her life.
The audience whispered, buzzed, filmed, pointed.
King descended the steps slowly, every movement filled with control, like a lion walking into a ring. Two uniformed security agents shadowed him from behind, glancing nervously toward Wayne for orders that didn't come.
He approached the ceremonial table where both pills had been carefully sealed in display cases.
Valerie's was in a plain ceramic container.
Sophia's was beautifully boxed in velvet-lined acrylic.
"Which is yours?" King asked quietly, looking at Valerie.
She hesitated.
Then pointed to the simpler case. "The white one."
King picked it up without pause.
"I'll take yours now," he said. "And Sophia's in one hour."
Professor Hyeon looked stunned. "You… want to test both?!"
"Why not? Let's see what works."
Then, without waiting for ceremony or speech, King Albanian took Valerie's pill.
The crowd gasped again.
Cameras zoomed in. Online viewers exploded in comments. Wayne rubbed his forehead, nearly fainting.
Margaret whispered sharply, "What is going on? Why is he supporting her?"
Natasha was squinting at Valerie. "Who is she?"
Sophia's hands were trembling.
Valerie remained frozen.
King met her eyes one last time before turning and walking off with Wayne and his guards.
The entire courtyard remained silent for minutes, digesting the shift.
And all the while, Valerie stood still.
But Tina whispered beside her, breathless, "Val… he just put everything on the line. For you."