Around one o’clock in the afternoon, Darwin was already present at the Colosseum. Randy and Kennedy also joined the team, accompanying Darwin. Both of his cousins came directly because they wanted to provide support and be the first to congratulate Darwin when he passed this prestigious selection.
It’s not excessive. Randy and Kennedy are confident in Darwin’s abilities to outperform the rivals and other remaining candidates. That’s why, because it’s considered a fierce competition, both of them don’t want to miss the opportunity to witness Darwin’s success.
“I pray you make it through, Win. Besides, your abilities are undeniable. If you weren’t exceptional, how could you be sent to Korea to lead the company there?” Kennedy exclaimed proudly. She tried her best to boost Darwin’s spirits so that his performance could be even more impressive.
“No need to exaggerate, Ken,” Randy interjected before Darwin could respond. “Even though Darwin’s abilities are above average, I’m not sure he’ll make it.”
Instead of providing encouragement, Randy intentionally belittled Darwin. Perhaps he was still annoyed because the last time they met, Darwin used him as mosquito repellent. But anyone would be annoyed if they were Randy. He had to fight off sleep and was even willing to be bitten by mosquitoes because he foolishly waited for Darwin, who was apparently busy making love to Veronica.
“Can’t your prayers be a bit more positive?” Darwin grumbled irritably. Although Randy was originally attentive, when he spoke, he often provoked or annoyed.
“I’m not cursing you or anything,” Randy defended himself. “I’m just being realistic. It would be awkward if you were excessively praised, only to fail at the end of the event. It feels terrible to be raised so high and then fall into the deepest abyss. So, it’s better to stay grounded.”
“But I’m confident I’ll make it.”
“I am too…” Randy replied, not wanting to back down. “I’m also confident you won’t make it today.”
“Hisshhh, you cheeky cousin. Instead of supporting, you keep underestimating me.”
Randy laughed. He liked seeing Darwin irritated like this.
“Whether you win or lose, I believe it’s the best outcome for you, Win. Hopefully, today’s selection results align with your expectations.”
Darwin just nodded. After chatting for a while, he refocused on waiting for the event to begin. When all the participants were present, the Foxtail team immediately started the event. They invited the first candidate to start presenting their prepared materials.
“Thank you for the presence of all company representatives who were selected yesterday to continue in the next round of selection,” one of the Foxtail representatives said in opening the event.
“To avoid wasting time, I will announce the order of those who will present first. First up is Nobu Corporation, followed by IndoBusan, then Vortex Group, fourth is TirtaGold, fifth is Infinix Group, sixth is AmartaGold, seventh is SexonWorld, and the last spot is occupied by LamandaCorp. So, I invite the representative of Nobu to present the prepared material.”
If you calculate it, each candidate seemed to spend about thirty minutes presenting their material and answering questions from the Foxtail team. Sean himself was the third to go. Darwin’s company was in the fifth position.
The competition became more intense as the Foxtail team began asking questions. From this point, it was clear that some candidates were starting to struggle. Fortunately, Darwin and his team were able to answer all the questions and challenges presented to them.
“As the material presentation and Q&A session have concluded, the Foxtail team invites all participants to take a twenty-minute break. After that, we will announce the final results and reveal which companies have successfully qualified to become partners and are ready to embark on a joint venture with Foxtail.”
Darwin started to feel anxious as the Foxtail team requested all participants to take a short break. As the announcement drew nearer, he became increasingly impatient to hear the final results of today’s competition.
Darwin had nurtured high hopes from the beginning. He kept praying that he would seize this opportunity. Besides proving his sincere desire to reunite with Veronica, Darwin also wanted to demonstrate to Darius that he was highly competent and a candidate worth considering.
Meanwhile, from his seat, Darwin could see Veronica occasionally glancing in his direction. His father-in-law, on the other hand, appeared to be deep in conversation with Sean. Darwin wondered what they were discussing.
Finally, the long-awaited moment arrived. The Foxtail team and their executives started gathering in the meeting room.
All participants looked nervous, especially when the Foxtail representative began announcing today’s final selection results.
“Good afternoon, everyone. Thank you for your time and patience in waiting for today’s results. Since the assessment is immediate and on-the-spot, the Foxtail team has evaluated, selected, and made the choice for the top three companies that qualify to join this giant tender. I will now announce which companies they are.”
All participants fell silent, focusing their attention on the upcoming announcement.
“I kindly ask you to listen carefully because I will not repeat the results. Firstly, congratulations to the Vortex Group for achieving the highest score in today’s selection.”
Sean in his seat was seen smiling broadly, as was Darius. The middle-aged man also wore a satisfied smile, pleased with Sean’s results and optimism, which had promised to be the best in today’s selection.
“Next…” continued the Foxtail representative. “I congratulate SexonWorld for also qualifying and securing the second position in today’s final selection.”
Darwin, in his seat, was seen taking deep, heavy breaths repeatedly. This was it, the final opportunity. The next announcement would determine whether he would succeed or fail in the selection. In his heart, Darwin prayed repeatedly, hoping that today, God would extend His hand and provide assistance so he could succeed and achieve what he rightfully deserved.
“And lastly, as the conclusion. Therefore, I and the Foxtail team congratulate… LamandaCorp for securing the third position. For those who didn’t make it, don’t be disheartened. You can all participate in the equally significant selection for the next tender.”
In his seat, Darwin froze instantly. While staring straight at Veronica, he appeared to be motionless, not knowing what to do. One big question arose in his mind: Was this the beginning of his life’s downfall?