The clicking of high heels gradually faded.
Mrs. Winston and Chloe Evans stood at the end of the VIP section.
Beads of sweat glistened on both their temples.
Frederick Blanchet had already directed staff to clear the pathway.
An Italian-style villa stood silently before them.
Its sleek modern lines blended seamlessly with classical carvings.
"Is this the mountain owner's private area?" A flash of awe crossed Mrs. Winston's eyes.
It was quickly replaced by bitter envy.
No matter how magnificent, this villa would never belong to her.
Her gaze remained fixed on Sophia Sullivan and Frederick Blanchet.
She suspected they might bribe staff behind the scenes.
Yet neither made any suspicious moves.
"Chloe, what scheme are they plotting?" Mrs. Winston whispered.
Chloe stood disheveled on the polished marble floor.
Her appearance clashed with the refined surroundings.
Normally she'd maintain perfect poise.
But today, dignity was the least of her concerns.
"Surely you jest, Sophia? Anyone with the code could enter such a villa." A fashionable young man scoffed openly.
"Then why don't you try?" His disdain for Chloe was palpable.
"Every corner has state-of-the-art infrared sensors," someone in the crowd remarked.
"True. Unauthorized entry triggers mountain-wide alarms."
"The iris recognition system can't be fooled."
"I've never seen this villa opened before."
...
Chloe's cheeks burned.
She felt like a ridiculous spectacle.
Her nails dug deep into her palms.
"Rumors are just rumors. Who knows if the system's been tampered with?" Sophia stepped forward with an amused smile.
"Since Miss Evans doubts it, why not test it yourself?"
The challenge piqued everyone's curiosity.
"Go on, Miss Evans!"
"We'd love to see the alarm system in action."
Chloe found herself cornered.
Gritting her teeth, she approached the entrance.
The scanner appeared unremarkable.
Sophia must be bluffing.
Chloe reached to force the door open.
A blue light suddenly swept across her face.
Piercing alarms blared through the VIP area.
"Warning! Intruder detected!"
Crimson warning lights flashed violently.
Every security officer received simultaneous alerts.
Chloe stumbled back in panic.
The sirens felt like a slap across her face.
"What's happening..."
The red lights continued flashing and buzzing.
Any would-be trespassers reconsidered.
This humiliation was too much.
Amid the chaos, Sophia calmly approached.
The blue light gently scanned her iris.
The alarms ceased instantly.
The crowd exhaled in relief.
Their gazes toward Sophia filled with astonishment.
"That's definitely top-level clearance!"
"Look! The identity verification worked!"
"The villa doors are actually opening!"
As gasps of amazement rose around her,
Chloe's face turned deathly pale.