Alice felt a rising wave of nervousness, but there was little she could do to calm it. Her hands and feet grew cold, almost numb, but she fought to maintain a neutral expression, determined not to reveal just how panicked she was becoming. Then, a voice from behind broke her focus.
"This level of mastery and design... No matter how talented someone is, I can't believe this was created by anyone younger than their mid-thirties," the voice mused.
"The precision in how the light refracts off the gems, the flawless presentation, the depth of knowledge in jewelry design—it all points to years of experience. The only explanation I can think of for why this designer isn't already well known is that she poured all her effort into perfecting this set piece to show the world."
