Rivalry

"You're welcome." Riccardo whispered.

Vanessa took a deep breath as she heard her name again.

"You should go now," he said.

She glanced at Riccardo one last time, then opened the curtain and walked onto the stage.

The crowd was huge, and Vanessa saw Lily and Diego smiling at her. She smiled back and stepped forward to take the microphone and her award.

"Congratulations, Ms. Rodriguez," The female host said with a big smile, handing her the glass award.

"Thank you so much," Vanessa said, taking it from her.

The host nodded and gestured for Vanessa to give a speech. Vanessa held the microphone and looked out at the crowd. She felt a little nervous, but happy. She began to speak, her voice clear and strong.

"Thank you so much for this award. I'm truly honored. I want to thank my team for their hard work and dedication. You guys are the best!

To my family, thank you for always supporting me. I love you all.

And to everyone here, I'm grateful to be part of a community that values hard w