Underestimated Heiress

CHAPTER 25 - why?

It was the day of the competition. Last year, Jess had participated in the state-level shooting event and finished as the runner-up. This year, she was determined to claim victory, but little did she know that her father had a surprise in store for her.

As she approached the registration counter to complete the necessary formalities, Jess searched for her name among the list of participants but couldn't find it. After a few frustrating moments, she decided to ask the assistant with the laptop for help. "Can you please assist me in locating my name on the competition list? I've searched but haven't been able to find it," she said, waving the laminated copy of the list toward the assistant.

"Ok sure. Let's have a look.", he typed a few words on the laptop and asked,"What is your name?"

"Jess Mitcham", she replied slowly.

"Jess.. Jess.. Jess Mitcham.. found it.", he looked at her enrolment number and said,"can you please pass me the list?" Jess handed him the laminated list of participants.

"Dear, this is the list of participants competing for state level whereas you are enrolled for nationals." He pointed at another registration desk and said,"you will have to go to that booth, you will surely find your name there."

"No, I am competing for the state level not the national.", Jess said.

After confirming again, the assistant said,"it says national level here." He shrugged his shoulders, expressing he can't help her.

Jess got away from the assistant's desk annoyed and angry, she was sure that this was done by her dad, "Why? Why? Why does he always do that?" She didn't want to spend any effort confronting him, she knew it would be a waste of her time. She should use that time to prepare for the national level shooting competition.

She went to another registration desk and registered herself for national level, she got her badge and went to sit with the participants. This was her 1st time at national level so she had to compete from bottom to create a ranking for herself. This means she will be busy today, she loved competing so that should not be a problem.

As Ethan and Jenna followed Eric towards the national level stands, they exchanged knowing glances. The realisation dawned on them simultaneously - Eric had deliberately entered Jess in the national level competition instead of the state level
This unexpected turn of events explained Jess's inability to find her name on the state-level participant list earlier. Eric's surprise was now clear: he had secretly upgraded Jess's competition level, pushing her to compete against more skilled shooters on the national stage

The implications of this revelation were significant, competing at a higher level could accelerate Jess's development as a shooter.

Jenna looked at Eric and said in an annoyed tone,"please Eric, please don't tell me, you enrolled Jess for national level and not state level." Eric only looked at Jenna confirming Jenna's thoughts, Jenna said, "Why? Why do you always do that? I hope you told her about it" Jenna sighed

Eric understood Jenna's concern but he thought he didn't have time and Jess was ready for Nationals. He wouldn't do it if he had thought that she was not ready. He understood that he made decisions for his kids but he thought it was necessary to throw surprising challenges at the kids. He had a difficult journey because he was naive and didn't understand the practicality of the world. He faced many obstacles, some of which almost took his life but he didn't want his children to ever get to that situation.

Eric paused for a moment before responding in a serious tone, "Sometimes, you have to face unknown challenges to grow stronger. Life is full of surprises, and it's essential to learn how to navigate them." His words hung in the air, emphasising the importance of resilience and adaptability in the face of unexpected circumstances.

Jenna understood Eric's point; there was no benefit in prolonging the discussion. All she could do now was hope that Jess emerged victorious in the competition. If things didn't go well, she wasn't sure how she would handle the situation.

As the competition unfolded, Jess swiftly advanced to the final round. Her performance showed marked improvement, and she realised she could have easily dominated the state-level competition. Determined, she continued to give her all in the final round.
Shooting, being an intensely demanding sport, required immense focus that drained her both mentally and physically. After several rounds, fatigue began to set in. Anticipating this, Eric had thoughtfully prepared refreshments for Jess, including her preferred energy drink and a selection of fruits. The nourishment revitalised her, and she felt a surge of energy.

This gesture from her father sparked a realisation: if he had entered her in the national-level competition, he must have carefully assessed her readiness and studied her competitors. Her initial anger and frustration dissipated, replaced by a renewed sense of hope and determination to win.

Jess glanced towards the stands, seeking out her family. Her eyes met her father's, and she offered him a warm smile. There was a new gleam in her eyes, radiating confidence as if victory was already within her grasp. Eric responded with a proud laugh, while her mother exhaled a relieved sigh, tension visibly leaving her shoulders.

Eric said to Jenna,"She already won the battle, now this competition doesn't matter."

Soon the final round began and it seemed as if Jess came back recharged. She didn't look tired or nervous, she was like a different person. Her confidence sent chills down the spine of the other participants which made them nervous. At the end of the final round, Jess emerged victorious in the competition, winning by a significant margin over the runner-up. Her performance showcased her skill and determination, solidifying her status as a top competitor. The victory not only highlighted her hard work and preparation but also served as a testament to her growth as an athlete.

When Jess took the trophy, she thanked her dad for always challenging her. She had earned this trophy with sweat and blood and all the effort put in had finally rewarded her.

The family was very happy with Jess's achievements. After taking the trophy, Jess walked towards her family and as soon as she saw Eric she ran and gave him a hug. Jenna was happy and relieved to see this, she will have one less crisis to manage.

Eric said after a few minutes,"winning the competition was not as important as winning with your inner self. It is your mind that you need to control. When I saw your practice sessions, I was impressed and spoke to your coach about national level rather than state level and he looked positive. As long as you were confident I knew you could achieve it."

Ethan and Jess were enlightened. Normally, kids would spend their holidays partying and having fun whereas they both had their holidays planned with extra curriculum, of course with their choice of sports. Their parents believed in nurturing and developing their interests.Participating in competitions was left to Ethan and Jess, but both the kids had competitive nature just like their parents and loved the competition. They both found it fun as it made things meaningful.

While Jess was interested in outdoor sports, Ethan was more into games, he was working hard to improve his ranking. He wanted to play for his favourite team as a pro player but he knew he had a long way to go. Eric and Jenna supported him as required, this was one of the reasons Eric started learning more about games and the career in gaming. This was his way of supporting his kids.