NovelEnglishChapter 486:
Elyse took a graceful bow, her movements like flowing water, before disappearing backstage.
“Such a flawless performance,” someone whispered. “No wonder she’s in the top spot. There's no way | can
surpass her.”
“She's incredible. Hope | can snag a spot for the international competition.”
“Does Elyse even have any weaknesses? Seems like she’s the whole package—no chinks in her armor.”
Fiona, tucked away in a corner, couldn’t help but overhear the hushed whispers of the other three contestants. A
bitter pang of envy twisted in her gut. Her gaze drifted upwards, landing on Elyse bathed in the warm glow of the
spotlight. Violin tucked under one arm, the other hand gracefully holding the cascading folds of her dress, Elyse
radiated a confident aura.
The dejection gnawing at Fiona solidified into a heavyweight, a suffocating stone crushing her spirit. Elyse was
undeniably brilliant. Even with the subtle curve of her pregnant belly, she commanded attention effortlessly.
Fiona, despite sharing the sinstructor, couldn't seem to capture the smagnetism. Her fists clenched,
Follow on NovᴇlEnglish.nᴇtnails digging into her palms. A raw jealousy simmered within her.
Suddenly, a cheerful voice broke the tension. “Fiona! | was a nervous wreck out there, but | made it,” Elyse
beamed, approaching Fiona with open arms. She grabbed Fiona’s arm, her voice tinged with a playful whine.
“Now that the pressure’s off, I'm starving! Fancy hitting the lounge for sfood? | can grab you something
too.”
Fiona felt a prickle of irritation under Elyse’s touch. She averted her gaze. “Not hungry. You go ahead, though.
You need the extra fuel.”
With a quick pat on Darren’s shoulder and a few encouraging words, Elyse darted towards the lounge.
Darren took a deep breath, squared his shoulders, and strode onto the stage, ready to face his musical
challenge.
Backstage, Elyse dug into the lunchbox Tracy had thoughtfully prepared. Unburdened by performance anxiety,
her appetite roared. Hunger gnawed at her. She couldn't exactly order takeout at the moment. Forced to quell
her grumbling stomach, she started to head back.
Passing by the restrooms, a sudden outburst of Vicky's voice snagged her attention. Elyse stopped, brow
furrowed in confusion. The unmistakable tirade of curses spilling from the restroom stall made her even more
curious.
Pushing open the restroom door, Elyse found Vicky in a surprising state. Gone was the usual arrogant facade.
Fists clenched, Vicky pressed them against her forehead, muttering what seemed to be a prayer that quickly
devolved into a string of curses. Her entire demeanor was fragile, a stark contrast to her usual bravado.
“What's going on? Shouldn't you be prepping for your performance? Darren’s on stage, and you're up next,”
Elyse said, blinking in bewilderment.
Vicky whirled around, startled by Elyse’s sudden appearance. But she soon collected herself, saying curtly,
“You're just trying to sabotage me, right? Competing against you is a competition. Why the sudden concern?
Trying to throwoff my game?”
“Why would caring be sabotage?” Elyse countered, genuinely confused. “If | wanted to give you a hard time, |
wouldn't be here reminding you to get ready.”
Vicky's suspicious glare softened slightly under the weight of Elyse’s simple words. She turned away, refusing to
meet Elyse’s gaze.
Noticing Vicky's trembling hands, Elyse ventured a question, “Are you nervous?”
Follow on Novᴇl-Onlinᴇ.cᴏm
Vicky's response was a curt dismissal. “None of your business. Leavealone.”
Elyse frowned. “Vicky, you've always been so confident. Why are you so on edge today?”
Vicky snapped, her voice tight with barely concealed emotion. “Can't you just leavebe? | treated you
horribly, and here you are fussing over me. Are you crazy?”
Elyse blinked, surprised. “Of course, | know you weren't exactly kind. But hey, | got you back for it, didn't I?
We're even.”
Vicky was speechless. After a long moment, she muttered, “You must be out of your mind.”
Elyse studied Vicky intently. There had been a shift in her behavior recently, but today, it was a complete
transformation.
“Please go. Leavealone,” Vicky said, her tone lacking the confidence she once had. Elyse noticed Vicky
looked even more vulnerable.
“Look,” Elyse said firmly, “you’re coming back with me. We’ve made it to the final. You have to be there, nerves
or not.”
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