Seated with the rest of the judging committee, Ashlyn suddenly felt a pair of sharp eyes looking at her from a distance.
She looked up and caught Lucasâ deep eyes falling upon her.
Glancing away quickly to placate her accelerating heartbeat, Ashlynâs gaze landed on Hera again just as the other four judges had decided upon their scores.
After the host reported her average score, Hera felt a weight lifted off her shoulders.
Good thing that it wasnât averaged out over five. Only four judges should improve my odds.
Calebâs voice sounded again. âYour skills are very good, but you are too technical. We couldnât feel your passion for the piano. Being too stiff will prevent you from really throwing yourself in and becoming one with the piano.â
Ryan added after allowing space for applause, âWell said, Mr. Powell. I have nothing else to add, except that I hope youâll act with more decency in the future.â
How humiliating that was to have the flaws in your character pointed out in public like that!
Seated with the rest of the audience, Sisleyâs face turned pale with anger.
âMr. Yates is clearly aware of the relationship between us. So Why would he say something like that, Ms. Canter?â
Mary froze for a moment as she did not dare say Ryan did not know Hera at all. âMy brother is a straightforward person,â she said with deliberate vagueness after a pause. âAll artists are inherently bad-tempered.â
A male contestant took the stage after Hera. His scores were mediocre, and certainly not as high as hers.
Olivia was next. Throughout her wait, Charlotte stayed with her the entire time.
The two of them have hitherto remained silent since Ashlyn left.
The inexplicable atmosphere laced with awkwardness only fueled Charlotte to zip her mouth shut.
Being usually at a loss for words as she was, she found herself even more so when she needs them the most.
Olivia was also rather awkward. She suddenly felt very stupid upon recollecting that she used to like Lochlan and hate Charlotte.
Even more so, when I compare myself to Ashlyn. I have been a fool in the past. In fact, Iâm not so different from women like Hera.
Self-righteous and aloof, the way she used to be made her embarrassed.
The things she had done made her feel especially ashamed.
âGood luck,â Charlotte muttered before Olivia took the stage.
Oliviaâs heart trembled at the kindness in Charlotteâs voice as she gazed back at the latter. âIâm sorry for the past. I donât expect you to forgive me, but I feel ashamed about it. However, that doesnât mean that Iâll give up on Lochlan. I still like him. Weâll compete for him fairly.â
Charlotte smiled sweetly. âI donât like Uncle Lochlan that way. You must have misunderstood me; Iâve only seen him as an uncle. I like someone else.â
Olivia gaped at Charlotte.
What did she say? She doesnât like Lochlan?
Before she could spare the revelation any further thought, the program directorâs voice sounded from the speakers, alerting her that her presence was expected on stage.
To the crowdâs surprise, Olivia began playing a famous song by Jonathan as soon as she took her seat.
During his debut some years ago, Jonathan stunned the audience by accompanying himself on the piano. The song he performed that night became an instant hit.
The song Jonathan played and sang was a composition of Snowstorm.
His cover went viral and was ubiquitous for a while. Despite the publicâs familiarity, it was still an intricate and technical piece for most.
The piece was meant to inspire nationalistic fervor. It told a story about the glorious return of a soldier to the country he fought for but found his heart full of tragedy as he became haunted by his recurrent nightmares of the battlefield.
The song placed a heavy emphasis on rhythm, especially the battlefield part. If the agitation and tragedy on the battlefield were not properly conveyed, the performance would fall completely apart.
However, Oliviaâs relentless practice at home had not been in vain.
With her head slightly bowed, a series of gentle arpeggios flowed from under her fingers.
Everybody, from the audience to the stage hands, was transfixed by the near-perfect performance.
Olivia stood up as the last notes rang.
As if snapping out of a dream, the crowd shook themselves slightly before incessant applause filled the auditorium like a tide.