Let’s start all over again,shall we?

Chapter 278 Yearning for a Kiss

Once Maggie wrapped up her performance, her eyes were teary.

Not because of anything else but because tragedies tend to hit close to home.

She couldn’t shake off memories of her past life with Nathael and the lingering what–ifs of this one.

Mixing up feelings of relictance, excitement, and a dash of sweetness, it all boiled down to a sad soup.

Grace was dabbing her eyes back in the dressing room, and even Danielle seemed a bit misty–eyed.

“Maggie, you nailed it out there. I’m so moved, I could cry, Grace chimed in.

Danielle nodded along, adding, “Seriously, you aced it. You’re gonna get top marks for sure.”

“Thanks, Ms. Joyton, thanks, Grace. I’ll catch you guys in the audience seats later, Maggie murmured sofily.

“Sure thing. Once they announce the scores, you can bounce if you’ve got stuff to do,” Grace replied.

Sierra stayed quiet, her gaze fixed on Nathael’s Twitter feed, lost in her world.

Before they realised it, Maggie was next, ready to face the judges‘ feedback.

With a grin, the host piped up, “Any guesses on your score, Maggie?”

Maggie said, “Well, what do you think, Mr. Surrez?”

“If it were up to me, I’d toss you an eleven, with an extra point just to boost your ego,” the host quipped

back.

The room erupted in laughter, and Maggie couldn’t help but smile too.

The camera shifted to the judges below the stage, capturing their mixed reactions. Some showered her praise, while a couple seemed to find faults in every nook and cranny.

Maggie glanced at the two critics, recalling their lukewarm feedback from the first round, It felt like one of them had a bone to pick with the Pierces, and the other might’ve had some ties she couldn’t quite put her finger on.

it all boiled down to Sierra.

over the feedback on Sierra. Despite a few subtle hints for improvement, it was mostly a

votes are through the roof, both inside and outside the venue,” the host exclaimed, peering at the

it down: Maggie racked up 187,655 votes from inside and outside the venue! That’s a staggering number! Bagging the top spot in the group and sailing straight through to the next round! Way to

a grateful bow, Maggie eagerly awaited the host’s rundown of

278 Yearning for a Kiss

duke it out with

exited from the stage, only to bump into Sierra backstage, who seemed to be lingering there as if

shot Maggie a cold glare, her hand clenched tightly at her side. “Don’t go thinking those votes mean

her tone light. “Ah well, gotta give credit where it’s

fuming, feeling like she was punching cotton, unable to get her

across.

my words, I’m gonna come out on top! The championship trophy is as good as mine!” Sierra’s eyes blazed with determination,

thoughts of the two judges up there who seemed friendly

like the Pierces and the Camerons had teamed up, hell–bent on propelling Sierra to

she couldn’t help but

She wondered if the supposedly random song selections in the competition could be rigged, hiding some sneaky tricks

Sierra, she swiftly dialed Lucas’s

she greeted as

favour and look into any fishy business with the song selection for the university competition? Particularly, see if there’s anything shady going on with

it, I’ll get on it ASAP, Lucas replied, his tone

keeping tabs on the competition, Lucas wasted no time.

picked, but is it yours? Not so much. Here’s the proof,” he explained, sending

she got stuck with

Sierra’s?” she asked,

got ‘Waltz in G Major,” Lucas informed

brief pause, Maggie spoke softly, “Help her get rid of that

way, she gets to feel what it’s like without any favouritism, Lucas

for a Kiss

in agreement. If the competition wasn’t playing fair, they had no reason to be fair to those who biased either.

been on edge, now seemed confident, probably thanks to mastering the

waltz.

honing in on perfecting just one, undoubtedly making her performance

time to bring her down a