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.

boiled down to Sierra.

wrapped up, Maggie went over the feedback on Sierra. Despite a few subtle hints for improvement, it was mostly a shower

and outside the venue,” the host exclaimed,

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

awaited the host’s rundown of the votes

278 Yearning for a

it out

the stage, only to bump into Sierra backstage, who seemed to

at her side. “Don’t go

with a casual smile, her tone light. “Ah well, gotta give

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

across.

spotlight while you can, Maggie. But mark my words, I’m gonna come out on top! The championship trophy is as good as mine!” Sierra’s eyes blazed with determination, her voice icy, and her demeanour oozing confidence and

her mind, she couldn’t shake off thoughts of the two judges up

Camerons had teamed up, hell–bent on propelling Sierra to the championship spot, hence her unwavering confidence!

dawned on Maggie, she couldn’t

selections in the competition could be rigged, hiding

past Sierra, she swiftly dialed Lucas’s number.

greeted as

look into any fishy business with the song selection for the university competition? Particularly, see if

get on it ASAP, Lucas replied, his tone serious.

keeping tabs on the competition, Lucas wasted no time. He accessed the

most folks‘ songs are randomly picked, but is it yours? Not so much. Here’s the proof,” he explained, sending a code snippet to Maggie’s

understanding why she got stuck with one of the most challenging

asked,

Her song was preselected. She’s got ‘Waltz

softly, “Help her get rid

she gets to feel what it’s like without any favouritism, Lucas proposed, a frown

for a

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

who had previously been on edge, now seemed confident, probably thanks to mastering the ice

waltz.

pieces, Sierra had been honing in on perfecting just one,

it was time to bring her down a peg or two.