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

Maggie went over the feedback on Sierra. Despite a few subtle hints for improvement, it was mostly a shower of compliments. It was clear what

venue,” the host exclaimed, peering at the latest stats with a hint of

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

awaited the host’s rundown of the votes for the other two contestants

Yearning for a

it out with their counterparts from different groups.

Maggie swiftly exited from the stage, only to bump into Sierra backstage, who seemed

tightly at her side. “Don’t go thinking those votes mean you’re soine talent. You’re just riding on Nathael’s

tone light. “Ah well, gotta

fuming, feeling like she

across.

your moment in the spotlight while you can, Maggie. But mark my words, I’m gonna come out on top! The championship trophy is as

thoughts of the two judges up there who seemed friendly with the Pierces. Seeing Sierra’s

up, hell–bent on propelling Sierra to the championship spot,

couldn’t help but

thoughts. She wondered if the supposedly random song selections in the competition could be

she swiftly dialed

as

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

it, I’ll get on it ASAP,

wasted no time.

looks like most folks‘ songs are randomly picked, but is it yours? Not

her spine, finally understanding why she got stuck with one of the most

asked, her curiosity piqued.

deal. Her song was preselected. She’s got ‘Waltz in G Major,”

“Help her get rid

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

for a

moment of thought. Maggie nodded in agreement. If the competition wasn’t playing fair, they had no reason to be fair

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

waltz.

Sierra had been honing in on

it was time to bring