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

after the last competition wrapped up, Maggie went over the feedback on Sierra. Despite a few subtle hints for

the votes are through the roof, both inside and outside the venue,” the host exclaimed, peering at the latest stats with a hint

outside the venue! That’s a staggering number! Bagging the

Maggie eagerly awaited the host’s rundown of the votes for the other

Yearning for a

would have to duke it out with their counterparts

swiftly exited from the stage, only to bump into

her hand clenched tightly at her side. “Don’t go thinking

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

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

across.

words, I’m gonna come out on top! The championship trophy is as

stayed quiet, but in her mind, she couldn’t shake off thoughts of the two judges up

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

on Maggie, she couldn’t help but

selections in the

Maggie strode past Sierra, she swiftly dialed Lucas’s number.

she greeted as he picked up.

you do me a favour and look into any fishy business with the song selection for the university competition? Particularly, see if

get on it ASAP, Lucas replied, his

no time. He accessed the backstage system and delved into the

were onto something, sis. It looks like 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 phone

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

she asked, her curiosity

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

pause, Maggie spoke softly, “Help her get rid of that preset program.

similar piece for her? That way, she gets to feel what it’s like without any favouritism, Lucas proposed, a frown greasing

for a

wasn’t playing fair, they

now seemed confident, probably thanks to

waltz.

others were juggling multiple pieces, Sierra had been honing in on perfecting just

bring her down a peg