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. Despite a few subtle

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

a staggering number! Bagging the top spot in the group and sailing straight through to the next

host’s rundown of the votes for

278 Yearning for a

duke it out with their counterparts from

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

go thinking

her tone light. “Ah well, gotta give credit where it’s due. Thanks to my

feeling like she was punching cotton, unable to get

across.

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 satisfaction.

but in her mind, she couldn’t shake off thoughts of the two judges up there who seemed friendly with the Pierces. Seeing Sierra’s unwavering confidence, it all clicked into place.

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

she couldn’t help but dive deeper

the supposedly random song selections in the competition could be

strode past Sierra, she swiftly dialed

greeted as he

and look into any fishy business with the song selection for the university competition?

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

on the competition, Lucas wasted no time. He

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

down her spine, finally understanding why she got stuck with one

she asked, her curiosity piqued.

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

softly, “Help her get rid of that preset

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

for

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

seemed confident, probably thanks to mastering the

waltz.

were juggling multiple pieces, Sierra had been honing in on

was time to bring her down a peg