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.

all boiled down

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

the host exclaimed, peering at the latest stats with a hint

from inside and outside the venue! That’s a staggering number! Bagging the top

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

Yearning for a

duke it out with their counterparts from different

were out, Maggie swiftly exited from the stage, only to bump into Sierra

tightly at her side. “Don’t go thinking those votes mean

well, gotta

Sierra fuming, feeling like she was punching

across.

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

quiet, 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

Pierces and the Camerons had teamed up, hell–bent on

dawned on Maggie, she couldn’t help but dive deeper into

the supposedly random song selections in the competition could be rigged, hiding some sneaky tricks up their

she swiftly dialed

as he picked

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

it ASAP, Lucas

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

yours? Not so much. Here’s the proof,” he explained, sending a code snippet to

why she got stuck

she asked, her curiosity piqued.

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

“Help her get rid

for her? That way, she gets to feel what it’s like

for

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

edge, now seemed confident, probably thanks to mastering

waltz.

were juggling multiple pieces, Sierra had been honing in on perfecting just one, undoubtedly making her performance

it was time to bring her down a peg or