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

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

outside the venue,” the host

Bagging the top spot in the group and sailing straight through

a grateful bow, Maggie eagerly awaited the host’s rundown of the votes

Yearning for a

have to duke it out with their counterparts from different groups.

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

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

“Ah well, gotta

Sierra fuming, feeling like she was punching cotton,

across.

come out on top! The championship trophy is as good as

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

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

she couldn’t help but dive deeper

wondered if the supposedly random song selections in the competition could be rigged,

she swiftly

as he picked up.

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

ASAP, Lucas replied, his tone

time.

sis. It looks like most folks‘ songs are randomly picked, but is it yours? Not so much. Here’s the proof,”

finally understanding why she got stuck with one of the most

Sierra’s?” she asked, her

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

Maggie spoke softly, “Help her get rid of that

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

for

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

on edge, now seemed confident, probably

waltz.

honing in on perfecting just one, undoubtedly making her

bring her down a peg