The Million-Dollar Heart by Rebecca Ryan

Two servers carefully hoisted a zither onto the stage, its ebony finish gleaming like ink. Made from the finest blackwood, the zither's head was slightly tilted, resembling a dragon with its mouth slightly open. Intricate floral patterns and inscriptions adorned its back, hinting at untold stories.

From a distance, it looked rather ordinary, but Karen's eyes sparkled with excitement as she ran her fingers over the zither. "This one! It's perfect!" she exclaimed.

Alyssa cast a disdainful glance, a flicker of contempt in her eyes. Yorick clearly didn't favor Karen, offering such a seemingly ordinary instrument. With a touch of condescension, Alyssa asked, "Shall I go first, or would you like to, Karen?"

Karen raised an eyebrow nonchalantly, "After you."

Alyssa smiled slightly, "Then I'll go first and set the stage." Internally, she sneered at Karen, thinking she was just a coward, confident only in agreeing but too scared to perform first.

Alyssa gracefully seated herself at a nearby crystal piano. She wore a hand-embroidered white gown, her long hair cascading over her shoulders, highlighting her fair skin and elegant demeanor. As she began to play, the live stream viewers were in awe.

"Wow, she's breathtaking! Even through the screen, she outshines all the celebs."

"That crystal piano is blinding! Talk about showing off wealth."

"Alyssa's so pure and talented. How do us mere mortals even compare?"

"I hereby declare myself Alyssa's number one fan. She's stolen my heart."

"A true beauty with brains. She plays like a pro!"

Her performance was flawless, earning her a thunderous applause and admiration from both the audience

skyrocketing to the top of trending topics. Kate, the host,

by the commotion, ascended the stage in simple white attire. She opted to sit directly on the floor, facing the zither she had chosen. The

Vivienne and Percival, sensing foul play, decided to host their own livestream to

lifted her gaze, revealing her natural beauty unadorned by makeup, the

in, capturing every detail

"Is that Vivienne?!"

she's stunning." S~ᴇaʀᴄh the FindNøvᴇl.nᴇt website on Gøøglᴇ to access chapters of novels early and in the

Vivienne, but there's an ethereal beauty

makeup-free? She's a

powerful emotions that resonated deep within the listeners. The music built up like a tempest, commanding attention, before transitioning into a serene melody reminiscent of a calm sea under the

minds of the audience, leaving them breathless

performance is heavenly.

goddess descended to

and unending applause, except from Alyssa, who

disbelief turning to envy.

this

so well at that, even better than her? Wasn't

petrified,