Chapter 732


    Seated with the rest of the judgingmittee, Ashlyn suddenly felt a pair of sharp eyes looking at her


    from a distance.


    She looked up and caught Lucas’ deep eyes falling upon her.


    ncing away quickly to cate her elerating heartbeat, Ashlyn’s gazended on Hera again just


    as the other four judges had decided upon their scores.


    After the host reported her average score, Hera felt a weight lifted off her shoulders.


    Good thing that it wasn’t averaged out over five. Only four judges should improve my odds.


    Caleb’s voice sounded again. “Your skills are very good, but you are too technical. We couldn’t feel


    your passion for the piano. Being too stiff will prevent you from really throwing yourself in and bing


    one with the piano.”


    Ryan added after allowing space for apuse, “Well said, Mr. Powell. I have nothing else to add,


    except that I hope you’ll act with more decency in the future.”


    How humiliating that was to have the ws in your character pointed out in public like that!


    Seated with the rest of the audience, Sisley’s face turned pale with anger.


    “Mr. Yates is clearly aware of the rtionship between us. So Why would he say something like that,


    Ms. Canter?”


    Mary froze for a moment as she did not dare say Ryan did not know Hera at all. “My brother is a


    straightforward person,” she said with deliberate vagueness after a pause. “All artists are inherently


    bad-tempered.”


    A male contestant took the stage after Hera. His scores were mediocre, and certainly not as high as


    hers.


    Olivia was next. Throughout her wait, Charlotte stayed with her the entire time.


    The two of them have hitherto remained silent since Ashlyn left.


    The inexplicable atmosphereced with awkwardness only fueled Charlotte to zip her mouth shut.


    Being usually at a loss for words as she was, she found herself even more so when she needs them


    the most.


    Olivia was also rather awkward. She suddenly felt very stupid upon recollecting that she used to like


    L and hate Charlotte.


    Even more so, when Ipare myself to Ashlyn. I have been a fool in the past. In fact, I’m not so


    different from women like Hera.


    Self-righteous and aloof, the way she used to be made her embarrassed.


    The things she had done made her feel especially ashamed.


    “Good luck,” Charlotte muttered before Olivia took the stage.


    Olivia’s heart trembled at the kindness in Charlotte’s voice as she gazed back at thetter. “I’m sorry for


    the past. I don’t expect you to forgive me, but I feel ashamed about it. However, that doesn’t mean that


    I’ll give up on L. I still like him. We’llpete for him fairly.”


    Charlotte smiled sweetly. “I don’t like Uncle L that way. You must have misunderstood me; I’ve


    only seen him as an uncle. I like someone else.”


    Olivia gaped at Charlotte.


    What did she say? She doesn’t like L?


    Before she could spare the revtion any further thought, the program director’s voice sounded from


    the speakers, alerting her that her presence was expected on stage.


    To the crowd’s surprise, Olivia began ying a famous song by Jonathan as soon as she took her seat.


    During his debut some years ago, Jonathan stunned the audience by apanying himself on the


    piano. The song he performed that night became an instant hit.


    The song Jonathan yed and sang was aposition of Snowstorm.


    His cover went viral and was ubiquitous for a while. Despite the public’s familiarity, it was still an


    intricate and technical piece for most.


    The piece was meant to inspire nationalistic fervor. It told a story about the glorious return of a soldier


    to the country he fought for but found his heart full of tragedy as he became haunted by his recurrent


    nightmares of the battlefield.


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    The song ced a heavy emphasis on rhythm, especially the battlefield part. If the agitation and


    tragedy on the battlefield were not properly conveyed, the performance would fallpletely apart.


    However, Olivia’s relentless practice at home had not been in vain.


    With her head slightly bowed, a series of gentle arpeggios flowed from under her fingers.


    Everybody, from the audience to the stage hands, was transfixed by the near-perfect performance.


    Olivia stood up as thest notes rang.


    As if snapping out of a dream, the crowd shook themselves slightly before incessant apuse filled the


    auditorium like a tide.