I bolted to the studio, but dang, the live show was already rolling. The contestants were doing their thing, and the vibe was off the charts.


    I spotted Faye right in the middle, her white dress still looking fresh.


    Maybe she figured something out? I kicked myself for not getting there sooner. Would Faye think I bailed on her on purpose?


    Back in my seat, Be leaned over and asked where I''d been.


    I whispered, "Bathroom break."


    The opening dance wrapped up, and the host hit the stage. After some h-h-h, she dropped a bombshell about a special guest joining the judges today. Everyone was buzzing with curiosity.


    The music kicked in, the stage''s backdrop slid open, and with a roar of apuse, the mystery guest strutted to the front.N?vel(D)ra/ma.Org exclusive ? material.


    No way, was it her?


    Yep, it was Aurora.


    Aurora rocked a killer cheongsam, light makeup, and short, wavy hair, looking ssy as ever.


    "Give it up for Aurora!" The host got the crowd pping again.


    The host hyped Aurora as a top-tier beauty and makeup guru and the event''s image consultant. Today, she was officially joining the judges to help decide the contestants'' fates. Aurora shed a smile at the crowd, and when her eyesnded on me, she paused and gave a tiny nod.


    Then the host dropped another bombshell that had everyone gasping.


    Turns out, Aurora was over sixty, but she looked like she was in her thirties or forties. Talk about aging goals.


    After the intro, Aurora took her spot at the judges'' table and grinned. "I might not know much about singing, but I can definitely judge your stage presence. Good luck, y''all!" Faye, standing off to the side, looked totally shocked.


    Thepetition rolled on with solo acts, everyone going in the order they drew.


    "Where''s Connie?" Oliver suddenly asked.


    Hearing that, I remembered she was MIA during the group performance earlier.


    Connie was superpetitive, and I really hoped she''d crush it and chase her dream.


    But where the heck was she?


    Faye belted out a peppy tune with lively moves that nailed her sweet image.


    When she finished, the apuse was wild.


    Waiting for the judges'' call, she looked super confident, knowing she had all the judges in her pocket-except for Aurora.


    But her result was still up in the air.


    With no hope, there was no letdown. Faye reluctantly thanked the judges and left the stage.


    Her friends swarmed her right away, trying to cheer her up.


    After a few more acts, the host finally called out contestant number 18, Connie, with her song "The Gray Area."


    This song was a real tear-jerker. As the sad intro yed, the lights dimmed, and the whole ce went dead silent.


    Connie''s voice filled the room, but she didn''t show up until the chorus hit its peak. When she did, the crowd buzzed, and I was floored.


    She was wearing that white dress Faye had shown me the one that got shed up. With her hair down, barefoot, and in that ripped dress, she walked out singing, mic in hand. I heard Oliver mutter, "What''s with her outfit? Part of the act?"


    After singing a bit, she walked to the front and sat on the steps, showing off her calf through the torn dress.


    Her voice was already super emotional, and with that sad tune, it hit even harder.


    Suddenly, her messy look seemed to have a powerful stage effect, making the whole thing even more heartbreaking.


    On the side of the stage, the other contestants were whispering, but Faye was staring at the stage, and I caught a glimpse of a sneaky smile on her face.


    When the song ended, Connie stood up and walked barefoot to the center of the stage, the spotlight making her look even more disheveled.


    But she stayed cool.


    There seemed to be some debate among the judges, and Connie''s result was also pending.


    She bowed gracefully and left the stage.


    After all the contestants had performed, the ones with pending results had topete for thest spot to advance. In the end, it was down to Faye and Connie. ording to the rules, the final contestant would be chosen by a mix of audience votes and judges'' votes.


    Each audience member had a voting device, and when the host called for the start, Faye nced over at us.


    This choice was tough, not just for me but also for Oliver, Jason, and Ethan.


    I had no clue what they picked, but when the host called for the end, I realized I hadn''t pressed the button at all.


    The votes were super close, and the final call woulde down to the ten votes each judge had.


    When it got to Aurora, they were still less than ten votes apart, meaning Aurora''s ten votes would seal the deal.


    Thepetition hit its peak, and the host cut to amercial break right on time.


    During the break, I headed to the restroom.


    While I was sshing water on my face at the sink, the door creaked open.


    I nced in the mirror and spun around, surprised.


    "Aurora."


    Aurora smiled and nodded, then walked over to wash her hands.


    Turning on the faucet, she suddenly asked, "Who do you think should win?"


    I didn''t see thating. I hesitated, totally stumped because I didn''t have an answer myself.


    Seeing my struggle, Aurora smiled again and asked, "What is Faye to you?"


    I knew she appreciated me for saving her that day, but I didn''t want that to cloud her judgment.


    I said, "Aurora, they''re both my good friends. Of course, I want them both to win, but it looks like that''s not happening. They each have their strengths, and I won''t judge. I believe you already know what to do. Just go with your gut." Aurora nodded with a smile. "Yes, I do have it."


    As I was leaving and opening the restroom door, a girl who had been leaning against it suddenly stumbled in, almost tripping.


    Before I could see who it was, she bolted. Judging by her clothes, she was a contestant.


    Back in my seat after the break, the longestmercial break ever finally ended, and it was time for the results.


    Aurora stood up, looked at the two girls on stage, and said, "Honestly, both girls are strong contenders. Eliminating one is tough, but that''s the game. Connie''s outfit, despite the surprise, fit her song''s sorrowful style perfectly and moved me. So, my ten votes go to Connie."


    The result was in: Connie advanced, and Faye was out.


    Faye, being just under twenty, couldn''t handle the blow and tears welled up in her eyes.


    I turned to see Ethan''s reaction; he was staring at the stage, looking super calm.


    "What do you think?" I asked him.


    He turned to me and smiled faintly. "In anypetition, there are winners and losers. Faye can''t ept the result because she wasn''t mentally prepared. Everyone faces setbacks, and this might actually help her grow."


    Thepetition wrapped up, and the audience started to leave. We headed backstage to find Faye, only to be told she had already left.


    As we were leaving, we bumped into several judgesing out from the other end of the corridor, chatting about tonight''spetition.


    I didn''t see where Faye came from, but she suddenly blocked the judges'' path, her eyes red from crying.


    "Why? I want to know why. I''m not any worse than Connie."


    The judges exchanged nces, and one female judge stepped forward.


    "You''re number 12, Faye, right? Even if you hadn''te to us, we were going to find you."


    She opened her handbag, pulled out a small bag, and handed it to Faye.


    "Faye, your voice is actually really good. You made a strong impression during the auditions. But you didn''t take my advice to heart. We''re looking for someone who sings with their soul. The voice is important, but so is character. Focus more on your singing."


    Faye took the bag, watching the judges walk past her. She stood there, tears in her eyes, while her friends who had been buttering her up came over tofort her.


    I didn''t say anything and walked ahead, only to run into Aurora and Connie at the TV station entrance.


    Aurora looked at Connie approvingly. "Your performance today was fantastic. Winning takes both skill and mindset, and I admire your personality. The entertainment industry is tough and doesn''t tolerate impatience. Staying calm and resilient will help you go further and seed."


    Connie smiled faintly, and her calm reaction to the result made me admire her even more.


    A car pulled up in front of us, driven by the woman who had been in Aurora''s hospital room that day.


    As Aurora got into the car, she waved at me before leaving. I turned around to see Faye, who hade out at some point, looking at me coldly. There seemed to be a sh of hatred in her eyes, but it disappeared in an instant.


    The girl standing next to Faye seemed to be the one who had been leaning against the restroom door.


    Faye and Connie exchanged nces the two girls who had justpeted on stage locked eyes. Connie was calm, while Faye was fuming.


    Everyone felt awkward, not knowing how to congratte Connie in front of Faye. After Connie left, Faye suddenly burst into tears and threw herself into Ethan''s arms.


    I knew the result was a big blow to her, so I understood her behavior at that moment.


    "Alright, don''t cry. You''re still young; there will be more opportunities in the future."


    Ethanforted her like a child, and it took a while to calm her down and get her into the car.


    When we got back to the vi, she was still in tears.


    After taking her to her room, Ethanforted her for a while. I didn''t say anything because I felt that my ten words offort couldn''tpare to one from Ethan.


    After a while, when we were about to leave, she grabbed my hand and whispered, "I''m really sad today and don''t want to sleep alone. Emily, can you sleep with me?" She looked so pitiful after the blow that I couldn''t refuse her. Wey down silently until sleep overcame us.


    Suddenly, I woke up, feeling suffocated. In the dim light, I saw Faye kneeling beside me, her hands around my neck.