Chapter 247 He’s Not There


    Buck nced at Maia after he finished and added yfully, “Do you want Mr. Cedric to be there? If you do, he’s just one phone


    call away. No wait, just a text is enough! I’m sure he''ll appear if you text him!”


    Maia noticed that the lights were green, so she said, “You should go back to driving and shut up.”


    Buck remained silent throughout the drive to the venue. They were already broadcasting the show live when Maia got there. She


    hurried to her seat and noticed that there was an empty seat beside her. He was not there.


    Secondster, The Quest main theme song yed, and Aiken appeared on the stage. He gave the audience a charming smile


    when the spotlights shone on him.N?velDrama.Org content rights.


    Maia was distracted through half of the show until a staff member jolted her back to reality by informing her that Aiken had invited


    her on stage.


    Maia quicklyposed herself and gracefully strolled on stage.


    “Let us wee Starlight Entertainment''s CEO, Ms. Maia Burgess!” A round of apuse erupted as she walked to the center of


    the stage.


    Aiken’s smile widened the minute he saw her, “Ms. Maia, today is The Quest''s finale. It’s a pleasure to have you here with us.


    So, tell me, how are you feeling?”


    “| feel happy and proud,” Maia replied.


    “Why do you feel happy and proud?”


    “| feel like a proud mother witnessing the growth of my girls. From the midst of summer till autumn, I’ve seen how all the trainees


    have changed and improved. | had the honor of watching them grow, seasoned by the different challenges presented to them.


    “Now, seeing theme so close to fulfilling their dreams and ascending onto that throne. Nothing would make me feel happier


    and prouder.”


    Maia’s speech garnered a standing ovation form the audience.


    Aiken also nodded furiously as he added, “Today, let us all witness the birth of 10 new


    superstars!”


    Maia smiled as she looked at the trainees at the foot of the stage. “Good luck girls!”


    They smiled and thanked her as they cheered each other on..


    “Let us hype up the mood! Today is the day of the birth of our new girl group, we should be


    excited for it!”


    Aiken continued to hype up the audience by directing the attention to M. “Ms. M, it looks like you don’t have any makeup


    on today, right? Dear trainees, am | right?”


    Most of the contestants were surprised as they shouted, “Yes! Ms. Maia has such amazing skin!”


    Maia smiled cheekily and said, “That’s because | clean my face regrly.”


    All of the traineesughed at her remark as it reminded them of what she had said to Fiona.


    Maia left the stage shortly after hyping up the mood. Momentster, the show continued as thepetitions heat up. The show


    attracted a few million viewers tuning in at the same time.


    The inte was flooded with topics rted to The Quest, and the warring couple was the first on every hot search list.


    “| can’t believe Ms. Maia doesn’t have any makeup on! Her skin is so beautiful! I’m so envious!”


    “It''s such a shame we don’t get to see the warring couple live. | didn’t expect Mr. Cedric to be absent from this event. | wonder


    what''s going on? Wasn’t he the owner of Sunny Videos?”


    “| was wondering the same thing too! How is it that Ms. Maia is here but Mr. Cedric isn’t? | noticed an empty seat next to Ms.


    Maia when the camera filmed her.”


    “| saw it too. That’s probably Mr. Cedric’s, but why isn’t he here?”


    “The warring couple must not split up! Please! I''ll wait till the end of the broadcast!”


    Comments flooded the live chat room as the fans rooted for their favorite contestant and


    couple. It seemed like The Quest was the talk of the town for the day.


    Maia sat on her seat as she looked at the contestants drenched in sweat, giving their all to show the world what they were


    capable of. She could not help but tear up at the scene.


    Maybe it was because they reminded her of herself. How she had given her all to go after the man that she had love with all her


    heart.


    Unfortunately, her dreams shattered into pieces. Maia wished that this would not happen to the girls on the stage. Yet, the reality


    was that there were only 10 seats avable.


    Maia continued to focus on the contest even though it had already been three hours. She studied each of the girls closely, and


    when thepetition came to an end, most of them were


    in tears.


    “Ms. Maia, why don’t you say a few words of encouragement to the girls, before today’s result?”


    e announce


    Maia took the microphone in her hands and looked at the girls on the stage. “These few


    The minute Maia asked that question, the girls on the stage burst out crying.


    “The seats on the other side of the stage look beautiful, don’t they? But there are only 10 of them. It means that there will be


    others who would be dropped. This is what it means to dream. Giving everything you''ve got isn’t always enough to guarantee


    sess.


    “Let this stage be a part in your life but don’t let it consume everything. Your life is in your hands, you get to choose how to live it!


    If you lose, then do it with your head held high, and make sure that you''re not afraid to try again! | believe in each and every one


    of you. You are all the best!”


    Maia concluded her speech to thundering apuse. When Aiken was about to announce the final 10 contestants that had made


    it, all the lights on stage went out.