Chapter 1014:
Quinn wasn’t Jayden. If Jayden had asked for a kiss, she would have leaped at the chance without a second thought. Fiona felt absolutely nothing for Quinn, not even a faint spark of fondness. A wave of happiness swept over her; she was grateful to have dodged his advances and saved her first kiss for Jayden.
Unbeknownst to her, resentment brewed in Quinn’s heart. Fiona was convinced she had skillfully concealed her disgust, yet he had observed the flicker of it in her eyes and the way she wiped her mouth after their brief kiss. He couldn’t fathom her reaction. Despite his unwavering devotion—so strong he had even fallen out with other violinists for her—Fiona seemed devoid of genuine feeling.
Why was she with him if she disliked him so much? Quinn pondered this perplexing question, his mind racing. He concluded only Elyse might hold the key. Resolute, he decided to ask her the next day.
The following afternoon, the tour kicked off, and a wave of eager spectators flowed in. Elyse and Edward entered the backstage area together. Darren and Geraldine were already getting their makeup done. Geraldine said, “There are quite a few performers today. You’ll be sharing a dressing room with me. Come on, I’ll show you.”
Elyse nodded, a smile breaking across her face as she followed Geraldine down the bustling corridor. Meanwhile, Darren turned to Edward. “Looks like we’re in the same dressing room. Quinn will be joining us shortly.”
Edward remained silent, but the lively backstage chaos felt unexpectedly pressuring. “I heard there’ll be a huge crowd today, even some special guests,” Darren said.
Edward nodded, feeling the pressure build. “Yeah, carrying everyone’s expectations can be suffocating.”
Darren crossed his arms. “I used to be terrified of the stage and competitions. I never imagined performing on a world stage.”
Edward chuckled softly. “Isn’t it funny? Elyse said the same thing.”
As they chatted, Quinn and Fiona strolled in; her eyes sparkled with enthusiasm.
“Is everyone here? Are you all set?” she asked.
Darren replied, “Everyone’s here. No one’s late.” . . .