Chapter 1330:

A smug little grin tugged at Chloe’s lips, but she quickly wiped it away, settling back into her businesslike tone. “Forty-five minutes. Be ready.”

“Got it. I’ll be all set when you arrive,” Elyse responded, feeling a surge of anticipation. As she hung up, she made a beeline for her room, discarding her cozy loungewear in favor of something more polished.

Standing before the mirror, she took a long look at herself and noticed something different in her reflection: a flicker of fire in her eyes, a quiet strength that hadn’t been there before. She placed a hand on her chest, her pulse quickening as she realized what she truly wanted. Determined to seize the moment, Elyse tossed aside any plans for a quiet day of rest and dove headfirst into her preparations, ready to conquer whatever came next.

The day of her face-off with Celeste had finally arrived. Dressed in a sleek, simple black dress, Elyse stood backstage, eyes closed, focusing on the host’s voice as he went over the show’s opening lines. As the announcement for the day’s featured challenger violinist rang out, Elyse slowly opened her eyes, took the violin Chloe handed her, and readied herself to step into the spotlight.

“Let’s welcome our challenger, Elyse Lloyd—”

With the violin in her grip, Elyse made her entrance. She surveyed the judges’ table, her gaze locking with Celeste’s. The shock in Celeste’s expression was unmistakable. It was clear Celeste hadn’t expected Elyse to show up today, or, more accurately, hadn’t anticipated Elyse’s audacity to stand before her, fully aware of the disdain she held for her. Celeste immediately labeled Elyse foolish.

Taking a breath to steady herself, Celeste let out a cold, humorless laugh and grabbed the microphone, cutting the host off to direct her words to Elyse. “Did you come here knowing how much I dislike you?”

Elyse answered with a simple, unwavering nod. “Yes.”

A sharp smirk tugged at Celeste’s lips. “Do you really think I’m going to give you a favorable score? I’d give a better rating to anyone else before you, including those who got in through connections.”

Elyse met her gaze with quiet defiance, lifting her chin. “Even if you gave everyone else a free pass, I’d still win with my own skill. Your prejudice can’t touch me.”

Celeste’s laugh was full of disbelief.

. . .

Message from Noah: Happy Saturday! Enjoy every moment, relax, and let the good vibes flow. God bless you, and Noah is sending you all the best. (>‿=)✌