Chapter 266

Shortly after Elyse and Darren returned to the rehearsal room, Vicky entered. Her arrival silenced everyone; they knew Elyse had been appointed concertmaster, a position Vicky had lost, and were wary of provoking her.

Vicky approached Elyse, meeting her gaze directly. Elyse, unsure of Vicky's intentions, held her ground. Their intense stare-down ended with a wry smile from Vicky. "Congratulations, Elyse," she said.

Elyse remained silent, her composure only intensifying Vicky's anger. Vicky had endured a miserable weekend. Not only had Elyse taken the concertmaster position, but she had also received considerable praise, with the orchestra even suggesting a dual concertmaster arrangement—a situation Vicky despised.

"You should work hard to keep your position," Vicky said coldly.

"Don't worry, I will. No one will replace me," Elyse responded, her confident demeanor further fueling Vicky's resentment.

"You've taken her place! You're quite proud of yourself, aren't you?" Darren intervened, his face stern. "Enough. The manager will be here soon."

Vicky glared at him before storming out. Darren moved closer to Elyse, whispering, "Keep your distance from her. You'll soon be the new concertmaster. Get ready for the tour."

Elyse, grinding her teeth, fumed. "She missed her performance because she was sick, but she blames me."

Darren grinned. "Naturally, Vicky would blame others. She'd never admit her own mistakes."

The manager arrived, seemingly oblivious to the tension. "I have an announcement. The TV station will interview us about the upcoming national tour, and we need to select a few people." She listed several names.

Afterward, Vicky exclaimed incredulously, "Why am I not on the list? Aren't I the concertmaster?"

The manager, slightly embarrassed, explained, "They want to focus on those who performed last week."

Vicky's face darkened; the interview would feature only Elyse. She glared at Elyse, scoffed, and remained silent as the manager continued with the rehearsal schedule.

The next morning, after lunch, another announcement was made: Elyse was now officially one of the dual concertmasters. The news spread rapidly. Those who had previously showered Vicky with attention now flocked to Elyse, leaving Vicky isolated. The shift was dramatic.

Rebekah approached Vicky. "She's the orchestra's new star now. Everyone's trying to impress her. Why are you talking to me? Shouldn't you be with her?"

Vicky's frustration was evident. Rebekah sneered, "I don't even want to talk to her. Don't worry, this is temporary. We have time, and you know she's not as good as you."

Vicky's mood lifted, reassured by Rebekah's support. Rebekah continued, "Doesn't this bother you? You should be the concertmaster, but she stole your spot. Now, they only want to interview her."

Vicky felt frustrated but helpless. Even her instructor couldn't intervene. Rebekah leaned closer, whispering, "I have an idea."

Vicky eyed her suspiciously. Rebekah narrowed her eyes. "If you agree, she'll lose the interview, and you'll take her place. No one will know it was you."

Vicky's expression darkened. "Take her place? Are you implying I'm not as good as her?"

Rebekah, realizing her misstep, quickly clarified, "Last week, she replaced you. She owes you. This was supposed to be your interview, right?" ... ... ...