Chapter 283

Hearing Merlin’s words, Elyse breathed a sigh of relief. She cherished playing the violin and longed for a wider audience. Celestial Sounds Symphony, one of the country's top orchestras, offered the perfect platform. This was the beginning of her dream, and the thought of being fired deeply troubled her. After thanking everyone, she carefully placed her violin down and left the meeting room.

Darren waited anxiously by the door, his curiosity evident. "What happened?"

Elyse patted her chest reassuringly. "They believed me. Once I refute the online accusations, I'll be reinstated without fear of termination." Darren sighed in relief, his worries easing.

However, Elyse's bitterness surfaced. "But I have to go home now. My work is suspended, and I fear my position as concertmaster is at risk. This couldn't have come at a worse time. They only care about their interests," she said, her voice laced with frustration. Darren nodded solemnly.

They walked toward the elevator, continuing their conversation. As the doors opened, Vicky stood blocking their way. Noticing Elyse, Vicky stepped out and deliberately shoved her.

Unaware of Vicky's malice, Elyse fell to the floor, clutching her bruised hip and wincing in pain. Darren quickly helped her up, glaring at Vicky. "What's your problem?"

Vicky rolled her eyes scornfully. "She deserves it. If it weren't for her, how could people damage Celestial Sounds Symphony's reputation? Do you know what the internet is saying? It's brutal."

Elyse bit her lip. "I'm innocent. I'm the true composer. Mabel had no right to release an album with my music."

Vicky scoffed, her expression disdainful. "Save your breath. I don't believe a word."

"You just dislike her. You're jealous of her talent. I believe she can prove her innocence," Darren interjected, grinning mockingly at Vicky.

Vicky sneered. "You still have faith in her? You're naive."

She then deliberately bumped into Darren before striding away. Darren, furious, started to retort, but Elyse shook her head, stopping him. "It doesn't matter if she believes me. I just need the support of the public."

Darren's expression darkened. "Sometimes I can't stand her arrogance. She's never liked me, and now she's enjoying this." Elyse sighed.

Back in the lounge, Grace and several orchestra members immediately approached, asking about the situation. Elyse apologized. "I'm sorry, everyone. This is my fault. Even though it's based on lies, it's affected us all. I'll prove my innocence."

Rebekah approached arrogantly. "Can you find any evidence? You claim Mabel Lloyd stole your work. How can you prove you're the true creator and she's the thief?"

Elyse replied coldly, "If she stole them, there must be evidence."

A smug smile touched Rebekah's lips. She wasn't worried; she had proof Mabel had stolen the sheet music. As long as she kept it hidden, no one would know. Rebekah narrowed her eyes, gazing at Elyse with mixed emotions. She envied Elyse's talent. Her jealousy had driven her to sabotage Elyse, assisting Mabel to bring her down. Elyse's success on the violin and now as a songwriter had eclipsed Rebekah's, and she couldn't bear it. She was determined to destroy her.

Rebekah narrowed her eyes, issuing a warning. "If you can't prove your innocence, you'll have to leave Celestial Sounds Symphony."

The extraneous website information has been removed. The passage is now grammatically correct and punctuated properly. Word choices have been improved for clarity and flow.