Chapter 469:

Elyse looked drained, her complexion as pale as a ghost. Fiona watched her closely, sensing something was amiss. Elyse's recent behavior in the studio had been out of character—insisting on fresh cherries and bursting into tears when none were available. Elyse wasn't usually fussy, leading Fiona to suspect pregnancy.

Feeling a sudden revelation, Fiona stared incredulously at Elyse and asked, "You're pregnant, aren't you?"

Elyse started to deny it, but the strong scent of Fiona's perfume made her gag. Fiona, suspecting her cake was the culprit, moved back. With some distance, Elyse stopped retching.

Astonished, Fiona exclaimed, "Elyse, you must be pregnant, and you haven't told us!"

Elyse pulled out a tissue, wiping her mouth. Though she hadn't vomited, some stomach acid had come up. Looking miserable, she stood and pleaded, "Fiona, please keep this between us. I'm not ready for Irving and Gavin to know yet."

Fiona's face showed confusion. "Why keep such big news secret? You won't be able to hide it once you start showing."

Elyse felt unfairly judged, her eyes welling up. "Tomorrow's the grand final. I want to wait until the competition is over. I only need to keep it secret for a couple more days."

Fiona began to object but stopped. The final was imminent, and disruptions were unacceptable. However, Elyse's pregnancy made Fiona wonder how she could possibly compete. A fleeting spark of pleasure at Elyse's predicament flickered in Fiona, quickly masked by a show of concern. "Alright, I'll keep your secret, but you have to promise to tell everyone afterward."

Elyse, touched by the gesture, gazed at Fiona. "Thank you, Fiona. You're so kind."

Fiona squirmed under Elyse's grateful gaze, feeling it illuminate the darker corners of her conscience.

Later, during afternoon practice, Elyse found it easier to hide her secret with Fiona's help. That evening, Elyse left early. As she gathered her things, Irving approached, hands in his pockets, smiling. "You seem more relaxed about the competition this time. I expected you to practice late again."

Elyse frowned. "I can practice at home. Don't assume I'm goofing off."

Irving shrugged. "I didn't say that. You're putting words in my mouth."

Elyse huffed, shouldered her violin case, and said goodbye to Gavin and Fiona.

After Elyse left, Gavin looked at Fiona. "Elyse might be relaxed, but Fiona seems on edge. Looks like she's gearing up for a late-night practice session."

Irving watched Fiona practice intensely, frowning slightly. "She really needs to put in the effort. She barely made it to the final last time. I was hoping we'd secure the top two spots."

Gavin gave Irving a helpless glance. "Keep it down. Don't embarrass Fiona."

Irving remained unmoved. "It's about her skills. If she can't handle criticism, she won't improve."

Fiona overheard their conversation and maintained her composure. She wouldn't let their words affect her. Elyse's first place finish had caught her off guard. Fiona had envisioned herself winning, with Elyse second. Now, finding herself at the bottom was agonizing. She knew she could only overcome this by outperforming Elyse in the final.

As Irving listened to Fiona play, his frown deepened. Finally, he declared, "I'm hungry. I'm leaving. I won't practice anymore today." He sensed the chaos in Fiona's playing; her emotions were distorting the piece. Further practice in that state would be unproductive.

Gavin was surprised by Irving's abrupt departure. "You're just leaving? Aren't you going to help?"

Irving rolled his eyes. "You handle it. I can't deal with this, and frankly, I don't want to."

Fiona stopped playing and looked at Irving. "Do you hate me?" She'd always felt Irving disliked her.

Irving glanced at Fiona's stern expression and sneered, "Why would I like you? Are you really as genuine as you appear?"