Chapter 492:

"You underestimated Darren. If he masters the piece, you'll realize you have more than one resilient rival," Elyse said calmly.

"Humph! I doubt it!"

Vicky looked at Elyse, who was standing at the end of the line, then at Darren, who appeared quite pleased with his seventh-place result, his grin broad and almost too bright. Vicky's disdain was palpable. What was so great about seventh place? Darren was such an idiot. She glanced at Elyse, who was in first place—a spot Vicky had once held—and felt a surge of complex emotions.

The judges and Karl began distributing the top eight competition certificates. Karl approached Elyse with a warm smile. "From now on, you'll need to strive on the international stage. Aim for the top," he encouraged.

Elyse nodded earnestly. "Trust me, I will."

As the award ceremony concluded, the audience departed, and the media swarmed the contestants for interviews. After her interview, Elyse noticed Gavin approaching with a gentle smile that made her heart skip. She smiled and walked toward him.

"Where's Fiona? How could she just quit the competition?" Gavin asked.

"I'm not sure," Elyse replied. "After my performance, I looked for her backstage, but she wasn't there. I even went outside and searched for a long while, but found no sign of her."

"Did you try calling her?" Gavin inquired.

Elyse nodded. "Yes, but her phone was off."

Gavin's smile faded. He took a few deep breaths. He gently touched her hair, smiling. "You did wonderfully today. I didn't expect such a stellar performance."

"Thank you for your help and guidance," Elyse replied gratefully.

"My pleasure," Gavin said apologetically. "I had planned a celebration with you and Fiona. Now, I need to attend to Fiona's situation. We'll schedule your celebration for another time."

"I'm not in a hurry. You should go find her now," Elyse said, understanding his urgency.

Gavin nodded, swiftly grabbed his coat, and hurried out.

It was already two in the afternoon. After changing, Elyse left the concert hall, carrying a shopping bag and her violin case. She walked at a leisurely pace. By the time she reached the exit, only Jayden, Tracy, and Shaun remained. Shaun was holding onto Tracy as if she might escape.

Elyse initially wanted to approach Tracy, but seeing Jayden—who had come to watch her compete—she decided to acknowledge his effort. She walked toward him.

Jayden, sensing her lingering anger, remained silent. He silently took the violin case from her and took her hand.

Shaun, still gripping Tracy, said to Jayden, "I hope you treat your wife well and keep her from visiting my place again."

Jayden managed a strained smile. "Thank you for looking after her."

Feeling hungry, Elyse remained composed, recalling Tracy's words from the previous day. "Jayden, we need to talk when we get home."

Jayden averted his gaze and nodded. "Okay. We'll talk then."

They headed toward the parking lot, followed by Shaun and Tracy. Shaun's car was parked near Jayden's.

Meanwhile, Corrie, waiting in the parking lot with an intercom, observed Jayden and Elyse. As their car came into view, Jayden quickened his pace, eager to open the door for Elyse. Elyse walked slowly, and within moments, Jayden was nearly twenty meters ahead.

The man beside Corrie said, "It's time. Arrange for the car accident soon, and make sure Jayden is finished."

"Wait. I have a new plan. Let the drunk driver hit Elyse," Corrie proposed.

The man objected. "Mr. Owen's order was to take Jayden's life."

Corrie's eyes gleamed coldly. "If we kill Elyse, Jayden won't want to live."

...

The passage has been cleaned up for grammar, punctuation, and flow. The unnecessary website mentions have been removed.