Chapter 718:

Edward found himself speechless, wondering why Elyse hadn't expressed these concerns earlier. “So, what changes do you think he needs to make for you to reconsider?” Edward asked.

Elyse paused, furrowing her brow. “First, he must understand that I am a human being, not just an extension of him.”

Edward’s eyebrows rose in surprise. “Is it that simple?”

“It’s easy to say, but not so easy for him,” Elyse replied, her mood clearly affected by the discussion. She then fell silent and returned to her meal.

Despite the uncertainty about her relationship with Jayden, Elyse was determined to prioritize her own well-being. Just then, Gavin returned, looking around the room. “Where’s Jayden? I saw him come in,” he asked.

Elyse looked puzzled. “When?” Edward remained silent, his gaze fixed downward. Elyse didn’t dwell on Jayden’s departure, assuming he had other matters to handle. After dinner and bidding Edward farewell, she returned to the hotel with Gavin, where they continued practicing.

Two weeks of rigorous training passed, and Elyse found herself arriving at the concert hall, wrapped in a coat with her violin case in hand. She followed Gavin to a lounge, set down her violin case, and went to collect her participant number from the staff.

While waiting in line for her number tag, Elyse spotted a familiar face in the crowd. Fiona stood there, dressed in a white down jacket, radiating an aura of aloof independence. Elyse’s surprise quickly shifted to confusion and curiosity. Tugging at Gavin’s sleeve, she whispered, “Gavin, look. Fiona’s here.”

Gavin, engrossed in his phone, initially dismissed her observation. “That can’t be right. Fiona didn’t qualify for the competition, and she didn’t have Mr. Tucker’s recommendation. How could she be here?”

Elyse subtly pointed towards Fiona. “But that’s definitely her. She’s in line.”

Reluctantly, Gavin set down his phone and glanced in the direction Elyse indicated. Noticing their gaze, Fiona turned her head. After briefly locking eyes with them, she looked away without acknowledging their presence.

Gavin was taken aback. “It really is Fiona,” he muttered, still baffled by her presence. How could she participate without the proper qualifications?

As they continued to speculate, Fiona collected her number tag and left without a word, making no effort to approach them. Elyse touched her nose, still puzzled, and asked, “Gavin, is it a good thing that Fiona is participating in the competition?”

Gavin’s expression turned thoughtful. “Maybe.”

Still perplexed, Elyse retrieved her number tag and returned to the lounge. With number 5 in hand, she was scheduled to perform early, prompting her to head backstage. After shedding her coat, Elyse quickly made her way backstage to wait for her turn. Upon arriving, she spotted Edward, who looked pleasantly surprised to see her.

With curiosity, he asked, “What’s your number? I’m 7. It’s almost my turn.”