Chapter 852:

Time seemed to blur as Fiona sat, her mind spiraling into a dark, empty void. Then, the announcer’s voice cut through her thoughts, clear and sharp: “The final piece of the competition is Paganini’s Caprice No. 24.”

Fiona let out a bitter laugh, tinged with irony and regret. It was a piece she had never mastered, not because she couldn’t, but because she hadn’t cared enough to try. She had let laziness rob her of this moment.

The laugh bubbled up, spilling uncontrollably until tears mixed with it, streaming down her face. She laughed until the sound became a desperate, hollow echo. Then, amidst her despair, she heard approaching footsteps—the heavy, steady click of leather shoes against the floor.

Fiona’s heart skipped a beat. Was it Gavin?

She hastily wiped away her tears, but resentment burned in her eyes. Turning, she froze. It wasn’t Gavin. It was Cody.

Panic seized her, her breath catching. Of all people, Cody was the last person she expected.

Cody had been lurking backstage, his eyes scanning the audience until they landed on Fiona. She knew he had come to watch Elyse perform.

Annoyance flared, and she hastily wiped her tears. Pushing herself up, she forced a composed demeanor. “Mr. Tucker, why are you backstage? Shouldn’t you be in the audience?” Her voice was steady, but an edge remained, hinting at the turmoil she suppressed.

Cody looked at her, his expression unreadable. Then, sighing slowly, he spoke, his voice heavy with disappointment: “Do you realize your mistakes?”

His words hit Fiona like a slap, shattering her composure. Her face twisted with anger. “Mistakes? What mistakes? Where did I go wrong? I haven’t done anything wrong!”

Cody watched as Fiona’s defenses crumbled, her anger and shame spilling over. He sighed again, regret pressing down on him. “I was genuinely pleased to see you enter the Swan Cup, but I know your abilities better than anyone. I knew you wouldn’t make it to the final.”

“So what? What are you trying to say? Don’t forget, luck is also part of strength. And my luck has been incredibly good.” She pounded her chest, forcing a smile that didn’t reach her eyes, desperately trying to prove something—to him, perhaps even to herself.

Cody’s heart ached. Fiona had once been a promising student, but now she seemed so lost, so unrecognizable.

What had changed her? Was this who she had always been, or had something darker, something desperate, taken root?

He didn’t have the answers, but he knew he couldn’t stand by. “I don’t know what you’ve done,” he said gently, “but I hope you’ll turn yourself in. Don’t keep making mistakes. Otherwise, there’s no turning back.”

. . .