Chapter 272: Who Could Have Been So Bold?

Joyce didn't resist; she simply gave Maggie a gentle hug. Words were unnecessary; their mutual understanding was clear. After finishing Nathael's brooch, Maggie felt a wave of relief, as if she had completed an important task. Having successfully prepared for the second round of the competition, she joined Joyce on the sofa to watch a movie and practice some acting.

Initially captivated by the film, their focus shifted when a message from Mia popped up. "That fool Sierra seems to have fallen for it," Mia wrote. A moment later, Mia sent a link, which Maggie promptly clicked, leading to Sierra's Twitter page.

Earlier, Sierra had shared two of Maggie's recorded piano performance videos, hoping to gain more followers. Leo and Nathael had been strategically promoting these videos, especially during discussions about the competition. This sparked online discussions about the participants' skills and led to comparisons between Sierra and the woman in the videos. Since Sierra hadn't shown her face, there was much speculation about her identity. Her underwhelming performance in the first round hadn't helped her image, and she faced criticism for the video Mia had posted. Along with past controversies, Sierra was eager to rehabilitate her public image.

As Maggie scrolled through Sierra's Twitter, she noticed Sierra's strategic approach—retweeting the videos without claiming them as her own. One follower asked, "Is that really you in the video? Your performance was moving!" Sierra responded, "Thank you, I will continue to work hard." Another follower inquired, "What piece will you perform next? Will you play the same piece live?" Sierra's response was vague: "The next performance will be chosen randomly from a selection of pieces." Another comment asked, "Who is better, you or Maggie? Will you wear Luster Corporation's jewelry next time?" Sierra's reply was diplomatic: "My sister is also talented. Have faith in our abilities, and yes, we will be wearing Luster Corporation's jewelry."

Maggie frowned as she read the comments. She saw Sierra cleverly using ambiguity to suggest her involvement without confirmation. Despite these maneuvers, Maggie knew that if the truth came out, Sierra would face significant backlash. It seemed Sierra was trying to shed her image as a spoiled rich girl and become more relatable.

"Maggie, what's your strategy for dealing with Sierra?" Joyce asked gently.

"I'll initially leverage her against the Camerons. Once she's no longer useful, I'll expose her actions and ensure she faces legal consequences," Maggie explained, her eyes alight with resolute determination. This had been her plan all along. Sierra and Mary were the least sharp members of the family, making them effective pawns. However, Sierra's usefulness was diminishing, and when cornered, she might resort to desperate actions.

"Putting yourself in danger might not be the wisest move," Joyce commented softly after a brief pause, suggesting caution. Maggie paused to consider Joyce's words. She recognized that pushing Sierra too aggressively could lead to unpredictable and potentially hazardous reactions. Reluctant to harm innocents or employ unscrupulous methods, she resolved to continue using herself as the pivotal element in her maneuvers, as she had from the start.

Two days later, the second round of the competition began. With half the participants eliminated, each university now had its own dressing room. Danielle arrived early and, seeing contestants in their performance attire, anxiously instructed, "The groups have been assigned, so no matter which song you draw, stay calm and give your best performance. What's difficult for you will be difficult for others as well."

The dressing room was eerily silent. Maggie glanced at Sierra, who was nearby. Strikingly, Sierra had come without her usual entourage, and she was uncharacteristically quiet. Despite Danielle's encouragement, Sierra remained silent. Maggie observed her more closely and noticed heavy makeup, yet a winding scar was visible on her forehead, partially hidden under her hair, along with small, scabbed-over blood spots on her cheeks. This gave her an ominous appearance.

Maggie was puzzled. What had Sierra done? Had she been attacked? Maggie wondered who could have been bold enough to leave Sierra so subdued.

Feeling Maggie's intense gaze, Sierra looked up. Their eyes met, and Maggie furrowed her brows at the sight of Sierra's red, resentful eyes. Maggie was taken aback. Was that resentment directed at her?

Danielle, noticing the oddity, asked, "Sierra, what happened to your face?" Sierra averted her gaze, her voice quiet. "I will wear a mask when I go on stage," she said, nodding toward a delicate half-mask on the table. The mask, crafted from thin gauze and adorned with exquisite embroidery, lay there, its beauty stark against Sierra's distress.

Sierra's thoughts drifted back to the day Ronald brought her home. She had cried and pleaded with him to help her seek justice, to stand up for her as he would for Nathael, or at least for Maggie. It seemed unjust to her that she suffered while Maggie remained unscathed.

"You better forget it! We are in a precarious situation now; you shouldn't provoke Maggie anymore!" With blazing eyes, Sierra's heart surged with pent-up grievance and resentment, reaching its peak with this sentence.

"Maggie, Maggie! Who is your real daughter? You said you wanted to give her to Nathael for profit! But someone like Nathael doesn't need her!" Sierra cried, tears streaming down her face. She had dismissed the rumors about Nathael as exaggerations until she saw him with her own eyes and realized people are indeed different. Why give Maggie such an opportunity? She would be willing if that person was Nathael.

"Dad, I'm your daughter. Have you ever thought about me? Why didn't you let me go back then? Do you believe I'm inferior to Maggie in every aspect?" Sierra's heartfelt questioning shook Ronald. If there truly existed such a chance, how could he neglect his own daughter? His skepticism lay in doubting Nathael's seriousness. His plan had been to send Maggie to Nathael as a mere plaything, hoping to curry favor and gain advantages for the Camerons.

However, they had never anticipated that Nathael's interest in Maggie would far exceed their expectations.