Chapter 278: Yearning for a Kiss

After Maggie's performance, her eyes were teary. This wasn't due to the performance itself, but to the emotional resonance of the tragedy depicted. She couldn't shake memories of her past life with Nathael, and the lingering "what ifs" of her current one. A mixture of reluctance, excitement, and sweetness created a bittersweet feeling. Back in the dressing room, Grace dabbed her eyes, and even Danielle looked misty-eyed.

"Maggie, you nailed it!" Grace exclaimed. "I'm so moved, I could cry!"

Danielle nodded. "Seriously, you aced it. You're going to get top marks for sure."

"Thanks, Ms. Joyton, thanks, Grace," Maggie murmured softly. "I'll catch you guys in the audience later."

"Sure thing. Once they announce the scores, you can leave if you've got other plans," Grace replied.

Sierra remained silent, her gaze fixed on Nathael's Twitter feed.

Before they realized it, Maggie was next, ready for the judges' feedback.

The host grinned. "Any guesses on your score, Maggie?"

"What do you think, Mr. Surrez?" Maggie asked.

"If it were up to me, I'd give you an eleven, plus an extra point to boost your ego," the host quipped, eliciting laughter. Maggie smiled.

The camera focused on the judges, revealing mixed reactions. Some showered her with praise, while others seemed to find fault in every detail. Maggie glanced at the two critics, recalling their lukewarm feedback from the first round. It felt like one had a personal issue with the Pierces, and the other had some connection she couldn't quite place.

But it all came down to Sierra. After the last competition, Maggie reviewed Sierra's feedback; mostly compliments, with a few subtle suggestions for improvement. The reason for the disparity became clear.

"Maggie, the votes are through the roof, both inside and outside the venue!" the host exclaimed, surprised. "Let's break it down: Maggie racked up 187,655 votes! That's a staggering number! You've bagged the top spot and are moving on to the next round! Way to go, Maggie!"

After a grateful bow, Maggie eagerly awaited the results for the other contestants, knowing they would compete against contestants from other groups.

Once the results were announced, Maggie left the stage and bumped into Sierra backstage. Sierra glared at Maggie, her hand clenched. "Don't think those votes mean you're talented. You're just riding on Nathael's coattails."

Maggie smiled casually. "Ah well, gotta give credit where it's due. Thanks to my sister."

Sierra fumed, feeling unheard.

"Humph, enjoy your moment in the spotlight," Sierra said icily. "But I'll come out on top! The championship trophy is mine!"

Maggie remained quiet, but thought of the judges who seemed friendly with the Pierces. Seeing Sierra's confidence, it clicked: the Pierces and Camerons were working together to propel Sierra to victory.

This realization led Maggie to suspect the song selections might be rigged. She immediately called Lucas.

"Hey," she greeted. "Could you look into the song selection for the university competition? See if anything shady is going on with Sierra's picks?"

"Got it. I'll get on it ASAP," Lucas replied seriously.

Lucas quickly accessed the backstage system. "You were right, sis. Most songs are randomly picked, but not yours, or Sierra's. Here's the proof," he said, sending her a code snippet. Maggie shivered, understanding why she'd received a challenging song.

"And Sierra's?"

"Same deal. She was pre-selected. Her song is 'Waltz in G Major'," Lucas informed her.

After a pause, Maggie said softly, "Help her get rid of that preset program. Why not pick a similar piece for her? That way, she gets to feel what it's like without any favouritism," Lucas suggested.

Maggie agreed. If the competition was unfair, they shouldn't benefit from the bias. Some participants had dedicated years to practice, others sharpened their skills just before the competition. It wouldn't be fair to discourage those who'd worked hard.

After the call, Maggie returned to her seat. A text from Nathael appeared: 'Hungry? Dinner later?'

Maggie replied discreetly, 'Could you be any less subtle? I might get ambushed by your fans tomorrow.'

Nathaniel teased, 'I want to kiss you.'

Blushing, Maggie replied, 'Behave yourself!'

Nathaniel playfully asked, 'Should I come over?'

Maggie frowned. "No, don't come over. My classmates are here. I don't want to create a scene."

Nathael fell silent, but it seemed odd for him to stay in the front row after her performance. As Maggie settled, whispers surrounded her.

"He's so handsome! Is he Maggie's boyfriend? Oh, look, he's coming over!"

"My heart's pounding! Why are all the hot guys taken? And he's the seventh son of the Harrises, here for Maggie!"

"Yeah, when he smiled earlier, I nearly fainted!"

Maggie looked up to find Nathaniel beside her. In disbelief, she whispered, "You just walked over like it was nothing?"

Nathaniel glanced down at himself, checked for any issues, and grinned. "Should I have brought?"