NovelStartChapter 1408:
Elyse met her gaze, unflinching and sharp as a blade. “I hate to disappoint you, but | don’t plan on stepping
down anytsoon. Once | take the throne, | keep it. If you and your protégé Nick are scheming to drag me
down, you're in for a rude awakening.”
Celeste’s lips curled in a sneer, but her eyes betrayed a flicker of unease. “What did Cody fill your head with?
You're shameless! A blight on the music industry.”
Elyse shrugged, her tone calm yet cutting. “You're entitled to your opinion, but opinions aren't facts. Call me
what you like; it won't change who | am.”
She turned away, her voice laced with a subtle challenge. “By the way, let's hope today’s scoring is fair—unlike
last twhen you conveniently chose not to cast your vote.”
Celeste let out a derisive laugh, the sound echoing like nails on a chalkboard. “Fair? You think someone like you
Follow on NovᴇlEnglish.nᴇtdeserves fairness?”
“Fairness isn't about me,” Elyse countered smoothly. “It's about you doing your job without bias. If you can't
manage that, it's notwho's the disgrace here.”
For a moment, Celeste seemed at a loss, her scorn momentarily eclipsed by shock. But then she laughed again,
this twith an edge of incredulity. “You've got your father’s gall, I'll give you that. Infuriating runs in the
family.”
Elyse smirked. “Well, | didn’t get it from nowhere. Like father, like daughter, as they say.”
Celeste’s sneer deepened. “Fine. Then I'll make sure to highlight every single flaw in your performance.”
“Feel free,” Elyse replied, her calm demeanor striking like a cold slap.
Celeste huffed and stalked off, her frustration palpable. Elyse watched her retreat, unshaken. Celeste’s animosity
was as blatant as a billboard, but Elyse refused to let it rattle her. No one would push her around.
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Half an hour later, the moment arrived. Elyse stepped onto the stage, her confidence radiating as she exchanged
a charged glance with Nick.
The host, ever tic, addressed the audience. “Ladies and gentlemen, the tension is so thick you could cut it
with a knife! This promises to be a showdown to remember. The rules remain the sas the last round. Who
will press the button to select the competition piece?”
Elyse turned to Nick, her tone neutral but firm. “You go ahead.”
Without hesitation, Nick approached the machine and hit the button. The screen spun like a roulette wheel
before settling on the chosen piece.
The host announced with gusto, “The selection is ‘The Second Waltz’! Get ready for an electrifying duel!”
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Elyse raised an eyebrow at Nick. “Do you want to go first, or shall 1?”
“Let's settle it with rock-paper-scissors,” Nick proposed.
A quick glater, Elyse emerged the winner and stepped forward to perform first.
To Elyse, the piece was no mere waltz; it was a masquerade of emotions, a raucous celebration teetering on the
edge of chaos. Beneath its lively surface lay an undercurrent of melancholy, a forewarning of joy’s fleeting
nature.
This duality becthe heartbeat of her interpretation.
As she played, the audience was swept away by the ebb and flow of her music, except for Celeste, whose hawk-
like gaze scanned for flaws. But try as she might, she found nothing to criticize.
The piece Elyse was performing presented a variety of technical challenges that only a truly skilled musician
could navigate effectively. When the final note faded, Celeste’s search proved fruitless. Elyse’s performance had
been flawless, leaving Celeste simmering with frustration.
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