?<strong>Chapter 434:</strong>


    Fiona held back her words, and Elyse chose not to pry. Ten minutester, the concert hall’s doors swung open. One by one, the contestants entered, each holding their instruments. Their faces were etched with determination. Amid the crowd, Elyse stood with her head high, unshaken. The rankings from the previous round determined the grouping and performance order for the contestants in this semifinal round.


    Elyse was assigned to Group A alongside Rebekah. Upon realizing Elyse was herpetition, Rebekah’s face registered shock, which was quickly followed by a fierce glint in her eyes. “It seems you just keep showing up.”


    Elyse pressed her lips together and responded, “The feeling is mutual. I’d rather we weren’t grouped together either.”


    Memories of Mariana’s warnings from that morning made Elyse’s frown deepen. Could Rebekah really stoop to underhanded tactics?


    Lost in thought, Elyse was startled when Rebekah approached and inquired, “What piece have you chosen to perform?”


    Elyse eyed her warily and asked, “Why do you want to know?”


    Rebekah’s smile didn’t reach her eyes as she replied, “Just looking out for you.”


    Stepping back, Elyse retorted, “That’s not your business.”


    Elyse walked off and soon bumped into Darren. Curious, she inquired, “What group are you in?”


    “Group B,” Darren replied.


    This took Elyse by surprise; Darren was grouped with Fiona. Observing that Darren’s fingers were steady, she inquired with some concern, “Are you feeling nervous?”


    Darren shook his head and admitted, “I think you were right. I didn’t know myself that well. I’m more excited than nervous.”


    Elyse almost confessed that she had made it up, but reconsidering, she decided it was better that Darren wasn’t feeling nervous.


    Then, with a smile, she teased, “We’ll get to see your true skills this time.”


    Darren shed a confident grin and dered, “Of course, it’s time I showed you what I am capable of.”


    Feeling reassured, Elyse was about to rx when she heard the host call her name. She then hurried toward the stage. Alongside her and Rebekah, there were three other contestants. Their eyes flickered nervously toward the judges. Elyse, having put in ample practice recently, was confident her performance would hold up well.


    The judge in the center picked up the microphone, nced over the contestants, and announced, “Group A, your piece is The Czardas. First contestant, please get set.”


    Elyse and her fellow contestants exchanged shocked looks. They had submitted their chosen tunes well in advance. When had it changed to a predetermined selection?


    Backstage, other contestants getting ready were also taken aback and murmured among themselves about why the organizers had suddenly changed the rule.


    In the audience, Irving, equally puzzled, turned to Gavin and asked, “When did they change the rules? Why wasn’t I informed? Are you aware of this?”


    Gavin looked just as bewildered. “I’ve never heard about this either.”


    “Do you think she can make it? I have never heard her y The Czardas,” said Irving, his expression fraught with concern.


    Gavin shook his head and added, “If she’s not familiar with the piece, we can pretty much guess the oue.”


    Irving’s expression grew grim. He pursed his lips and was at a loss for words.


    Onstage, the host checked the schedule and said to Elyse, “You’re up first. Please begin whenever you’re ready.”


    Elyse nodded, drew her violin from its case, and prepared to y. Just then, she caught a glimpse of Rebekah’s smug expression. Confusion washed over her. It was unfair for the contestants to learn about the change in the piece at thest moment—unless Rebekah had already prepared for The Czardas. But what were the odds of such a coincidence?


    A sudden realization struck Elyse. She was taken aback by the thought, but she quickly shook it off. Right now, her priority was to perform.


    She positioned her violin, took a deep breath, and began to y. In the auditorium, Gavin and Irving held their breath. Their attention wasser-focused as they dreaded that Elyse might falter.


    Surprisingly, Elyse excelled in both the technical skills and the emotional depth of the piece. Midway through her performance, Irving’s tension melted away. Gavin, now rxed, touched his chin and smiled. “Her steady performance really caught me by surprise.”


    Onstage, Rebekah watched, taken aback by the wlessness of Elyse’s performance. She wondered how she had improved so quickly.


    Rebekah’s nerves only red briefly. After all, she had an ace up her sleeve. No matter how well Elyse performed, Rebekah was confident she would outshine her.


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