Chapter 195

Arianna George’s brow furrowed. “That won’t do. The Starlight Piano Competition is built on fairness. I’ll speak to the committee-we’ll get the piano fixed first, then let you perform.”
No sooner had she finished than a wave of dissent rippled through the contestants and judges.
One of the other judges shook his head. “That’s not possible. The schedule for the preliminary round is set in stone. We can’t make exceptions. If Emily Blair gets extra time, it’s not fair to everyone else.”
Contestants chimed in, voices sharp with impatience. “Yeah, this isn’t right. We’ve all been waiting forever for results, and now you want us to wait even longer for her? It’s exhausting.”
“It’s always Emily Blair, isn’t it? Why is it that problems only ever crop up when it’s her turn?”
The grumbling grew louder, the complaints mounting until Arianna’s frown deepened.
She turned to Emily, her voice gentle but resolute. “Emily, we’ll get to the bottom of this. I promise, no injustice will fall on you.”
Drawing a steadying breath, she faced the room and raised her voice. “As head judge, I am authorized by the committee to delay Emily Blair’s performance—”
“Ms. George.” Emily’s voice cut in, calm and clear.
Arianna glanced over, her tone unwavering. “Emily, trust me. I’ll make sure this competition is fair. You won’t be treated unfairly because of this.”
Emily shook her head, smiling faintly. “It’s all right, Ms. George. I know you mean well, but really—it’s fine.”
“I can play on a different piano. There’s no need to hold everyone up for me.”
Arianna’s concern was obvious. “Emily, there’s no reason to be stubborn. At a competition like this, you should know how to weigh your options and seize opportunities. Don’t feel you have to refuse my offer right away.”
The truth was, Emily didn’t care which piano she used for the preliminaries. She had no desire to stand out too much at this stage and draw unnecessary attention or criticism.
Besides, if she was good enough, she’d advance—no matter which instrument she played on.
Emily Blair had always had that quiet, unshakable confidence.
Her voice was steady and soft. “Ms. George, really-I can do this. Trust me.”
Emily’s eyes-calm, clear, and unwavering caught Arianna off-guard, leaving her momentarily speechless. It was odd. Arianna had always been decisive, rarely swayed from her convictions. She’d already resolved to guarantee Emily a fair shot, no matter the backlash from the crowd.
Yet something about Emily’s composure made her hesitate. It wasn’t the first time, either.
Emily spoke again, quiet but firm. “Let’s bring out the other piano.”
Arianna nodded, her expression tinged with complexity. “All right. I’ll have it brought up right away.”
Emily gave a small nod.
While the stagehands prepared, Emily glanced up at the audience, letting her gaze sweep across the rows.
Andrew Lane and Isabella Austin sat at the center of the tier just behind the judges’ table, directly across from her. Andrew’s eyes were shadowed, his face partially hidden by the dim lighting, the sharp lines of his features giving him the look of a sculpture half-shrouded in dusk—silent, but commanding attention.
Beside him, Isabella leaned in, hand half-covering her mouth, her eyes crinkling in amusement as she whispered something to Andrew. Whatever she said made him smile—a rare, subtle curve to his lips that softened his otherwise glacial expression. But Isabella wasn’t alone. Alex White sat on her other side, his face tight and unsmiling. Even with his so-called first love by his side, he looked distant, his amber eyes cold and fox-like, utterly devoid of mirth. He turned his head sharply away from Isabella and Andrew, making it clear he wanted no part in their conversation.
Emily caught all this in a single glance before she looked away. The tangled web of love and resentment among those three didn’t interest her—and she certainly hoped it never involved anyone else, least of all herself.
Moments later, the spare piano was wheeled onto the stage from storage.
To Emily’s surprise, it wasn’t as bad as she’d expected. In fact, the tone and build
were both decent-the only issue was that it didn’t quite measure up to the main piano. But that didn’t bother her at all.