Chapter 196

As Emily Blair settled onto the piano bench, Arianna George’s voice floated over from the judges’ table.
“Emily Blair, this piano is clearly not as well-tuned as the last one, but you insisted on the switch. All consequences are yours to bear.”
Emily’s reply was calm. “I understand.”
“Then you may begin.”
Her fingers pressed the first key. Even as the first note rang out, Emily had already calculated how she’d get through the preliminary round-competent, but holding back just enough.
On purpose, she played a minor wrong note. It wasn’t anything glaring; the piece as a whole was fluid and pleasant, easily good enough to advance, but far from remarkable.
When she finished, as expected, the applause from both judges and audience was sparse, matching the level of her performance.
Emily stood up from the bench and offered a small, polite bow to the judges and audience.
When she looked up, she immediately caught Arianna George’s slight frown, and the scornful expressions of a few competitors.
“I thought she was supposed to be impressive. Turns out she’s nothing special-she can’t hold a candle to Isabella Austin.”
“How did she ever get the nerve to challenge Isabella? With that kind of playing, she shouldn’t even make it past the prelims. I went first, and honestly, Isabella’s got first place in the bag. Emily Blair’s more likely to finish dead last.”
The snickers and whispered jeers spread among the competitors as they nudged each other.
“Alright, alright, if she hears you, she’ll start crying. If she does, you’re on comfort duty.”
“Comfort? I’d rather keep heckling her.”
“But seriously, Isabella’s life is unreal-wealthy family, gorgeous looks, plays piano like a pro, incredible boyfriend, childhood friend who dotes on her… some people just have all the luck.”
The words were hushed, but in the quiet hall, they carried all too clearly.
Even standing on stage, Emily could hear every word.
She listened, expression unchanged, unmoved by their cattiness. Nothing they said could touch her; she had no interest in arguing.
What did catch her off guard was the look Arianna George gave her a mix of disappointment and frustration, as if she expected better.
The hum of conversation in the audience grew louder.
Isabella Austin, with a faint blush and a shy glance at Andrew Lane, turned to softly address the row behind her. “Please don’t say that. Emily’s tried her best.”
Someone muttered, “That’s her best? What a joke.”
Arianna George turned sharply toward the audience, her voice stern but low. “Quiet. This is a competition, not a circus.”
Instantly, the room fell silent.
As Emily stepped off the stage, her heart sank further. From the look Arianna gave her, had she miscalculated so badly she wouldn’t even make the cut?
The thought made her inwardly curse her earlier “cleverness” for deliberately playing the wrong note.
Sitting by herself in the very back row, Emily’s brow was tightly furrowed.
A boy and a girl in the row ahead twisted around to face her, grinning with smug disdain.
“Emily Blair, you look pretty down. Is it because you know you blew it? We heard that mistake loud and clear.”
Without a word, Emily raised a hand, pressing her palm gently over her mouth and nose, frowning as if she were trying to ward off an unpleasant odor.
The boy fell silent, his mouth snapping shut.
The girl scowled. “What’s that supposed to mean, Emily?”
With her voice muffled behind her palm, Emily replied, “Didn’t you smell it? There’s a really bad odor, like someone’s got serious morning breath.”
She eyed both of them, her expression earnest, gaze flicking suspiciously from one mouth to the other.
Her sincerity made the two of them flush red.
“Emily Blair, you—!”
Face burning, they whipped back around, pointedly ignoring her.