Chapter 434
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Soon, the dashing little boy walked onto the stage. With a confident bow to the audience, Howard made his way to the plans.
Molly watched her handsome nephew and casually whispered to Simon, “Simon, let’s have a baby this cute in the future, okay?
The sudden comment made Simon flush with embarrassment.
He didn’t reply, but Patricia overheard and chimed in, “Auntie, you could also have a girl like met Girls are great tool
“Yes, yes, we want a little girl too.”
“My mommy and daddy are going to give me a baby brother or sister soon. You guys better catch upt
The little guy giggled, making everyone around them burst into laughter,
Sebastian, in a good mood, pulled Caitlin close and planted a kiss on her cheek. Together, they turned their attention to the stage.
Their eldest son–once withdrawn and lacking maternal love for five years–was now confidently performing in front of a crowd. This
transformation was all thanks to Caitlin’s return.
Everyone could see how much Howard had changed. He was becoming more cheerful and self–assured, likely because the presence of a mother gave him strength and confidence.
Howard began to play, and a graceful melody flowed from the piano. As the music carried on, the child grew more immersed and expressive, practically glowing with passion.
His chosen piece wasn’t easy–Chopin’s Fantaisie–Impromptu in C–sharp minor.
His tiny hands danced rapidly across the keys with precision and flair. The performance was so flawless and emotional, it was hard to believe a five–year–old could deliver such a rendition.
He was the youngest contestant of the night–and yet this performance showcased extraordinary musical talent.
If Kyle had elevated the competition, then Howard had pushed it to new heights.
As his piece neared the end, many audience members began to rise to their feet, clapping and cheering. When he played the final note, the entire hall stood in ovation.
Applause thundered for a long time.
The Vanderbilt family also stood, cheering for their brilliant young star,
*Howard played beautifully! I had no idea he was so good at piano!” Molly exclaimed in delight.
“What do you expect? He’s my son,” Sebastian replied, pride radiating from his face.
Caitlin’s eyes shimmered with emotion. Her heart swelled–who wouldn’t be proud of a child like this?
From the crowd’s reaction alone, Howard’s performance clearly rivaled, if not surpassed, Kyle’s.
But then came the scoring.
When Howard’s total score flashed on the screen, it was shockingly low–several points below even the average performers from earlier.
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Gasps of disbelief rippled through the audience..
“What’s going on? Why is my nephew’s score so low?” Molly asked, frowning
“Seriously? This must be a mistake. Howard was clearly the best!” Simon said, just as confused.
Even the Xenos family looked surprised, Felix and Madison both knew Howard outplayed Kyle.
“Howard definitely played better than Kyle. Why is his score so much lower?” Madison asked, puzzled.
Felix shook his head. “I don’t know. Maybe it’s just how the scoring system works?”
Most of the audience couldn’t understand it either. Many were whispering about the blatant unfairness–Howard’s score placed him at the very bottom.
The Vanderbilt family sat stunned, while Caitlin and Sebastian exchanged a knowing glance.
They understood what this was
“I’m go
“I’m going to ask,” Caitlin said.
She had a strong suspicion. The only explanation was Zora–and this score was no coincidence,
This
is was personal.
Howard, still backstage, hadn’t looked at the scoreboard. He didn’t know how poorly he’d scored.
He stepped down after his performance, making way for contestant number 25.
That child played a safe, standard piece–nothing spectacular. But somehow, he received a much higher score than Howard.
Once the last performance concluded, the host returned to the stage.
“Ladies and gentlemen, please look at the screen. Tonight’s top three scorers are.
Kyle and two other children were invited up. Kyle was announced as the champion, followed by the first and second runners–up.
There were murmurs from the crowd, but no one dared question the official results. Most were just spectators–not experts
The award ceremony began. The event organizers came onstage to present the prizes.
Backstage, Howard looked up:
up at Faith .
“You
were wonderful, Howard.”
“But… I didn’t win any prize.”
Howard had really wanted to show Caitlin his trophy.
Faith knelt to his level. “It’s okay not to win. What matters is that you performed with heart. Your mom and dad are so prou everything.”
Howard looked down quietly.
Worried he’d feel sad, Faith quickly added , “Come on, let’s go find your mommy.”
-they saw
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“Okay,” Howard nodded, holding her hand.
Not far away, Yasmin watched Howard leave her expression smug
After the ceremony, Caitlin stepped out of the VIP box and ran into Madison in the hallway
“Mrs. Jones, congratulations. Kyle really earned that trophy”
Madison smiled modestly. “Honestly, I think your Howard was better. He should’ve been at least runner–up. I don’t understand how his score was so low. Aren’t you going to ask?”
“Lam,” Caitlin replied.
She made her way back into the auditorium. The crowd hadn’t completely cleared yet, and the judges were still chatting in their
Caitlin walked straight down the aisle, stopping in front of the judging panel.
Zora was in the middle of laughing with another judge but fell silent the moment she saw Caitlin approach
“Excuse me, esteemed judges. I’m the parent of contestant 24, I’d like to ask how the scores were determined.”
Caitlin wasn’t causing a scene. Her tone was calm and composed.
Two male judges looked surprised to see her. Recognition flickered in their eyes–clearly, they’d seen her in the news.
Zora, anticipating this moment, took the lead.
“We grade based on five categories: accuracy, fluidity, completeness, expressiveness, and difficulty. Why, is there an issue with the results?”
AD
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