Chapter 234

Everything suddenly made sense. Olivia really had copied Echo’s work, and now she was about to pay the price.
Laura put her phone down and looked at Olivia again, her eyes full of anger and a bit of pity. This was probably the end of Olivia’s piano career.
“I’ve already checked with Echo,” Laura said, her tone sharp and unforgiving. “Light’ is her original piece. Olivia, even now, are you still not going to tell us where you got the sheet music?”
Echo herself had confirmed it? The words struck Olivia hard. Her confident smile faltered, and for the first time, doubt and panic flickered in her eyes. Was Charlotte’s mother supposed to have come back from the dead? The idea was ridiculous.
With hundreds of eyes locked on her, Olivia felt an overwhelming pressure building. She knew if she admitted to copying, her future in music would be completely over. She couldn’t let that happen. She had to hold on. She couldn’t admit anything. Not unless…
Olivia squeezed her fists tightly, digging her nails into her palms just to keep her knees from giving out. Unless Charlotte’s mother really did rise from the grave, or Echo showed up right here, there was no way anyone could force her to confess.
“I’ve said it before. I’m the composer!” Olivia raised her voice, trying to hide the fear in her eyes. “Laura, you don’t believe my explanation or my evidence. Now you’re saying Echo claims ‘Light’ as her own
“If that’s the case, then bring Echo here. Let’s talk face to face.”
“If I’m proven to have plagiarized, I’ll quit the piano world for good and make it up to Echo in every way she asks.”
The crowd gasped at Olivia’s challenge. Bring Echo in for a confrontation? Who did Olivia think Echo was? A superstar like her wouldn’t just walk into some small theater on a whim.
Even Laura, as Echo’s student, probably didn’t have enough influence to invite someone so mysterious and private. It was starting to seem like Olivia might actually get away with it.
Just as Olivia started to feel triumphant and the audience grew restless with uncertainty, Laura’s voice rang out again, cool and clear.
“As it happens, Echo is in Cabinda today.”
The room exploded with excitement. People could barely believe what they were hearing.
“No way. Did she really say Echo is here in Cabinda right now?”
“Oh my god, will we actually get to see Echo in person?”
“Laura, are you serious?” The other judges were already out of their
seats their necks to look
around. “Is Echo really here?
Meeting Echo would be the dream of a lifetime.
Echo is in Cabinda? Olivia’s whole body went numb. It felt like all the heat had drained from her, leaving her cold and hollow her mind spinning
“That’s right,” Laura replied, her lips curling into a small smile. “And not just in Cabinda. She’s right here, in this theater.”
Right here.
The whole place went silent.
People’s eyes grew huge as themet
scanned the crowd, desperate t spor someone-anyone-who might be the legendary Echo.
Olivia stopped breathing for a moment. It felt like someone had poured ice water
over her head, and she was frozen in place.