Chapter 200
Chapter 200:
Rylie said nothing at first. She looked over the judges slowly.
None of them met her eyes.
At last, she spoke. “For the third round, revise the final rules. Ron will announce them before the competition begins p>
When the competition ended, Rylie went to the washroom, removed her mask, and changed out of her suit. As she left, she saw Paola standing with a group of young women.
“I don’t know how well I played, but I’m very happy with my performance today,” Paola said modestly.
Isabella handed her a bouquet with a bright smile. “Congratulations in advance, then p>
Just then, Novalee passed by with her head down, carrying her bag. Paola called after her, “Novalee, you were right before me, right? How did it go p>
Novalee bit her lip. She raised her head and met Paola’s eyes. “I did my best. I believe the judges will be fair p>
Paola laughed, as though she’d just heard a joke, covering her mouth. “Congratulations to you, then p>
She leaned in and whispered, her tone sharp, “Tonight, I’ll tell my mom you defied me. Your parents will lose their jobs p>
Novalee’s eyes widened. “I gave you the composition p>
Paola pressed her hand over Novalee’s lips and spoke softly. “Someone like you dares compete with me? Didn’t I say to play casually? And you gave it your best? You took the money. You should’ve stayed quiet. Let this be your lesson p>
She gently tapped Novalee’s face, watching her eyes fill with tears. “Are you crying from gratitude? You’re welcome p>
Paola turned away, laughing as she left with her friends. Their cheerful voices echoed behind them. Novalee stood frozen, lips trembling, but held back her tears.
Just then, Rylie walked up and stood beside her. “I can’t speak for past competitions, but this one will be fair p>
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Novalee looked up. All she saw was a blurry figure walking away — a slim silhouette that somehow felt familiar and strangely comforting.
Rylie returned to Serenity Manor just as tempers flared inside.
Before she could take another step past the entrance, a vase smashed beside her foot, shards scattering across the floor.
She stared at the chaos and narrowed her eyes at Percy, who was barely being held back by the servants. “What is happening in here p>
With his chest heaving and eyes wild, Percy yelled, “Get out of my house p>
Rylie looked down at the shattered pieces, then stepped toward him without flinching. She raised her hand and slapped him sharply. Her voice came out cold. “You should check your facts. This is Serenity Manor, the place for me. You and the other Garretts are just guests here. Try showing a little respect p>
Percy’s jaw clenched. “This is our house! You came back halfway and acted like it belongs to you!” He threw a final glare her way before storming out.
One servant finally whispered an explanation. “Mr. Garrett was rejected p>
“Rejected for what?” Rylie asked.
“He applied for the Navy,” the servant explained. “The results came out. He got turned down because of his flat feet. That’s what set him off p>
Message from Noa: Happy beautiful Friday, dear readers. Between yesterday and today, there are 2 novel premieres that you chose in the WhatsApp community, and tomorrow there will be 3 premieres of completed novels. God loves you, and Noa wishes you all the best. („• ֊ •„)੭