Reborn, She's Back for Revenge novel Chapter 156

Chapter 156

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The judges‘ tablets were locked. Scores zipped to the host’s tablet. Out in the auditorium, Marcus discovered he had a pulse in his throat. He couldn’t name the last time he’d felt stage fright for someone else.

The host lifted his cue card. “Highest score… nine point nine. Lowest score… nine point one.”

Gasps rippled across the seats. Sandy’s top score had been 9.8. A 9.1 low end was brutal to every contestant who’d gone before.

“Now, after removing the highest and lowest scores,” the host paused for dramatic effect, keeping everyone in suspense, “what will the final average be?”

Marcus, who usually paid no attention to such things, found his heart pounding in his throat. He, the unshakable Marcus, was just as eager as everyone else, wanting to snatch the scorecard and calculate the result himself.

Edith stood calmly on stage. She showed neither pride nor anxiety, as if the outcome meant nothing to her.

Finally, the host broke the silence. “The average score is… 9.6. Currently, the highest score of the competition Let’s congratulate contestant number eleven!”

Marcus was on his feet in an instant, leading the applause. The entire hall soon joined in. filling the space with a roaring, sustained ovation.

Edith’s gaze drifted toward Marcus’s face. She had noticed him the moment she stepped on stage, purely because he was strikingly handsome. Standing out among the contestants parents, he was impossible to miss.

She kept her face neutral when the score was announced, but Marcus looked like a different man. For a split second, she thought she was seeing Dodo. She bowed gracefully to thank the judges, then exited the stage.

As soon as she stepped off, she was met with Hallie’s twisted, furious expression. Hallie, contestant number twelve, was about to go on, but she was on the verge of a breakdown. She couldn’t believe Edith had scored even higher than Sandy.

‘9.6. How am I supposed to top that?” she thought. Hallie lacked that confidence. All her self–doubt turned into rage, her eyes shooting daggers at Edith as if she wanted to tear her apart.

“Hallie, your skills are far above mine. I’m sure you’ll get a perfect 10,” Edith said, a faint, mocking smile playing on her lips. “The host just announced you. You should head on stage.”

Karen was furious. “Don’t you dare mess with Hallie’s focus. If she makes a mistake, I’m holding you responsible.

Edith almost laughed. “But Hallie’s so good at crying, isn’t she? Maybe she can cry on stage. If she messes up, she can always ask the judges for another chance.

“I recall Aunt June is quite close to Mr. Raine. I’m sure Mr. Raine wouldn’t just stand by and let first place slip away, right?

The taunt lit the last fuse. Hallie’s rage flared from smoldering to wildfire. Her cheeks blotted crimson.

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Chapter 156

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“Is contestant twelve ready? It’s time to take the stage!” the host urged from the podium.

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June spoke up calmly, “Hallie, ignore what anyone else says. Don’t worry about anyone else’s score. Remember what I told you, just be yourself. Play the piece you’ve practiced hundreds of times, and you will

succeed.”

Karen guided her toward the stage, whispering reassuringly, “Relax, sweetheart. It’s going to be fine. June and I are both here supporting you.”

Hallie walked slowly step by step, gradually calming her nerves. But as she sat down at the piano in complete. darkness, her mind suddenly went blank.

The melody echoing in her head wasn’t from her own piece, Feux Follets. It was Réminiscences de Norma, the piece Edith had just performed. She couldn’t remember how hers began.

An awkward silence hung in the concert hall for more than ten seconds before the first notes finally sounded. Hallie closed her eyes, slowly trying to find her rhythm.

But she had already lost her composure. Lack of confidence and nervousness made her performance shaky. Though her technical skill was polished enough to cover some flaws, her emotional delivery was clearly lacking.

The average listener might not have noticed, but the ten judges below were all top experts in the field. They wouldn’t miss it. They exchanged uneasy glances, uncertain how to score.

They were all aware that Harvey Raine was familiar with this contestant. He’d even visited her dressing room that morning. Out of respect for him, they felt pressured to give a high score. After much internal debate, they finally entered their scores.

Harvey, true to his promise to June, awarded 9.8.

Joselyn could tell that Hallie had not shown what she was capable of. Potential was there, but today it stayed locked inside. Joselyn entered 9.2. Her personal ceiling so far had been 9.4 for Edith.

Standing on stage, Hallie was intensely nervous, cold sweat beading on her back. She knew she hadn’t played

well.

Her only hope now was that Harvey would put in a good word for her with the judges and convince them to give her a higher score.

“Highest score 9.8, lowest score 8.6, and the final average is 9.4,” the host announced. “Let’s congratulate our

contestant!”

A 9.4 placed her third overall so far. By any measure, it was a strong result, and the host’s congratulations sounded genuine.

But for Hallie, it was miles away from the first–place finish she had dreamed of. She had worked so hard, prepared for so long, imagined this moment over and over.

She fumed inside, ‘I want to win, not come in third! What good is third place? Third is just an excuse for others to laugh at me.‘ Standing under the bright lights, she couldn’t hold back the tears streaming down her face.

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Chapter 156

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Joselyn’s brow furrowed. This girl had talent. Third place was an honor, something to build on. With another year or two of serious practice, she could easily come back and take first.

Joselyn thought, ‘But crying on stage? In front of everyone? What is that supposed to achieve?‘

“Nine–point–four and you’re crying?” Joselyn muttered, unable to hold back. “Plenty of kids scored in the eights without turning on the waterworks. Next contestant, please.”

Contestant number thirteen hurried onto the stage, seizing the chance to steal the spotlight. Hallie, shoved aside, turned and fled down the steps, throwing herself into Karen’s arms with heaving sobs.

“Hallie, sweetie, it’s okay…” Karen pushed down her own frustration and spoke gently, “Third place is the silver medal. That’s something to be proud of. It’s a huge accomplishment. Mom is so proud of you.”

After both Karen and June took turns comforting her, Hallie finally calmed down enough to accept the result.

But then the host’s voice rang out again. “Contestant thirteen’s average score is 9.5. Congratulations!”

Another 9.5. Hallie dropped from third to fourth in the space of two sentences. Her tears welled again. Nearly thirty performers still waited to play. More high scores were inevitable.

Panic flickered across her face. She thought, ‘What if I slipped even lower? What if I don’t even end up with a medal at all?‘

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