Chapter 143

The roar of the crowd swelled as Daphne made her entrance, basking in the spotlight.

The lights overhead slowly came to life, washing the stage in a gentle glow as she began her performance.

Known as a rising star among the latest batch of contestants, Daphne's powerful performance drew wave after wave of applause.

Meanwhile, behind the curtain, MMillie waited patiently while Barbara paced restlessly at her side.

This time, Millie would be the third to take the stage.

Stil, the running order felt insignificant as this was the grand finale of the show, with only three contenders left. To add excitement and fill the airtime for audience voting, the producers had also brought back the previously eliminated contestants to re-appear after the main performances.

Daphne, fresh from her set and brimming wvith satisfaction, wasted no time approaching Millie.

She squared her shoulders, holding her head high as she stopped right in front of Millie.

"The second contestant is already out there, you know. There's still a window for you to back out if you want,Serena," Daphne taunted, a sly grin spreading across her face.

Everyone nearby observed in silence, most casting curious looks in Millie's direction.

Alex looked like he wanted to intervene, but in the end, he kept his thoughts to himself.

Right now, Millie understood she couldn't afford to get sidetracked by Daphne.

She rose from her seat, locking eyes with Daphne.

Spotting the smugness in Daphne's smile, Millie responded with a small, unbothered grin of her own.

"I appreciate your concern," MMillie answered evenly. "But I won't be needing it."

Millie didn't bother glancing back at Daphne. Instead, she strode purposefully toward the corridor that led to the stage, her mind made up.

Life was a series of unpredictable twists, and she knew it was impossible to win over everyone. All she could do was step forward and give her all, knowing she'd done right by herself.

For her, that was more than enough.

Her heels tapped a steady rhythm down the corridor, and with a gentle nudge from the staff, Millie stepped onto the stage just as the previous performer exited.

Pitch blackness enveloped the stage while she held her ground, waiting as the host caught the cue to begin.

"Up next, we have Serena-" The host's announcement was abruptly cut off as a piercing shout erupted from the crowd.

"Serena,we don't want you here!"

"Step down,Serena!"

"Go home,Serena!"

The shouts intensified, and before long, a few people began hurling things at thestage.

Charles,having prepared for this very moment, quickly dispatched security to restore order.

Wiping sweat from his brow, the host pressed on as instructed. "Let's hear it for Serena, performing 'Sculpture,"

Without another word, he hurried offstage.

Over at the judges' panel, Vivian watched the drama unfold with barely concealed satisfaction.

"Let's see you claw your way out of this, Serena," Vivian thought, a hint of a smile on her lips.

Right then, Mlillie held her position beneath the shadows, and as the lights slowly rose, the audience found themselves witnessing a scene that felt straighê out of a dream.

At the center stood Serena with her mask, half of her body in reality and half seemingly encased in plaster.

The unusual sight left the audience unsettled, and hushed questions rippled through the rows. "What are we even looking at?"

No one had answers.

"It doesn't matter. Kick Serena out!" someone shouted, fanning the flames

"Throw Serena out! She's a disgrace!"

"Serena, you don't belong here!"

Angry chants ricocheted through the auditorium.

On the sidelines, Millie's costume designer watched with a pounding heart, all nerves and worry as Serena remained motionless under the lights.

A soft, rhythmic tapping suddenly broke through the noise, gentle as a sculptor shaping stone.

To the steady rhythm of the tapping, Serena, her face still half-shielded in plaster, softly began her song,weaving the story of a forsaken sculpture who, awakened by Muse's kiss, found the will to carve her own form.

Note by note, the plaster seemed to crumble away, each verse hinting at her transformation and rebirth.

Her voice held an unusual, hypnotic pull, drawing every eye and ear of the audience.

Even the most vocal protesters fell silent, unable to tear their eyes away from the masked Serena as she commanded the stage.

Vivian immediately sensed the mood shift and sent a discreet message to Oakley beneath the table.

Soon, fresh unrest broke out. Someone in the crowd started stirring up dissent once again.

Those who refused to join in the boycott were met with glares and harsh words from the people around them.

"What's wrong with you? Why are you so quiet? Anyone who defends Serena must be just as twisted-she's

a liar who scammed charity money! You think that's admirable? You need your head checked!"

"I'm not defending her! Don't pin that on me!"

"Prove it, then! Stand with us! Shout it out! Boycott Serena!"

°Fine,I will!"

"Boycott Serena!"

"Down with Serena!"

A fresh surge of angry chants swept through the audience, louder than before.

Vivian looked on from her seat, a sly smile curving her lips as the wave of outrage grew.

Millie stood back, taking in every detail.

This was exactly the chain reaction she had anticipated.

Vivian always played dirty, and Millie knew her style all too well.

Scheming was Vivian's specialty, but Millie decided to turn the tide by embracing it.

Vivian tried to bury her under a mountain of scandals.

Millie, instead, would use those very rumors as her tools, transforming herself in plain sight for everyone to see.

Clutching the microphone like a sculptor's tool, Serena let every fierce shout from the crowd fuel her performance, each note shaping her image once more on stage.

With every rising shout from the crowd, the layers of plaster seemed to crack and fall from her body at an even quicker pace.

Every cruel rumor and whispered insult became an invisible chisel, chipping away the old and carving out someone stronger in its place.

"Down with Serena!"

"Get Serena off that stage!"

Out in the crowd, Brandon's brow creased in thought as he glanced at the empty seat next to him.

Millie was still nowhere to be found.

She'd given her word she'd be there today. So why hadn't she shown up?

Did it have to do with Vivian's connection to the event, or was there another reason entirely? Or could it be something entirely different?

Uncertain, Brandon tore his eyes away from the vacant seat and fixed his attention back on Serena, masked and transformed under the lights.

Right then, as the music soared, the last traces of plaster slipped away, leaving her standing in the spotlight,fully revealed.

It was as if a sudden gust swept through, scattering every remnant of her old self and unveiling the new.

A heartbeat later, the soundtrack shifted, gone were the delicate sculpting sounds, replaced by a fierce,pulsing rhythm that filled the arena.

It felt as though the plaster itself had finished its transformation and was now embracing a brand new existence.

A hypnotic beat, paired with vocals that carried both mastery and emotion, turned the dreamlike stage into a spectacle no one could look away from.

Every move of her powerful dance, blending different styles yet executed with perfect control, let her belt out each note with unwavering strength, even as the choreography pushed her limits, she never faltered.

Every element, narrative, skill, artistry, and even the tension of the crowd's chanting inside and out, was seamlessly blended into the fabric of her performance.

She was absolutely mesmerizing!

Even Oakley, who'd come solely to orchestrate chaos, found himself in awe, unable to tear his gaze away.

Fortunately for Vivian, she'd seized the moment to exploit the uproar over Serena's donation scandal.Without that controversy, Charles could have risen to incredible heights with someone this talented by his side.

That thought drew a sly grin across Oakley's face as he glanced at Charles.

"Don't look at me like that. I didn't do anything," Oakley teased, his tone smug. "I just wanted a front row seat when you crash and burn."

He tossed Charles a taunting smile. "Can't wait to see the look on your face if that happens!"

Back on stage, Serena stood tall, her body now completely revealed, with only her face still hidden behind the unsculpted plaster.