Everyone stared with wide eyes and perked ears, afraid to miss her voice. Jenna clenched her palms and bit down on her lower lip unconsciously. The host's voice was loud and excited, "8. 8 points! Advancing to the finals!" "Thank you, thank you!" Jenna quickly bowed in gratitude before heading towards the judges to collect her final round badge.
Mr. Guzman's face was sour; he didn't expect Jenna to make it into the finals after all. Mrs. Ritter felt uneasy but kept a calm facade; Ashlyn lacked composure compared to her mother, "Mom, how is she so lucky? She made it this far?"
"Forget about it! Let's go!" Mrs. Ritter spoke coldly as she stood up from her seat.
As soon as she rose from her chair, Ashlyn followed suit along with several other members of the piano association who left with them.
"It's normal for someone like Jenna to advance in a piano competition," Evelyn whispered quietly to Ashlyn while they walked away together,"But advancing in composition is not so easy."
"You're right." Ashlyn nodded in agreement,"Tomorrow is the composition competition- let's see what she can do- I don't believe that she can compose three original pieces."
Mrs. Ritter overheard their conversation and suddenly stopped walking; turning around towards everyone behind them who had been following silently.
Everyone looked scared stiff as they watched Mrs. Ritter sternly say: "The day after tomorrow is the final of the piano competition- all of you will follow me for special training."
Special training...
This was going be torture!
Fear filled each person's face but no one dared disobey Mrs. Ritter's command.
Mrs. Ritter thought about how everything had gone wrong since meeting Sylvia and the Wright family - her mood became increasingly irritable especially when Sylvia pushed her down onto ground during their confrontation or when Franklin humiliated her at every opportunity possible .
She must send her daughter into an enviable position - she couldn't lose against anyone else!
Suddenly a well-maintained glamorous woman appeared ahead of them wearing a dark red cheongsam dress with only an emerald necklace around neck and jade bracelet on wrist -the epitome of elegance .
"Oh my goodness! Who could it be? It turns out my sister or should I call you 'Mrs. Ritter'?"
The woman smiled sweetly yet condescendingly .
Ashlyn immediately recognized the woman and realized it was Allie Newman, the vice president of the Global Piano Association. Allie and her mother were sisters? How was that possible? Others were also shocked to see Allie's sister after a while. If they looked closely, they could see some similarities between Mrs. Ritter and the woman.
Mrs. Ritter stopped in her tracks, standing about five steps away from Allie with an expressionless face as she glanced at her sister before speaking in a calm voice, "My dear sister, what a surprise to run into you here."
Allie approached Mrs. Ritter with an elegant smile on her face but spoke words that made everyone's faces turn pale.
"Dear sister, what's up? Are you going to play some tricks again? It's too bad that you kicked me out of Urgford back then because now I'm part of the Global Piano Association while you're just part of Urgford's piano association. What do you have to compare with me?"
"I had the ability to kick you out of Urgford back then and now I have the ability to kick you out of the Global Piano Association," replied Mrs. Ritter coldly without showing much emotion towards her sister.
"Is that so?" Allie looked over at Ashlyn behind Mrs. Ritter and said teasingly,"Tsk tsk - this is my niece right here? You're wasting your talent following your mother; why not follow me instead? I'll teach you well enough so that one day, maybe even become an international piano master."
Ashlyn blushed slightly but replied awkwardly,"No thanks; I'm good."
"Have you heard about Jenna?" whispered Allie into Mrs. Ritter's ear. "She looks stunning and plays piano very well too! If we want Ashlyn to win any championships, it's best to listen up!"
Mrs. Ritter looked at Allie skeptically."Are you really going to help me?"
Allies chuckled softly."I don't have any children or husband yet in my life, so Ashlyn is somewhat related by bloodline anyway. If she can inherit my legacy within the Global Piano Association for future career advancement opportunities, it would be better than following your lead in Urgford, right?"
Mrs. Ritters knew exactly how ruthless her own sister could be when there was no benefit involved especially since they had been competing against each other since childhood.
After pausing briefly, Mrs. Ritters asked, "So what are your conditions?"
"Since we're relatives, it's natural to stick together through thick and thin." Allie laughed again, her voice low. "I have a way to prevent Jenna from winning the championship, but... Ashlyn will be my daughter from now on. How about that?"
If Ashlyn is by your side, it is Ashlyn's good fortune and opportunity.
She is at the center of an international music storm, and she believes that with Mrs. Ritter's selfish and self-serving personality, she will naturally understand the interests involved.
"An international socialite and an Urgford socialite, I believe... you will make a smart choice."
Allie took out a business card from her bag and handed it to Mrs. Ritter, saying "Think about it and contact me."
Watching Allie's departing figure, Mrs. Ritter clenched the business card in her hand.
Mrs. Ritter took a deep breath and said, "Ashlyn, let's go back to our room."
Upon arriving at the hotel room, Ashlyn cautiously asked Mrs. Ritter, "Auntie's words... are they true?"
She was close to the two of them, so she heard everything clearly.
Colleagues from those associations who were far away did not hear it.
Comments
The readers' comments on the novel: After divorce, Ex-wife Revealed Identities
I just started to read this because it said it is "finished". Np I am stuck on the middle of it. What it is all about?...
there is update for quite while....
Please update. I still hope to finish this story. I really like it....
Story says complete but it is incomplete...
please let franklin and sylvia back together. thanks...
Update please. Any chance of more than one update a day? Thankies....
Is there no chance of getting more than 1 chapter a day please?...
I hope his not getting parasite love poison too. And get untangle with other women....
I'm just wondering is this the last chapter? I know that this book is not finished but it does say completed. I love it and don't want it to stop just like that....