Betrayed by Blood: My Second Life as a Queen novel Chapter 92

When the cameras panned back to Tessa, the live stream's chat exploded in a frenzy:

[Tessa is so gorgeous in person! Beauty and talent—if she doesn't win, who will!]

[Calling it right now: Tessa is definitely taking home the championship!]

...

Under the spotlight, Tessa's eyes gleamed with triumphant satisfaction. She placed her fingers on the keys, and a rich, heartwarming melody began to flow.

Willow looked at Tessa in mild surprise. The piece was genuinely good. It easily evoked the most beautiful childhood memories, weaving a faint sorrow into its sweetness, leaving a lingering sense of melancholy upon deeper reflection.

It didn't sound like Tessa's skill level at all.

As she played, a sugary, artificial smile was plastered on her face, weirdly clashing with the emotional tone of the music.

Willow furrowed her brows. Something felt incredibly off, but since Tessa had composed it live, there shouldn't be any foul play, right?

Was she just overthinking it?

Did Tessa simply catch a sudden wave of inspiration and perform exceptionally well?

Amidst Willow's doubts, Tessa's performance ended. The judges were full of praise. "This is incredibly refreshing, and the emotion is so rich. Tessa, you've completely blown me away!"

Tessa smiled smugly. "You flatter me. Please, I await your scores."

One judge spoke up first. "I'm giving a perfect ten! Tessa, I absolutely loved your piece. No wonder so many people want to take you on as an apprentice. With talent like yours, even I'm tempted..."

In the audience, the Shaw family beamed with shared pride.

Willow looked toward the judge who had spoken. His name was Curtis Cole. Before Tessa, the highest score he had given anyone was a 5, making him the harshest critic on the panel.

That strange feeling washed over her again. She couldn't help but frown. She turned to meet Vivienne's gaze, and they both saw the same suspicion mirrored in each other's eyes.

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