The Platonic Trap novel Chapter 52

The moment she turned her back, the sweet smile vanished from Celia's face.

Desperation to network always left a bad taste in people's mouths.

It was a universal truth.

That was why she had to play the long game with Alistair Zucker. Reel him in slowly.

She had spent weeks perfecting her graduation choreography, and she was going to make damn sure he saw it.

...

Capital University boasted a stunning, professional-grade theater.

By the time Celia arrived backstage, a crowd of students was already prepping. Peeking out from the wings, she could see industry professionals and professors slowly filling the front-row seats.

The performance order had been decided by a random draw.

Celia had drawn a slot right in the middle.

It was arguably the best spot for scoring—judges were strictly critical at the beginning and suffered from fatigue by the end. The middle was the sweet spot.

But that wouldn't work for her.

Celia's gaze swept over the frantic students before she approached the girl assigned the very last slot and traded places.

She needed time. She had to wait for her intended audience.

The showcase officially began at 3:00 PM.

While the other students rehearsed in a frenzy, Celia casually scrolled through her phone, a picture of calm confidence.

Because the costumes were custom-designed and factored into the final grade, they had been submitted in advance for evaluation. They were only distributed right before the curtain went up.

"Alright, everyone, time for costumes! Just sign here to claim yours."

A clear, familiar voice echoed from the far end of the backstage area. Celia glanced up.

Evelyn Morgan strode in, wearing an impeccable smile.

"I'm volunteering for the showcase today. Let me know if you need anything."

Celia let out a dark chuckle.

The rest of the students had already cleared out to queue for the dressing rooms, leaving the two of them completely alone backstage.

Without a word, Celia lunged, grabbed Evelyn by the collar, and slammed her hard against the concrete wall!

*Bang—*

The sickening thud echoed in the empty space. Evelyn's eyes went wide, absolute shock registering on her face as she stared at the girl pinning her.

"Evelyn, did you really mistake me for a pushover?"

"W-what are you doing?!" Evelyn's voice pitched into a shrill tremble, panic flooding her eyes.

She had never seen this side of Celia!

In her mind, Celia was weak, cowardly, and pathetically submissive—the docile little pet trailing after Talbot Forrester. She couldn't comprehend this ruthless aggression!

"If you dare lay a hand on me, Mr. Forrester won't forgive you!"