Tiphar
Chapter 28 A Dress and a Statement
You didn’t have a gown? You could have told me -1 have plenty, most of them only worn once
* Twice.”
Kelly held herself high, generously offering to “help” Serena.
Serena’s gaze turned cold. “Mom says store–bought clothes have no soul. This dress–she stitched every piece by hand.
Kelly stiffened. She had nearly forgotten–Olivia loved designing clothes. Her dream was to work at Juniper Shirt as a designer. Though she had given up that dream due to family circumstances, she had devoted herself to imitating Ms. Valerie’s designs. Many times, her work was so close to the original that it was nearly indistinguishable.
The girl who had just ridiculed Serena’s dress now felt a little awkward.
“If your mom made it, then it must be nice!” She cleared her throat, sensing Kelly’s gaze shifting toward her, and quickly tried to distance herself from the confrontation.
Suddenly, someone rushed over, grabbing the flowing sash at Serena’s waist. “Wait… is this… golden spider silk?”
Everyone’s attention snapped back to Serena.
“If that’s really golden spider silk, then just the belt alone costs more than Kelly’s entire gown!”
If the comment hadn’t been made, Kelly might have let it slide–but now, her anger bubbled
over.
She sneered. “One person being blind is bad enough, but now everyone here is blind?”
Golden spider silk? A country bumpkin could afford something that rare?
Sering Kelly’s genuine fury, the crowd quickly scattered.
But the incident had already shaken Kelly. By the time she stepped onto the stage, she still hadn’t regained her composure.
Kelly hit the wrong note at the very start. The mistake rattled her nerves, and from there, the errors only piled up. Even the rhythm fell apart.
By the end of the piece, the applause was scattered and weak.
Each clap felt like a slap to Kelly’s face.
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15:15 Wed, Oct 15
Diers and a Statement
.(i
Tosher
She barely held onto her Queen Elsa persona, keeping her expression steady as she left the stage. But as soon as she stepped off, her eyes were red.
From the class 19 section, Indigo sighed in disappointment. “Guess you know who to vote for
now?”
Solstice muttered, “Are you really that protective? Kelly is the belle of the ball at school. Now that Sidney is leaving, she doesn’t even have a rival. Even if she plays terribly, people will still vote for her.”
Indigo shot him a sharp look. “Watch your mouth.”
Solstice raised his hands in surrender. “Fine, fine, I get it! I’ll give the rest of my votes to her, okay?”
With class 19’s three performances–two dance routines already completed–only Serena’s trumpet act remained.
Indigo gave him a nod of satisfaction. He had no interest in hearing a trumpet performance. That kind of street instrument required real skill and strength. Most people was not interested.
Just noise pollution.
Indigo stood up and walked out to smoke.
From across the room, Natalie smirked. “You guys should at least save Serena a vote. It’d be pitiful if she got zero.”
Solstice turned back. “You’re too late–the class votes are already in.”
Natalie couldn’t hold back her laughter, covering her mouth as she giggled.
The majority of the votes came from the first–year students. Senior classes were given ten votes per class, just to prevent underwhelming performances from receiving nothing. But tonight, it seemed Serena might set a new record.
Sidney had arranged front–row seats for Celeste, ensuring she had the best view of Kelly’s performance.
“What happened to Kelly?”
Even Sidney was shocked.
She had deliberately placed Serena’s act after Kelly’s–so the contrast would be clear. With Kelly’s elegance, Serena’s mediocrity would be undeniable. It was also a perfect chance to give Celeste a sense of justice. But now…
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InTAI+++ TH** BY
Turning to Celeste, she reassured her. “Serena will be even worse than her. Don’t worry”
Thinking of Serena’s upcoming performance, the two exchanged knowing smiles.
“Sidney, what did you prepare for your farewell performance?”
Sidney’s expression turned serious. “The Light by Tami.”
Tami was her idol.
“The Light” had guided her through her hardest days, giving her the chance to stand on bigger stages and showcase her musical talent.
With this final performance of “The Light“, she wanted to honor Tami, bid farewell to the country she had lived in for years, and express gratitude to the people she loved most.
“The Light” isn’t just a song, it is a belief. A tribute.
As Kelly left the stage, Morgan stepped up to announce the next act.
“Next, we have senior class 19’s Serena performing on the trumpet. Her chosen piece–The Light…”
Sidney nearly slammed her hands on the table.
Serena dared to defile my song with a trumpet? Unforgivable!
She shot up, ready to storm backstage, but Celeste grabbed her arm.
“She’s doing this on purpose to get a reaction out of you. If you actually pull her from the show now, what will people say about you?”
Send Gifts
Ruby Walker is a rising voice in the world of romance and spicy fiction. With a gift for weaving deep emotions, sizzling chemistry, and unexpected twists, her stories are a blend of passion and drama that captivate readers from start to finish. Ruby’s writing style is bold and irresistible—perfect for those who crave intense, addictive love stories.

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