Save Myself From Desperation by Cara Agnes novel Chapter 8

Chapter 8
At ten o’clock in the morning, the semifinals of Show Your Dance officially began.
There were five hundred spectators in the audience and four judges on the panel. Moreover, the legendary figure in modern dance, Megan, was also there.
Although in her forties, Megan was still in good shape and had an outstanding demeanor. Fine lines at the corners of her eyes added a touch of elegance to her age.
Today, Megan attended the show as a judge. She was seated at the judges’ table. Her slender neck and graceful posture stood out, making her
temperament particularly outstanding
Besides the on-site recording, Show Your Dance was also broadcast live online.
Many fans of modern dance were eagerly waiting in the livestream.
[Coming! The semifinals are starting!]
[Support modern dance! I hope it keeps getting better and better!]
[Oh my, Ms. Rice actually came to the venue!]
[This competition will be exciting.]
[I remember Jessica, the first-place contestant in the preliminaries. She was amazing! Looking forward to her performance in the semifinals!]
[You’re right about that.]
There were twenty contestants in the semifinals, with a high elimination rate of sixty percent. Therefore, the competition was fierce.
After the host finished the opening remarks, the twenty contestants began their performances in the order they drew.
Ashley was unlucky today, drawing the last spot, with Jessica performing right before her.
Today’s theme for the semifinals was White, effectively setting a
framework for the contestants, all of whom performed in white dance costumes on stage..
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At first, the audience enjoyed the performances, but as time went on, they grew tired.
Even the viewers in the livestream room couldn’t help but start complaining.
[How did these people even make it to the semifinals??]
[I swear a chicken could even have a better posture than these people’s dancing posture when pecking!]
[Take it easy, everyone. Jessica, the first in the preliminaries, hasn’t performed yet.]
[Exactly, Jessica’s set to take the stage for her dance. Let’s hang tight a little longer.]
As per the rules, after each performance, the judges would score on the spot, with the highest score being ten.
But after several performances, no contestant had scored above 8.5.
Compared to the other four judges, Megan was particularly strict. Up to now, the highest score she had given was a seven.
It wasn’t until Jessica took the stage that the dull atmosphere in the venue shifted. Even the sleepy audience perked up.
“Jessica’s dance is indeed worth watching!”
“She looks so stunning in modern dance, dressed in white, just like a princess!”
Under the gentle background music, Jessica, dressed in a white dress and with a flower in hand, graced the stage with a modern dance that exuded elegance.
She was naturally talented at dance and had studied it systematically. Therefore, her body movements and facial expressions showed the artistic-conception of the dance perfectly.
Her graceful and charming performance won a lot of applause. The online audience also heaped praise on the performance. [This is a real modern dance, way better than the previous ones!] [Honestly, Jessica looks beautiful in white. Although she’s not the
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prettiest, she has a fresh and ethereal demeanor that makes her stunning in white!]
[Moreover, she dances so well. It’s obvious that she’s well-trained.]
[The winner of today’s semifinals is definitely going to be Jessica again!]
Jessica stood on stage, smiling at the judges.
The four judges exchanged glances, all aware that Jessica was the apple of the Ramos family’s eye and the Ramos Group president, Frankie, personally came to watch the competition. They would naturally take care of her and favor her a bit.
Moreover, Jessica’s performance was indeed good.
The four judges made eye contact and then raised their dry erase paddles one by one.
[9.4 points.]
[9.5 points.]
[9.5 points.]
[9.4 points.]
When the scores were revealed, the audience erupted in applause.
None of the contestants had received more than 8.5 from the judges before. However, now, Jessica received a stunning 9.5, causing a
sensation.
Jessica was overjoyed inside but appeared graciously modest, saying sincerely, “Thank you, judges!”
The camera then focused on Megan.
Megan looked at Jessica on stage with an appreciative look instead of her -usual indifferent face.
She raised her dry erase paddle.
[9 points.]
[Wow, Ms. Rice gave Jessica 9 points!]
[Ms. Rice is always strict. The highest score she previously gave was only
7 points. Giving Jessica 9 points means she really appreciates Jessica!]
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[It’s in the bag! Jessica is definitely winning the semifinals!]
Jessica was overjoyed and specifically spoke to Megan with a smile. “Thank you, Ms. Rice!”
When Jessica went offstage, Frankie and Jeremy were considerately waiting backstage.
“Jessica, Ms. Rice really appreciates you!” Jeremy genuinely felt happy for Jessica. “I knew it. When Ms. Rice mentioned there was a promising contestant, she must have meant you!”
Frankie smiled faintly and handed Jessica the key to a sports car. “The first place in the semifinals is surely yours, Jessica. Congratulations in advance.”
“Thank you, Frankie!” Jessica smiled sweetly, glancing secretly at Ashley not far away, thinking, ‘Ashley, do you think you can compete with me?’
The audience was still whispering about the high score of 9 points Megan gave, discussing non-stop.
Even the announcement of the last contestant’s coming performance by the host couldn’t stop the discussions.
The venue was noisy.
Suddenly, the stage lights dimmed.
Moments later, a spotlight was cast over the center of the stage.
In the dim light, a stunning figure in white stood gracefully, ethereal, and beautiful.
The previously noisy audience fell silent instantly.
All eyes were drawn to the stage.
Ashley, dressed in white, looked ethereal and otherworldly.
A gentle breeze caused her hair to flutter and her white dress to sway.
Under the soft white light, she was bathed in a silvery glow, appearing ethereal and breathtakingly beautiful.
As the camera zoomed in, Ashley’s delicate face appeared unexpectedly in everyone’s view.
Her eyebrows were finely shaped, and her eyes were exquisitely beautiful
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and slightly upcurved at the corners. Her gaze was clear, her posture graceful, and her skin flawless, making her seem too perfect to be real.
The audience held their breath as if afraid to disturb her.
Even the livestream viewers fell silent and stopped commenting.
After a full three seconds, a barrage of comments appeared.
[Golly!! Who is this beauty?]
[I can’t believe it! Her glance at the camera was so charming. I’m spellbound by her!]
[I need all the information about this woman within three minutes!]
[Ashley! The host just called her Ashley!]
[Ashley isn’t just charismatic but incredibly gorgeous, much prettier than Jessica! When the camera zoomed in on her, I was taken aback by her beauty!]
[No way! I’ve never seen such a looker, I wouldn’t even dare to photoshop myself to look that beautiful. She’s naturally this beautiful!]
[Forget calling her Ashley. She’s my honey now!!]
Meanwhile, at the Kingsley Group headquarters, in the CEO’s office, Valentin sat behind his desk, his face expressionless as he signed a contract with a pen in his hand, evidently busy with work.
Beside him, Tom was intently watching his phone screen.
It was the livestream of the Show Your Dance semifinals.
Finally, when Ashley appeared, Tom exclaimed, “Mr. Kingsley, Ms. Ramos is on stage!”
Holding the pen, Valentin stopped signing and looked up at the phone.
screen.