CHAPTER 52: GUARANTEED VICTORY

"How is everything going?" Noah asked as soon as he reached the sixth floor and saw Elara sitting in the corner with her eyes closed.

Elara opened her eyes and looked at him with a smile.

"It’s definitely not the kind of contest I expected, but I am ready to fight for this opportunity," she said.

Noah’s expression changed. The girl could have all the facilities in the world, the luxuries, the sponsorships—heck, was there anything she needed to work hard for? But the way she made it look like it was for her survival, just because she didn’t want to depend on anyone, had his mad respect.

Carla glared at the man, who was previously her talent owner, and thinned her lips at the fact that he greeted Elara but didn’t look at her even once.

"Let’s go. We will show them who is the best," Beatrice said to Carla as she led her to the auditorium in the adjacent building, which was decorated and designed according to the contest’s needs.

It was on short notice, and the preparations for the second and third rounds were still ongoing.

Nearly 100 people were hired in the afternoon to complete the first phase within 24 hours, and the results were beyond satisfactory.

"I think we should leave," Noah said as he looked at his watch.

Elara nodded and followed the man to the adjacent building’s auditorium.

The auditorium hall looked nothing like she had anticipated. There were no glittering stages like the ones people saw on TV and in many broadcasts. But she could already see a set of people walking inside the auditorium from the other side, probably here to be the audience.

Rows of cameras were placed on the edge of the stage, some even hanging, to ensure absolute transparency. She noticed a cubicle-like structure placed in the center of the stage, covered in a velvet veil to conceal the singers’ identities.

Or at least that was how it was supposed to be.

A total of 12 contestants participated.

As soon as she arrived, she looked at the chit that was handed to her.

Number twelve? She was the last one to sing?

Elara looked behind her and noticed how four more contestants walked in.

She was definitely not the last one to arrive. It only meant one thing. They deliberately rigged the numbering system.

Elara clenched her fists but remained silent.

"Antonio, you can wait in the audience. They won’t dare to pull anything with so many cameras on them," Elara assured the bodyguard, who wished her luck and walked away.

Elara looked at the sheet of paper in her hand with a sigh.

It was okay. So what if she was the last? It could be a good thing. She will have the most lasting impact on the audience. Elara motivated herself.

As Elara looked around, confused as to why people were even bothering to retouch their makeup since no one’s face would be shown on the camera, her gaze fell on Carla.

As always, the girl was loud and sparkling, already having her makeup retouched by two makeup artists and a camera crew filming her ’getting ready to shine’ routine. She acted like she had already won.

"And obviously, they’ll play the song I will sing at the end of the first live stream of the contest. My fans are already waiting to vote for me." Carla tossed her hair confidently as she talked into the camera.

Elara walked past her, wanting to sit quietly backstage until it was her turn, but the girl looked at her lyrics and scoffed.

"They know who the real star is and who are just wannabes. Though I wish everyone good luck," Carla said with a sickeningly sweet smile, trying to appear like an angel, and Elara rolled her eyes.

She’d learned long ago that sometimes silence was the sharpest reply. And she would show them who she was when she was on stage.

Elara sat in her seat as contestants started to go on the stage, plugging in her earphones to look at her lyrics when her phone buzzed with an incoming call from her brother.

She had dropped a message to George earlier to stop her parents from seeing any kind of singing contest for some time.

She declines the call since she wouldn’t be able to talk.

"What is it?" She sent the message.

George: What is this all about?

Elara: I can’t pick up now, but just know it’s for that singing thing I was selected for. They changed the conditions at the last second, and now I need to win to sing.

George: Ohh. Okay. Let me know if you need any help. Also, there’s something I wanted to talk to you about. Nothing to worry about, just a collaboration I am confused about.

Elara: Okay. I’ll call...

Elara’s fingers froze on the keypad when she heard it.

From inside the hall, just after the fourth contestant stepped up, the music began, and it wasn’t just any music—it was her music.

The melody she had been working on with Nate. It was the one she was ready to sing today as her original song. Her words, lyrics, even the tone—everything was exactly like hers, like the one she had played the day before yesterday in Noah’s studio.

She didn’t need to be told who was singing this song. When her eyes met with Beatrice, who was sitting with Carla’s crew with a knowing smile, the answer was clear.

They stole the song.

"Wait. What’s going on?" Noah, who returned after calling Nate to know how long it would take him to arrive here, looked at Elara in utter shock.

Elara didn’t know what to say. She had no words. Her hands turned cold, not because it was stolen, but because of the profound meaning behind the song. It was supposed to be her first song to debut in the industry. She had put so much effort and emotion into it that it pained her to see it performed like this.

Carla was singing it like a pop anthem, loud and showy, twisting every emotion into jealous frustration rather than a sad, yet loving, melody.

The song ended after a couple of minutes, and Carla took a deep breath, not noticing the difference. She hit almost every note, but it didn’t convey feelings. The judges and the audience clapped, as if they were paid to do so, while the host spoke supportive words to the contestant.

"Hey, what’s going on? It was our song. How can she take it?" Noah walked to the moderator, who looked at him in confusion, paired with helplessness.

"Sir, we can decide about it later. She said it was her song, and we would need to gather proof to accuse a senior singer like her, who has been in the industry for three years. And for whom? No one even knows your contestant," the moderator said before walking away.

The words were like a slap to Elara, while Beatrice’s smile deepened.

It was her idea to use Elara’s song for the contest since Carla didn’t feel confident in her own song. They already had the guaranteed victory because they leaked to some people which number Carla would be to rig the votes.

But wouldn’t it look nicer to have Elara cry and scream in helplessness since she wouldn’t have anything to prepare and rehearse at the last second? It was like hitting two stones at the same time.

"How can she—?" Noah nearly exploded, but Elara shook her head at him.

"There’s no time for this. I will think of something," Elara said before she walked out to collect her thoughts.

She needed something unforgettable. She had planned to sing something personal, raw, and full of emotions, but now it was about survival and staying in the contest.

Elara closed her eyes, letting the cold wind hit her face as she took a deep breath.