NovelApexChapter 384
Mr. Burton glanced at Stella, a spark of curiosity in his eyes. "Confident, aren't you? I've heard rumors about that
Rachel-she's no slouch in the education department."
Abby shot Mr. Burton a mischievous wink. "Just wait, you'll see Star wipe the floor with Rachel. She's going to put
her in her place!"
Mr. Burton's interest only grew, his grin wide. "Now that's what | like to see-I never get tired of a good
showdown!"
While the two of them whispered excitedly, already picturing the scene where Rachel gets put to shame, Stella
could only give a helpless, amused smile.
Despite his age, Mr. Burton had the heart of a mischievous kid.
A short while later, a teacher cover and told Stella and Marvin it was tto get ready.
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This time, there was no sign of Jasper, Haynes, or any of the others trying to stir up trouble. Everything went so
smoothly, it was almost unsettling-like the eerie calm before a storm.
Even Marvin seemed a bit thrown off by how easy things were going.
As they waited backstage before their turn, Marvin couldn't help but glance
around, whispering, "Stella, how cthose awful people aren't here to bother us today?"
Stella shrugged. "Maybe they think the win's already in the bag."
Rachel and her crowd probably didn't see Stella as a threat, considering her lack of a fancy degree.
Soon enough, it was their turn on stage.
The moment the lights cup, Deanna, sitting in the audience, let out a disdainful snort.
"Look at her, pretending to be something she's not. That woman barely graduated high school and only
managed to marry into our family thanks to her kid. Now she's using our nas a stepping stone to cozy up to
other rich families. Shameless, honestly."
Callie O'Brien leaned in, whispering, "Mom, Keen's right here. Can you not?"
Deanna was unmoved. "Am | wrong? If she had a shred of ability, would Keen need to bring in an outsider for the
competition? Stella is nothing but a stain on the O'Brien name."
Callie shot Keen a worried glance, trying to signal her mother with frantic blinks. "Mom!"
Rachel, sensing the tension, quickly cut in, "Deanna, the show's starting. Let's just watch, shall we?"
Grudgingly, Deanna let the matter drop.
Onstage, Stella and Marvin's performance began.
Stella was beautiful, her voice melodious and clear, her movements graceful and confident. She lit up the stage,
sweeping away the fatigue and monotony in the room with a fresh energy that made everyone sit up and take
notice.
Her pronunciation was flawless, her diction crisp—she was in top form.
Marvin didn't miss a beat either, his tone lively and emotional, bringing his character to life. The judges even
exchanged knowing smiles during his performance.
As the final note faded, the audience erupted into enthusiastic applause.
Jasper scoffed from his seat, still unimpressed. "She probably just memorized it. | bet she doesn't even
understand half of what she's saying."
Deanna added with a sneer, "The standards for this competition must be rock- bottom. People who rely on
shortcuts instead of real talent shouldn't be allowed on stage-they just drag everyone else down."
Meanwhile, the judges began to reveal their scores for Stella and Marvin.
For once, every judge gave them a perfect score-except for one, who suddenly held up a zero.
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