Filed To Story: Returning to Her Not-So-Poor Family
On their way, Yolanda waved and greeted everyone while also nodding at Serena, but Serena seemed not to notice her friendly gesture, didn’t respond, and just waved and smiled at others.
After Jasmine took the stage, she handed the champion trophy to Serena and the third–place trophy to Frida, then looked at Yolanda with an icy stare. It was as if she was looking at a thief!
The host paused for a moment, then quickly said, “President Jasmine, the second–place winner, you forgot to present the trophy.”
Yolanda looked a little embarrassed. But with so many people in the audience watching, and the cameras following her, she smiled politely, “Presidènt Jasmine, I am the second–place winner of this competition, Yolanda.”
“I know.” Jasmine’s voice was cold, her gaze sharper than before.
When Yolanda mentioned that she was second place, Jasmine itched to expose her lie. Everyone was a bit puzzled, even the host didn’t know what had happened, feeling that President Jasmine was looking at Yolanda as if she were an enemy.
He could only hint at the girl holding the trophy next to him with his eyes. The girl smiled and brought the trophy to Jasmine.
Jasmine remained standing and her gaze was icy.
“You don’t deserve the second–place trophy!” She said.
The whole audience was shocked by this statement!
Even Yolanda’s complexion turned pale in an instant.
From the audience, Demetrius and Olga stood up abruptly, “What’s going on?”
Even Zachary was dumbstruck, couldn’t believe that the usually kind and friendly President Jasmine would say such words!
“What do you mean by that, President Jasmine?” The host asked with a smile, “Are you suggesting that Yolanda could rank higher after listening to her performance?”
Upon hearing this, the audience, who initially thought there was an issue with Yolanda’s piece, breathed a sigh of relief. So that was it. Did President Jasmine think Yolanda could steal the show?!
Serena, who was standing next to her, subconsciously tightened her grip on the championship trophy. No way, President Jasmine wouldn’t announce in front of everyone that Yolanda was more deserving of the championship, would she?
“I’m asking you.” Jasmine looked into Yolanda’s eyes, “Did you compose the piece you just played by yourself?”
Yolanda, realizing something was off, was so nervous that her body was getting weak, “Of course.”
“So you’re saying that every note, every melody of this piece was thought out by you, with no one else involved?” Jasmine asked.
Yolanda was barely able to stay on her feet. She didn’t understand Jasmine’s implication. Did Jasmine know that she plagiarized Mirabella’s climax, so she was questioning her in public?
Impossible, who did Jasmine think she was, how could she know Mirabella? Unless Mirabella approached her and told her something…
“President Jasmine, I don’t know what others have told you Yolanda decided to deny everything, the best strategy at this moment was to distract her, “If it’s because I was admiring you from the audience earlier, and I foolishly thought of becoming your student. I’m sorry.”
Yolanda maintained her poised demeanor, “You mentioned earlier that you don’t take students, and even if you did, you wouldn’t take someone from the Melton family. I don’t know what we Meltons did wrong. But as a senior, you have the right to choose your favorite student. I understand that. I even feel I’m not good enough to gain your favor. But earlier, in front of so many people, you said I’m not worthy of wearing Queen Abby’s clothes and jewelry. You probably don’t know, but I’ve always idolized you, and my efforts to learn the piano were to get closer to you.”
With just a few words, she painted President Jasmine as a rude and snobbish person. This was the first time Jasmine had encountered such a person, young and out of line!
didn’t expect President Jasmine to be like this. Yolanda worked her tail off learning the piano to get close to her. She doesn’t have to take her as a student, but she didn’t need to say such hurtful words. Yolanda must be so upset.”
“I think Yolanda looks great in Queen Abby’s clothes. Is President Jasmine being too nosy? What someone wears or puts on is none of her business.”
“It’s okay if President Jasmine doesn’t want to mentor the younger generation, but she intentionally embarrassed them at such an important event.”
“President Jasmine lacks manners.”
“Yolanda has strong mental fortitude. She’s a real lady, not like ordinary people.”
Most of the audience was praising Yolanda.
Upon seeing how she turned the tables with just a few words, Yolanda looked at President Jasmine with a hint of challenge in her eyes.
How could Jasmine not see through her? With a cold chuckle, she announced to the crowd, “You totally ripped off the climax of Melody’s ‘Wish‘ for your own piece!” The room fell silent at the accusation. Yolanda had plagiarized from Melody?!
Melody was a legend in the piano world, bagging numerous prestigious awards locally and internationally in the recent years, and was considered a maestro on par with Leonard! But Melody was more mysterious than Leonard, with no one having seen her face or knowing her age.
“President Jasmine, how can you be so sure that Yolanda plagiarized Melody’s work?” The host tried to defuse the awkwardness, “I’m a fan of Melody too, but I don’t know of any piece called ‘Wish‘. Do you have any proof?”
A glimmer of hope sparked in Yolanda. Even the host hadn’t heard of Melody’s ‘Wish, and she had gotten the climax part from Mirabella’s room, hand–written by Mirabella!
What was more, she had searched online multiple times and found no such piece; which was why she was confident enough to use it in her own work! Mirabella, unfazed, watched the scene unfold on stage, even catching Olga’s furious rant from behind!
“What’s up with President Jasmine? If she didn’t want to award Yoli, fine, but accusing her of plagiarizing a maestro’s work! Trying to embarrass Yoli, as if my girl, with her piano skills, needs to steal from others?” Olga was itching to confront President Jasmine.
But Demetrius held her back, “Maybe President Jasmine has listened to too many piano pieces, and thought Yoli plagiarized when she heard something similar. Let’s just chill and wait.”
Zachary, however, had a sinking feeling, “President Jasmine is always fair. She wouldn’t say this without sufficient evidence.”
“Zachary, why don’t you believe in Yoli? You werè just praising her earlier.” Olga was irked.
“That’s odd.” Mrs. Bright chimed in, “Didn’t President Jasmine just chase after your Yoli, wanting to take her as a disciple? Why is Yoli now saying that President Jasmine doesn’t want her, and that she’s not worthy of Queen Abby’s designs?”
Caught off guard, Olga floundered for a response, “Really?”
She had totally forgotten about it! She had gloated before Mrs. Bright that President Jasmine wanted to take Yoli as a disciple. But they thought President Jasmine was beneath them, aiming only for Leonard. Talked about shooting oneself in the foot.
Mrs. Bright saw through her lie, looking at her with disdain…
“Evidence? Of course I have!” The room was in shock.
Yolanda turned pale. Impossible.
“But before I reveal the evidence. I want to ask you, what are you trying to express in the climax of ‘Misery‘?” Jasmine asked.
Yolanda brightened a little at the question. She had asked her tutor about this, who said it conveyed sadness.
“Of course it’s sadness! Everyone interprets music differently, but believe good music resonates. The emotion my piece conveys, just like its title, is endless sorrow! It’s about a person enveloped in sorrow, struggling to break free but can’t.” Yolanda said.
Jasmine snickered, giving Yolanda a dismissive glance. “You got it all wrong, girl! If you don’t believe me, ask everyone else here what they thought of the climax. Anyone cares to share?” Jasmine said.
The host broke the silence first. “All I heard was intense sorrow, like being engulfed by an overwhelming tidal wave of grief. After what felt like forever, a ray of sunlight broke through and suddenly, and I felt this pull, like a force telling me to keep going.”
Some audience members stood up and the host handed them the mic.
“I heard courage and strength breaking free from sorrow.”
New Book: Returned To Make Them Pay
On her wedding anniversary, Alicia is drugged and stumbles into the wrong room—straight into the arms of the powerful Caden Ward, a man rumored never to touch women. Their night of passion shocks even him, especially when he discovers she’s still a virgin after two years of marriage to Joshua Yates.