Masked In Nobility: Secrets Of Mrs. Chavez by Selina Gorges

The seating finally settled down, and everyone returned to their places. Yvette chose to sit with Andrew,

while Bonnie took a seat nearby.

“Really? Was it that serious? It's just a matter of two or three seats Do they really have to make such a big deal?

We're all in the front rows anyway. Does it even matter where we sit? Bonnie thought, rolling her eyes.

Simon didn’t mind. With so many people around, even if he wanted to talk to Yvette, it wouldn't be easy. Zachary

was used > Yvette’s indifference, so her not sitting with him didn’t surprise him. The most disappointed was Zion,

who felt he had missed a great chance to chat with her.

Jaiden, meanwhile, sat next to Simon. Originally, Simon thought Lionel from the Lewis family would attend, but it

turned out to be Jaiden instead. Since they hadn't seen each other in a while, they switched seats on purpose to

catch up.

Backstage. Ruby stormed into the dressing room, tears in her eyes. She slammed the door shut and, in a fit of

rage, trashed the makeup on the table. She stared at her furious reflection in the mirror. Wiping away her tears,

she clenched her fists.

| swear I'm going to take Yvette down in the piano competition,” she thought to herself. The piano was Ruby’s

domain-her true stage. The people backstage heard the loud crashes from the dressing room and backed away

cautiously, not wanting to get caught in Ruby's fury.

At 9:30 am., Art Festival officially kicked off. Four hosts led the opening ceremony, and Simon was the first to

take the stage. His speech encouraged the participants to compete with both grace and skill, ending with a wish

for the festival's success.

Then cthe moment everyone had been waiting for-the musical performances. Ruby was set to play the

piano, and despite her earlier outburst, it barely dampened the crowd's excitement.

Backstage, Ruby redid her makeup and changed into a flowing white dress. As she stepped under the spotlight,

the audience’s attention was solely on her. This was her place, where she felt she truly belonged.

With a small, confident smile, she brushed off her earlier frustration. Determined to stay positive, she didn’t even

glance at Yvette. Taking her seat at the piano, Ruby began to play. Her fingers danced across the keys, producing

an enchanting melody that captivated everyone.

However, while the audience admired her performance, Zion frowned slightly, thinking, ‘She’s playing it just like

she did in rehearsals. There's no emotion in it-only bitterness. Ruby might have masked her emotions outwardly,

but her resentment seeped into her music, dulling the performance.

Sitting behind Zion, Sawyer watched with a smug expression, unimpressed by Ruby’s playing. He thought, Is this

the person Mr. Holmes recommended to me? Her playing’s so average. She even missed a few notes. And this is

the opening performance? Givea break.

He glanced around at the audience, many of whom seemed entranced by Ruby's playing. It only made him feel

more incredulous. But when his eyes landed on Yvette, he paused.

Among the crowd of admiring faces, only Zion and Yvette appeared unimpressed. Yvette, in particular, sat with a

neutral expression, her brows slightly furrowed. Sawyer raised his eyebrows, surprised by their shared reaction.

“Ruby is playing so well!” Nellie said, glancing over at Yvette, who had pulled her hood down over her eyes and

crossed her arms, already asleep. How tacky, falling asleep at an event like this, Nellie thought with disdain.

Dressed in a gown and trying to hold in her stomach, she was focused on maintaining her image, even though

her ribs ached. The only thing keeping her motivated was the thought of the upcoming piano competition. She

couldn’t wait to see Ruby crush Yvette on stage.

The mere thought of it made her feel giddy with anticipation. Next to her, Zachary noticed the excitement

radiating from Nellie but couldnt figure out why.

Rebecca, however, was focused on the performance. “Ruby’s playing is really impressive. No wonder she passed

Level 8 in piano,” she said.

Andrew, sitting nearby, seemed less interested in the music and more focused on Yvette. He glanced at Bonnie,

who was casually munching on snacks. “Bonnie,” he said, trying to get her attention.

Startled, Bonnie jumped, spilling her snacks everywhere. “What?” she exclaimed, looking up at Andrew. “You

scared me! What's wrong with you?”

Andrew pointed at Yvette, who was still asleep. “Aren’t you worried about her?”

Bonnie waved him off, umbothered. “Worried? Nah, Yve knows what she’s doing. Relax. Here, have schips,”

she said, offering him the bag

Andrew chuckled, panting her on the head affectionately. “All you do is cat.”

Nearby. Nellie overheard the conversation about Ruby passing her Level 8 in piano and felt a spark of

satisfaction. If Ruby has passed Level S, there's no way Yvette stands a chance, she thought. She could

practically taste the victory.

When Ruby finished her piece, she basked in the applause, her confidence fully restored. The earlier frustration

melted away as she stepped off the stage and returned to her usual smug self. Now, all she could think about

was how great it would feel to defeat Yvette in front of everyone.

Art Festival's opening ceremony was lively, featuring performances from various departments that lasted for two

and a half hours. Once it wrapped up, everyone anticipated one of the main events-the piano competition.

Rows of chairs lined the field, packed with students eager to see who would take the championship. Most of the

audience. was rooting for Ruby, a pianist who had passed Level 8, a significant achievement in the university,

However, Yvette had her share of supporters, too. News of her entry into four events had reignited her fanbase,

who cheered her on through university forums. Every year, after Art Festival, students voted for the “Most

Popular Award” on the forums, and this year the competition was fiercer than ever,

The winner of that award would

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receive a piece of Simon's

calligraphy, a rare ees piize.

ost Sidhan Wés onorary

ember of National Calligraphy

Association, his works were not only

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treasured collector's items but could

also fetch a hefty price on the market

Only one piece was awarded each year, and last year it had gone to Ryan, Who would walk away with it this

time?

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The piano competition's order wasn't

determined by drawing lots; instead,

it was randomly oped alt

PR Ran the ineup was

finalized the day before the festival.

By sheer coincidence, Ruby was

second to last, with Yvette going right

after her. The content is on

novelenglish.net! Read the latest

chapter there!

Ruby was thrilled with this

arrangement. She was confident that

her performance HQugeae

Kot $9 muehha she would barely

have the nerve to step on stage. To

top it off, Ruby had chosen to

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perform “Dream,” the most famous

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piece in Bryan's repertoire. The

content is on novelenglish.net! Read

the latest chapter there!

This legendary composition was written as a tribute to Bryan's beloved wife-and Ruby had been practicing it for

three years. She had perfected every note, but until today, she had never performed it in public. This would be

her moment.

In Ruby's eyes, Yvette was nothing more than a stepping stone, and this song was her ticket to triumph. Her

thoughts were consumed by her desire to secure a spot in Zion's prestigious studio.

The performance order was displayed on the big screen for everyone to see. The audience quickly noticed that

Ruby and Yvette were performing back-to-back. Excitement filled the auditorium as whispers spread among the

attendees.

x

Speople thought, “This is fate! Destiny's design. When rivals clash, who will emerge victorious?