Chapter 10 The Mysterious Guest

On the day of the singing talent show, the sun peeked through the clouds, casting a warm glow outside the venue.

Aria showed up in a stunning long dress, the hem swaying with her steps like she was Aphrodite stepping out of a painting. The moment she walked backstage, all eyes were on her.

Billy was hanging out backstage too. When he saw Aria, he was clearly impressed, but he quickly tried to hide it.

Laura, on the other hand, was green with envy. Her eyes practically turned red as she glared at Aria, her heart full of resentment. 'This chick isn't even performing today, yet she looks like a million bucks. That scar on her face doesn't cover any of her beauty; on the contrary it actually gives her a unique vibe, making her even more captivating.'

Laura couldn't tell if it was just her imagination, but it seemed like Aria's scar had healed a bit. This uncertainty only fueled her jealousy even more.

Aria noticed Laura's stare and gave her a knowing smile.

Seeing this, Laura swallowed her jealousy and walked up to Aria, pretending to be friendly. "Aria, you look stunning today."

With that, Laura linked her arm with Aria's, giving it a gentle shake.

It looked like that were closest sisters in the eyes of others who were unfamiliar with them.

Meanwhile, the other singers backstage were whispering among themselves.

Some of them had heard about Aria's scandals and looked at her with disdain.

"Isn't this Aria? I can't believe Billy got engaged to her. It must be because of their childhood bond. If she had any self-respect, she'd leave on her own and not hold Billy and Laura back," a lavishly dressed female singer said sarcastically.

"Look at her, she really thinks that she deserves Billy?"

"She's so shameless. Coming out with a scar like that, with no concern of scaring other people?"

Everyone chimed in, their words dripping with contempt for Aria, aiming at crashing her dignity.

"Don't you know? Laura seduced Billy into cheating. I've already decided to let Billy go to Laura, but the Fisher family didn't allow it!" Aria's lips curled into a mocking smile.

She didn't want to start trouble, but she wasn't afraid of it either. If these people wanted to act all high and mighty in front of her, she wouldn't hold back.

Her voice wasn't loud, but it made those who mocked her pause for a moment.

"I didn't seduce Billy; we're just good friends, Aria. And Billy's parents said you're the daughter-in-law of the Fisher family. Don't use such a wrong way to get Billy's attention. He'll only hate you more," Laura explained nervously, pretending to be all hurt.

She was trying to make everyone think Aria was just being manipulative.

Everyone looked at Aria with even more hostility.

"Such a vicious woman. Poor Laura, having a sister like you." A female singer close to Laura stood in front of her, acting like a protector.

"My mom only gave birth to me, and she doesn't qualify to be my sister." Aria glanced at Laura with disdain.

At that moment, a female singer ran over, her eyes sparkling with excitement. "Simon is here, and I heard there's a mysterious guest too!"

This news was like a bombshell, causing a stir.

The female singers who had been mocking Aria instantly shifted their attention.

They started chatting excitedly, their eyes full of anticipation.

"Simon! Is he really coming to such a small competition? If he notices me, that would be amazing. He's so handsome and talented, he's my dream man."

"I heard there's a mysterious guest too. Could it be someone even more important than Simon?"

"Do you think it could be Mr. Lewis Windsor? The high-ranking Treasury Secretary!"

"Even if I could just see him in person, I would have no regrets in this life."

Everyone's eyes sparkled with longing, itching to rush to the front hall to see what was going on.

Laura listened in, feeling a bit tempted herself. She secretly clenched her fists, a hint of greed flashing in her eyes, determined to seize this opportunity.

Aria knew Simon would be there, but she didn't expect a mysterious guest too.

Who could be more important than Simon?

Thinking about it, Aria couldn't help but picture Lewis's face.

She blushed, quickly shaking her head to clear her thoughts.

Since this talent show was live, the singers had to sit in the preparation area below the stage, waiting for their turn.

Aria walked towards the area, her steps elegant and composed, unfazed by the earlier mockery.

"You're not a contestant, what are you doing here? This isn't your place, leave now."

"Get out, don't take up space here. This area is for us contestants."

Others echoed the first speaker, looking at Aria with disdain.

Seeing this, Laura's eyes flashed with calculation.

"Aria, they're just being kind, worried that people might gossip about you being here. But if you want to sit here, why not sit next to me?" Laura's eyes turned, her face showing a kind expression.

Aria glanced at her, said nothing, and silently walked to a corner to sit down, away from the noise and hypocrisy.

As time passed, the competition was about to officially begin.

The atmosphere in the venue grew more tense and lively, as if the air was buzzing with excitement.

"Next, let's welcome today's mysterious guest!" The host took the stage, his loud voice booming through the venue.

Everyone held their breath, staring at the stage.

Time seemed to stand still at that moment, the entire venue so quiet that you could hear a pin drop.

When the curtain opened, dazzling lights focused on the center of the stage.

Everyone looked at the guest seats, stunned.

The mysterious guest was indeed Lewis!

He was dressed in a sharp black suit, his posture upright, his stern face like the most perfect work of a master sculptor.

Even though Lewis was in a wheelchair, pushed in by a tall bodyguard behind him, his noble and powerful aura made no one dare to underestimate him. And his cold demeanor also made people afraid to look directly at him.

The preparation area was instantly in an uproar, the female singers' eyes lighting up, all starting to tidy their appearance, hoping to leave a good impression on Lewis.

Laura was no exception. She secretly put on the lip-syncing recording device, which had Aria's singing recorded.

Her eyes sparkled with excitement, already dreaming of impressing Lewis with the voice.

She even began to fantasize about the luxurious life she would have with Lewis, the scenes constantly playing in her mind, making her somewhat lost in thought.

Simon sat at the judges' table, seeing Aria in the preparation area, he smiled and nodded at her.

Aria thought of Simon as her prospective fiancé, who had always been very kind to her, so she smiled back.

But at that moment, her gaze unintentionally met Lewis's.

Was he looking at her all along?