Chapter 48

With a soft click, Aria Bennett pushed open the practice room door.

Five trainees sat in a circle on the floor, discussing the song arrangement. They immediately stood up to greet her. Aria waved them off, signaling for them to continue.

"I think the chorus could use a stronger rhythm," she said, crouching down and tapping the sheet music. "But the final decision is yours."

Next door, Serena Blake’s shrill voice cut through the air: "This move is so outdated! Do it again!"

Through the glass wall, Serena stood with her hands on her hips in front of the mirror, while five male trainees repeated the dance moves, sweat dripping down their faces.

[OMG, what’s Serena freaking out about now?]

[Does she think she’s the head trainer or something?]

[Compared to Aria’s group, this looks like boot camp.]

The atmosphere in Aria’s practice room was relaxed. She sat cross-legged on the floor, listening intently to the trainees’ ideas.

"That vocal run was excellent," she said, her eyes lighting up. "What if we layered the harmonies a bit more?"

The live comments exploded:

[Now THAT’S professionalism!]

[This is what real mentorship looks like.]

[Someone next door needs to take notes.]

Suddenly, Serena barged in. "You should add a rap section," she declared, grabbing a pen and scribbling on the sheet music without asking. "It’ll make the performance pop."

The air turned icy.

"Thanks for the suggestion," Aria said calmly, pulling the sheet music back. "But this is their work."

Serena’s face stiffened. The comments went wild:

[Who does she think she is, hijacking another team’s song?]

[Acting like she’s some all-rounder superstar.]

[The contrast is brutal.]

Three days later, during the rehearsal for the live performance, the production crew deliberately scheduled both groups to practice on the same stage.

Serena’s team’s performance was a chaotic mess, with the forced rap section clashing against the rest of the song. Meanwhile, Aria’s group moved seamlessly, the five trainees executing every move in perfect sync.

The director shook his head as he watched the monitor. "This comparison is..."

"Director!" An assistant rushed over. "Mr. Price from Price Group is demanding to see you."

Meanwhile, at an upscale restaurant—

"Marcus, just do me this favor," Logan Price swirled his wine glass. "It’s just a small-time celebrity. Have her blacklisted."

Marcus Sterling set down his fork. The metal clinked sharply against the porcelain.

"Logan," he said, his gaze sharp. "The whole internet has seen how your girlfriend is performing on that show."

Logan’s expression darkened. "What’s that supposed to mean?"

"It means," Marcus stood, straightening his cuffs with deliberate slowness, "Serena Blake’s persona is crumbling."

As he walked away, the sound of shattering glass echoed behind him.

Backstage, Serena whined into her phone: "Logan, Aria’s bullying me again..."

She didn’t know a passing trainee had accidentally recorded the entire conversation.

With 24 hours left until the live performance, the recording began circulating online.