A Surprising Twist of Fates (Sierra and Theo)

Janice's voice was firm, unwavering.

The piano was her mother's life. It meant everything to her.

However, a scheming glint flickered in Felicia's eyes. "That's not necessarily true. You said it yourself, Janice. Ms. Anderson has always had a soft spot for Sierra. What if she caves in again? She used to focus more on Sierra than on you."

That last sentence was like a needle stabbing deep into Janice's heart, causing her expression to darken.

That wound, which never fully healed, suddenly throbbed again, leaving her in doubt.

"Then, what should I do?"

Felicia had been waiting for Janice to ask that. Her eyes brightened as she answered, "The Marisol Cup receives lots of media attention yearly If people find out that one of the contestants is Mr. Benson's girlfriend, they'll start questioning whether the winner was decided in advance.

"For those of us who have spent years perfecting our piano skills, that would feel completely unfair. There's no doubt people will push back against Sierra. If she even thinks about winning through connections, it will be a brutal backlash."

Janice hesitated, her expression flickering with uncertainty. "But... isn't that going overboard?"

Grabbing Janice's hand with a sincere expression, Felicia mentioned, "Janice, do you want to watch Sierra win the championship from the sideline because of her connections?

"We've all worked so hard to prepare for this competition. Why should Sierra, who hasn't touched a piano in three years, just walk in and take the title without lifting a finger? If she wins, Ms. Anderson will value her even more, and you'll just end up being overlooked again."noveldrama

That word-overlooked-struck a nerve, resulting in Janice twitching her fingers.

Seeing her reaction, Felicia pressed on.

"Janice, I'm only saying this because I care about you. You've worked so hard all these years, not just for this competition, but for Ms. Anderson's approval. How can you let Sierra take everything away from you again? Once she's back on campus, she'll be all Ms. Anderson cares about."

"You're right." Janice gritted her teeth, her frustration boiling over. "Sierra doesn't deserve my mom's attention. I won't let her be my mother's student again."

Felicia's lips curled into a satisfied smirk before wearing a concerned expression. "How can we make sure everyone knows Sierra is Benson's girlfriend, though? And that she might be getting special treatment?" she asked, feigning innocence.

"That's easy. I know some reporters. I'll leak the information to them."

"See? You're so smart," Felicia praised. "This way, even if she was planning something shady, she'll have to think twice before going through with it."

Janice still hesitated. "My mom will be pissed off if she finds out I'm involved."

"You're not stopping Sierra from competing," Felicia reasoned smoothly. "You're just making sure the competition stays fair. What's wrong with that?"

Janice nodded slowly, her uncertainty fading. Her eyes grew firm. "You're right, Felicia. I'm not doing anything wrong. I just want a fair competition."

She didn't notice the fleeting glint in Felicia's eyes—the look of someone who had successfully planted the seed of manipulation.

"You're so easy to manipulate, Janice. As for you, Sierra, you stopped playing for three years. Why do you even bother returning now?" Felicia's eyes burned with jealousy and hatred as she thought about it.

The next morning, Sierra arrived at the campus early.

She wore a long black dress, and her hair loosely braided over one shoulder. She hadn't dressed up, yet her fair skin and delicate features made her stand out effortlessly.

Just standing there made her look breathtaking.