Chapter 67:
In the hall, Wanda, seated among the judges, announced, "It's your turn, Elyse." She watched as Elyse strode to the front with a serious expression, clearly battling nerves. It was critical for Elyse to perform flawlessly despite the pressure.
Elyse positioned herself before the judges, took a deep breath, and introduced her piece, "The Untold." With the first stroke of her bow, she captivated the audience, holding their attention until the final note faded. Upon concluding, she looked to the judges, who remained silent. Her eyes sought Wanda's for any sign of approval. Wanda, with a gentle smile, gave a nod. Elyse let out a sigh of relief and stiffly returned to her place in line.
Meanwhile, Rebekah was barely noticeable among the other contestants. Her head was lowered, her grip on her violin tight, and her shoulders trembled subtly. She couldn't understand why Elyse seemed unaffected. Rebekah agonized internally. She had tampered with Elyse's water, believing a single sip would be enough to disrupt her performance. Despite this, Elyse had played perfectly, showing no sign of discomfort. What went wrong?
Rebekah was so distracted that she didn't hear the judge call her name at first. "Rebekah Bentley! Rebekah Bentley!" Finally, she responded. The judge, with a tone of displeasure, remarked, "If this were the actual performance, you would have ruined it."
"Sorry, I was just too nervous," Rebekah apologized, quickly assuming her position to play "Flower Dance," a technically demanding piece requiring more skill than emotion. However, preoccupied with thoughts about Elyse's lack of reaction to the laxative, she faltered from the first note.
Realizing she was distracted, Rebekah hurried to regain her composure and continued. The judge, maintaining a stoic expression, noted her score and called the next contestant.
Dejected, Rebekah returned to her seat, unable to shake off her dismay at her poor performance. Meanwhile, Elyse struggled to concentrate on the remaining performances, fighting the urge to use the restroom. She managed to hold it until the final performance concluded, then hurried to the facilities.
When she emerged, the crowd had thinned. Many participants had left after their performances, unless they had reason to stay. Feeling unwell and unwilling to dwell on the cause of her diarrhea, she decided to go home. However, as she gathered her belongings, a sharp pain struck her abdomen.
Freddy, passing by, saw Elyse doubled over, clutching her stomach. He approached, concerned. "What's wrong? Do you have a stomachache?"
"Yes, could you please help me get a taxi?" Elyse managed, her forehead glistening with sweat. Seeing her distress, Freddy quickly hailed a taxi and accompanied her to the hospital.
While Elyse was being examined, Jayden called her phone. Freddy, holding her phone, worried he couldn't reach her family.
"Elyse, it's been eighty minutes. Isn't the selection process over yet?" Jayden's stern voice startled Freddy. "I'm not Elyse."
Jayden paused, recognizing the voice. It sounded like Freddy, whom Elyse had introduced at a class reunion. "Are you Freddy? Where is Elyse?"
"She has a stomachache. I've taken her to the hospital. We're in the emergency department at Evergreen Hospital," Freddy explained.
"Okay, I'll be right there," Jayden said, ending the call. Freddy inexplicably felt relieved and thought to himself how commanding Jayden was—a true magnate in the business world.
Elyse slowly opened her eyes and met Jayden's steady gaze. Realizing she was in a hospital bed, she asked weakly, "What's wrong with me?"
"You had an acute gastrospasm. You're fine now. We can go home once your transfusion is complete," Jayden explained, then pressed the call button.
Shortly, a doctor entered, asked a few questions, ensured she was stable, and left. With a heavy sigh, Elyse revealed, "I was sabotaged. Someone put laxative in my water. Luckily, I only took a small sip. I can't imagine what would have happened if I'd drunk more."
"You would have been quite the sensation," Jayden quipped. "It's just a preliminary round. Who could dislike you enough to do that?"
"How should I know?" Elyse replied, but as she spoke, a face flashed in her mind: Rebekah Bentley.