Chapter 763:
Elyse blinked in surprise, then innocently extended her hand to shake Geraldine’s. “So, you’re Geraldine,” Elyse said. Geraldine chuckled. “Seems like I’m well-known. Is it because of my notorious reputation?”
Elyse thought for a moment before replying, “Not really. Everyone says you’re the dark horse, the one who might just take first place.”
“You said it yourself—‘might,’ not ‘definitely’,” Geraldine laughed, sitting on a nearby bench. “Honestly, I was hoping for a year without any tough competition so I could win without breaking a sweat.” She shrugged with a sigh. “But it looks like there are plenty of strong contenders this year—like Edward… and you!”
Elyse joined Geraldine on the bench and smiled. “Do you see me as a strong competitor too?” she asked.
Geraldine chuckled. “Absolutely,” she exclaimed. “I’ve seen all your performances. You’re an underrated contender. It’s probably your modest fame that makes people underestimate you.”
“You’re giving me too much credit,” Elyse responded, her smile widening. “Did you come here just to discuss this?”
“No, I was out for a walk and happened to see you. I thought I’d come over and say hi.” Geraldine’s smile turned confident. “And, by the way, I’m here to challenge you. I intend to beat you in the next competition.”
“I’ll be ready to beat you as well,” Elyse responded fearlessly.
Geraldine eyed Elyse intently and sneered, “I was curious to see if you had any spine. Thankfully, you do.”
With that, she stood, brushed snow off her coat, and said, “See you at the competition.”
Elyse watched Geraldine stride away, then turned her gaze back to the frozen lake before her, lost in thought. After a long pause, she pulled out her phone and dialed Gavin.
“What’s wrong? Do you need something?” Gavin’s soft voice came through.
Clutching her violin, Elyse could hardly contain her excitement. “Gavin, I think it’s wonderful that I’m learning the violin!” she exclaimed.
Gavin paused, slightly taken aback. “What brought this on all of a sudden?” he asked.
“I’m just realizing how the violin lets me meet and compete with such incredible people. It’s truly exhilarating,” Elyse responded, her voice brimming with emotion.
Gavin, previously preoccupied with documents and visibly stressed, couldn’t help but smile at her enthusiasm. “Then enjoy the competition. There’s much more to the violin than just that,” he advised.
“Absolutely!” Elyse agreed eagerly before ending the call.
Gavin set his phone aside, picked up a document, and resumed reading. A frown creased his forehead as he delved back into his work.
Just then, a man wearing a work badge entered the office. He approached Gavin’s desk and asked coldly, “After reviewing the documents, do you think we need to investigate Fiona, Geraldine, and Wendy?”
“I suggest we don’t alert them yet. Let’s monitor them discreetly for a while.” Gavin’s expression turned somber. “Your report lacks concrete evidence that any of them intentionally sabotaged the other competitors’ violins.”
The man paused, absorbing Gavin’s response, and after a moment, responded, “The semifinals are approaching. We’ll observe for now.”
“Agreed.” Gavin nodded, shut the document, and rubbed his temples wearily.
The man lingered, fixing Gavin with a steady look. “I recall Fiona was your junior. You’re not planning to cover up for her, are you?” he asked.
. . .