Chapter 10 Chapter 10 Erin knew perfectly well there was no way Chloe had received an invitation. But she asked on purpose, just to make Chloe aware of the gap between them. Although they were both Miss Lancaster, one was up in the clouds, the other in the dirt. Better to face reality early. laughed at like a clown lity early, rather t than be Chloe replied calmly, I got the call." "Well even if you didn't, it's just a talent show- Erin paused mid-sentence, eyes widening. "Wait, you passed the first round?" Sarah's hand froze. She had heard Chloe's voice that day and knew there was a high chance she'd get through. Вит since Chloe had recorded it on the phone, and there was so much background noise, Sarah assumed the judges probably didn't even bother listening. Turned out Chloe got lucky. Sarah spoke up. "Since you passed too, we'll head over together later. What you're wearing doesn't look great though-want to change?" Erin pressed her lips together. I really underestimate my sister. *But the first round doesn't mean much-the real test is the preliminary audition. Only by passing that one can a contestant officially join the show. "Do you have any performance outfits, Chloe?" Erin asked . "I have a few brand-new dresses in my closet. Want to try one on? Chloe glanced down. She was wearing a T-shirt with jeans and sneakers. She didn't think anything looked off. Then she replied, "Thank you, but I think this is fine." And Sarah didn't push it. They all headed out . The driver was already waiting. Chloe sat in the front passenger seat while Sarah and Erin sat in the back, chatting the whole After more than forty minutes, the car pulled up in front of Rhodes Entertainment. As soon as Sarah got out, she ran into some old acquaintances in the industry. She introduced Erin with a smile. "This is my daughter. She's a senior in high school. She's released a few songs already, so she has a bit of experience. I hope you'll take good care of her Sarah debated whether to introduce Chloe. But when she looked up, Chloe was already ahead of them. With her backpack slung over one shoulder, Chloe disappeared into the crowd in her simple clothes. Chlor walked through the doors, followed the signs to the check - in desk, and received her number. She was assigned to Singing Room 1, number sixteen in line. The wait was long Chlor took a seat and pulled out a math journal to read . Nearly an hour passed before her number was called, Chloe put away the book, walked in, closed the door behind her, dropped off her bag and stepped up to the stage. "Good morning, teachers. My name is Chloe Lancaster Four judges sat inside. The moment she walked in, their expressions shifted slightly. Most of the girls auditioning were in sparkly stage outfits, with flawless makeup . But Chloe came in with a plain tee and jeans, no makeup at all. Chloe bad striking features-memorable even without makeup. But what really stood out was her natural calm. This should've been a nerve-wracking moment, but she showed no sign of anxiety. Our judge said. "Pick a song you're familiar with Sing the whole thing, a cappella" Chloe quickly ran through option in her head. She wasut very familiar with modern songs, so she picked one from her own 1/3 PP Chapter 10 Soon, Chloe made her choice, cleared her throat, and began to sing. A song filled with vintage charm flowed from her lips-subtle and elegant, with a rich aesthetic beauty. All four judges looked visibly impressed. Hard to believe an eighteen-year - old girl could sing like this. Then they began to whisper. "She must be the one who submitted that phone recording during the pre-screening "There was so much static, but her voice still stood out. Hearing her live, she's even better. Her voice is incredible." "The only thing is, she sang two old-school songs . I wonder if she can handle pop? " "If she's got the basics down, switching genres won't be a problem." All four green lights lit up at once. Chloe thanked them, picked up her bag, and walked out. Out in the hallway. Chloe saw a crowd of girls surrounding Erin. "You're Erin, right? The one who always plays the daughter in those dramas?" "I remember your your voice. You sang some English nursery rhymes -so pretty" "Can we take a picture with you?" Erin smiled sweetly and posed for pictures with the other contestants. When she noticed Chloe walking out, Erin quickly excused herself and walked over. "Chloe, how'd it go in there?" Sarah replied before Chloe could, her expression unreadable. "Chloe passed the audition. Sarah had connections in the music world and knew a few of the judges. The moment Chloe's name popped up on the list, she saw it The fact that this stepdaughter passed the audition really caught Sarah off guard. Hearing this. Erin was stunned. The first round was just a screening-anyone with a decent voice got an invitation. But the preliminary audition was limited to only eighty-eight contestants. Four judges. If someone got four red lights, they would be eliminated. One or two red lights meant a maybe. Only four green lights meant a confirmed pass on the spot. Erin thought, I got four greens because I'm actually talented, and Mom helped behind the scenes. But Chloe? How?" Sarah shifted her tone quickly . "Both of you making it through the audition-that's great news. I booked a celebration dinner. All our relatives will be there. Let's go together." Chloe checked the time. "No thanks , I've got something to do. Chloe still had to head over to Octmond Villa to spend time with Tristan Without another word, she turned and left. Erin spoke up. "Mom, do you think the judges gave Chloe the green lights because she's the daughter of the Lancaster family?" Sarali frowned. "Maybe your dad pulled some strings. But it doesn't really matter. Even if she's got decent vocal basics, she's still nowhere near your level. You've already made a name for yourself and built a fanbase. There's no need to focus on someone so Erin nodded. "Got it" The weekend flew by Monday morning, as soon as she arrived at school, Chloe saw a big crowd gathered around Erin at the gate. "Shar's insane-heard she passed the first round of that Rhodes Entertainment show. If she makes it to the finals, she's gonna debut as a Top grades, gorgeous, and now a celeb. So jealous "Plus, her hancé is Zayne. Both of them are top students. Total power couple" P P. Chapter 10 "And the Lancaster and Fuller families are loaded. Ugh, comparing ourselves to her just hurts." No matter how much they praised her, Erin just kept smiling sweetly. Chloe frowned and walked past them. Her mind was running fast, calculating a set of numbers, but the results weren't adding up. Just as she reached the classroom hallway, someone placed a cup of milk shake in front of her. "My princess, enjoy the drink," Callum said in a mock-chivalrous tone, making a dramatic gesture of invitation . Chloe God, I seriously want int to punch this guy." 宙