Chapter 38 ... : " Light " was a call to action , while " Shadow " was a mournful farewell . Together , their combination painted the full picture of life from start to finish . 35 55 vouchers As the last note echoed away , the crowd stood in unison , giving a sincere and respectful farewell to the violin prodigy , Gillian . To keep things fair , world - class performers like Gillian weren't eligible for the vote . By 9 PM , after all the performances were done , the votes were counted . Abigail's " Light " soared to the top by a huge margin , while Vera , in second place , barely had half as many votes . Vera stared at the results in disbelief . The ranking at the orientation didn't mean much , and the first - place cash prize was only 1,500 dollars , which was barely enough for her to splurge on a designer pair of shoes . Still , it was an event. Winning first place meant one could showcase oneself , but losing was pure humiliation . For Vera , this loss was a sore spot she couldn't hide . She'd been planning to win first place to secure her position as Gillian's successor in the Performance Club . Instead , she'd been blindsided by Abigail , a country girl who had stolen the spotlight right from under her . But there was someone even more frustrated than Vera . Shawn , who was on the side of Class 3 , Grade 12 , had come to the orientation hoping to see Abigail make a fool of herself . Instead , his friends all became her die - hard fans . " Shawn ! Abigail's kazoo performance was amazing , and she's gorgeous . I'm seriously crushing on her . She's your real sister , right ? Get me her autograph , will you ? " one of Shawn's friends begged . Shawn cursed inwardly and snapped , " My only sister is Charlotte , okay ? Quit buzzing around me , will you ? " Shawn's friend quickly shut up and looked away . ***** The top three performers stepped up to the stage to receive their awards , with Gillian personally handing out the trophies , certificates , and cash prizes . When it was Abigail's turn , Gillian felt tightness in her chest but forced herself to say , " Your Light was really good ." 11:26 Wed , Sep 17 Chapter 38 35 55 vouchers ' Your music was great , but your personality ... ' Gillian thought , choosing to keep her opinion to herself . Abigail smiled . " Your Shadow was good , too . If you'd held that one note in the third - to - last passage for about twenty percent longer , it would've been perfect . " Gillian paused , replaying the moment in her mind . It suddenly clicked - Abigail was right. She shot Abigail a look that was half annoyed and half surprised . " You actually know music ? " Abigail just shrugged . " Every now and then . " Gillian was speechless . ' Every now and then ? Does she seriously treat music like it's a roll of the dice ? Someone save me from this nonsense ! ' she thought . After the awards , it was time for the winners to give their speeches . Abigail thought for a moment , then shrugged and said , " It's alright , I guess . " The host just stared in disbelief and thought , ' Seriously , who gives an acceptance speech like that ? ' Abigail continued , " I didn't even sign up for this , and I didn't pick the song , but I still got first place ... so , not bad at all . " The entire venue fell silent . For a moment , it felt like the little devil had returned . Honestly , she had barely stopped herself from outright saying , " No offense , but you're all garbage ." Kevin's face dropped as he thought , ' Seriously ? What kind of acceptance speech is that ? Can she talk like a normal person ? ' He scrambled to keep things moving . " Abigail , what do you plan to do with the prize money of 1,500 dollars ? " Abigail answered quickly , " I want to buy my brother a gaming console . " She'd heard from Ethan that Lucas wasn't in good health and couldn't walk , so most of his fun came from playing games . Even though Lucas didn't seem to be into her , Abigail honestly thought this family was pretty great , and she wanted to give it a real shot . Kevin was at a loss . ' Wouldn't workbooks be a better idea ? Why a gaming console ? I should've never asked ,' he thought . Shawn's heart was pounding , his eyes fixed on Abigail up on stage . For some reason , he just couldn't look away , and he was actually looking forward to something . " Wow , Shawn , your sister's way too nice ! You basically kicked her out of the family , and she 11:26 Wed , Sep 17 Chapter 38 : still wants to buy you a gaming console ? " Shawn's classmate said . 35 55 vouchers Shawn's ears burned , but he forced a sneer . " 1,500 dollars ? What decent console can I get with that ? Like I'd care about some cheap junk anyway ." Shawn's classmate was utterly speechless . 11:26 Wed , Sep 17 Chapter 39 Title: After Divorce, My Ex-Wife Became a Billionaire In "After Divorce, My Ex-Wife Became a Billionaire" by CrushReel, the story revolves around Claire, who conceals her immense wealth to marry Milo for love. Set in Los Angeles, Claire navigates the challenges of keeping her true identity hidden while leveraging her riches in secret. As the drama unfolds, themes of betrayal, ambition, and revenge intertwine with the complexities of their relationship. Claire's dual identity as a billionaire and Milo's wife adds a layer of intrigue to this modern tale of love and deception. The storyline delves into the dynamics of power and control within their contract marriage, highlighting the tension between hidden truths and public personas. With a backdrop of office politics and personal vendettas, the narrative explores the consequences of choices made in pursuit of wealth and status. What sets "After Divorce, My Ex-Wife Became a Billionaire" apart is its exploration of the repercussions of concealing one's true self in the pursuit of love and success. The interplay between Claire's billionaire status and her intimate relationships creates a compelling narrative that keeps readers engaged throughout. Discover the captivating twists and turns of this gripping story available to read at CrushReel.