The cameras swung to Ariana, seated gracefully among the crowd.
Even with minimal makeup, she had a glow about her that put the more flamboyant efforts of others to shame.
The comments on the live feed were full of admiration.
âBased on looks alone, sheâs got my vote!â
âA boss who outshines the stars? Legendary.
â
âSheâs friends with Julio? Talk about impressive.
â
âDonât just go by appearances.
Arianaâs proving herself.
â
âDidnât see that coming from her team.
What a turnaround!â
The gr@pevine was abuzz, trying to piece together Arianaâs story and whether her so-called underdogs might be the dark horses.
After a few words lauding Ariana and her crew, the host shifted gears to the much-anticipated feedback round.
As for the celebrity judges? They were kept in the shadows, waiting for their moment to weigh in.
The four judges were seasoned pros.
They acknowledged the esteemed Julio before diving into their feedback.
They all seemed to be on the same page: the team had blown them away.
âs
Melding hip-hop with a musical was a bold move, but boy, did they nail it.
Both sound and visuals were spot on.
The rookies were given impressive scores, ranging from 7 to 9.
Then, in a grand reveal, the lights shone on the surprise fifth judge.
And there she was, the dazzling Sadie.
Both contestants and viewers were taken aback.
Theyâd banked on seeing a seasoned industry bigwig, not this fresh face.
The comments on the livestream were buzzing.
âWait, isnât she Sadie Pierre engaged to the CEO of the Fredrick Group? Whyâs she here?â
âI was hoping for some industry giant, not just arm candy.
â
âA year in and sheâs judging? Seriously questioning her qualifications here.
â
âIs this for real?â
âHeard sheâs had a ton of work done on her face.
â
âSheâs just riding on her boyfriendâs coattails.
â
Seeing Sadie in the judgeâs seat, Ariana felt a knot in her stomach.