Calvert, unperturbed and accustomed to Carlâs frequent outbursts, didnât flinch.
He calmly responded, âAre you absolutely certain your father wonât take his frustration out on you instead, once heâs informed of the whole situation? He explicitly forbade you from joining the show, and now, youâve created quite a significant scandal.
â
Standing unfazed as Carl raged, Calvert regarded the spoiled heir with an impassive gaze.
He had spent years handling the wayward youth and was well-acquainted with these fits of temper.
Since childhood, Carl had careened out of control, with no one capable of reining in his whims.
Joining the show was just his latest act of rebellion.
Before Carl could retort, his phone rang, and the caller ID caused his bluster to evaporate.
âIâm sorry!â Carl scrambled to answer, holding out the phone deferentially.
âItâs my father.
Please, can you talk to him?â
Without uttering a word, Calvert accepted the phone and switched on the speaker.
Enraged yelling instantly reverberated through the room.
âYou worthless punk! Why did BRD withdraw funding? Get back here immediately!â
After the incident within the practice room, Arianaâs team was catapulted to fame, becoming a sensation online.
âI sense thereâs more to Arianaâs identity,â one fan commented with suspicion.
âShe brought Julio in the show and received support from the head director.
What kind of powerful background does she possess?â
âIf she truly doesnât have a sponsor as they claim, could she be a wealthy heiress?â Others wildly gossiped about Arianaâs enigmatic origins.
Nonetheless, most fans eagerly anticipated the next round of competition.
âSadie rated their team too low last time, creating a substantial gap in points between the groups,â one fan critiqued.
âItâll be a tough challenge for Arianaâs team to advance to the next round unless a miracle happens,â another predicted somberly.
âWith singing next, and their team seeming weak in that area compared to the others, itâs going to be challenging,â a fan observed.
âCanât wait to see what unfolds!â Many wrote with excitement.
Soon, it was time to film the much-anticipated second episode.
In contrast to the modest viewership of the premiere, Arianaâs team now drew record-breaking numbers to their livestream, emerging as the most viewed team by far.
As soon as the stream began, millions of eager fans tuned in.
Off-camera, the team members were also aware of the explosive growth in viewership.
Woodrow stood in the shadows, where even the Light makeup he wore couldnât conceal his nervous, pallid complexion.
Noticing his unease, Ariana asked gently, âWhatâs wrong? Are you not feeling well?â
Woodrow shook his head, stammering, âJust.
just nervous.
Iâm worried my singing will drag everyone down.
â
Singing was never his strong suit.
Painfully tone-deaf, heâd been criticized for it since childhood.
The songâs high range felt impossible for him to conquer.