Chapter 772



Sophie’s brows furrowed, momentarily caught off guard by how simple the proposal sounded. Sophie was about to agree when Rola smirked and added, “But on one condition. Since you’re asking me to leave this room for that pathetic participant, I get to set the rules. I’ll play on my piano while you use that beat-up one. How about that?”

Sophie’s expression darkened. “That’s just stacking the odds against me.”

Anyone who understood pianos knew the difference in sound quality between cheaper and more expensive ones. Personal instruments were fine for practice, but competitions always provided high-grade pianos. Competing on different pianos was clearly unfair. It was clear Rola was making things difficult for Sophie on purpose.

Rola’s smirk widened. “Afraid you’ll lose? If you don’t want to compete, that’s fine. I’ll just inform that poor girl’s sponsor to stop sponsoring her. You shouldn’t have intervened just to show off your kindness. Let’s be clear—if you lose to me, she loses everything, including the sponsorship. Consider this a lesson for you.”

Kallie, who had initially believed this was just a children’s quarrel and didn’t need her involvement, couldn’t stand by any longer. Hearing such cruelty from someone so young was shocking. Stepping forward, she placed a hand on Sophie’s shoulder.

“Don’t worry. Go ahead and compete with her. If the girl’s sponsor pulls out, I’ll make sure to sponsor her myself.”

Sophie’s face lit up with newfound confidence. She mimicked Rola’s arrogant stance and met her gaze. “I’m not afraid of you. Let’s have a competition. You’re wealthy, but there are a lot of powerful people out there. If you do this, you’ll only make more enemies.”

Rola’s expression twisted in anger. Kallie had never seen such a fierce expression on a child’s face before. Suddenly, Clayton’s warnings about the dangers of the local gangs seemed all too real and well-founded. But Kallie shrugged off the concerns. Faced with challenges, she would confront them head-on instead of cowering.

Shortly, two pianos were brought in. One was the rickety instrument belonging to the timid girl, and the other, a gleaming million-dollar Steinway, proudly owned by Rola. Rola raised her chin, letting her fingers dance across the keys in a show of superiority. It sounded like a delicate ripple in the water. Even the most random notes came together in harmony. Rola even brought in judges.

The crowd gathered, and several people, recognizing Rola’s status, applauded her without hesitation. Rola exuded confidence, completely dismissing Sophie as a serious competitor.

But Sophie remained calm, staring at the piano in front of her. It wasn’t the brand she was used to, but her years of practice weren’t for nothing. She believed in herself.

Noticing Sophie’s calm demeanor, Rola sneered. “Let’s see how long you can keep up this little show of yours. I’ll go first so you can see how skilled I am. But if you’re scared, you can just drop out. I won’t be mad.”

Sophie remained composed, a serene smile on her face. “After you,” she said, gesturing for Rola to begin, making Rola appear even more unreasonable.

Rola scoffed, bumping Sophie’s shoulder as she strutted past.

With such a fine piano, unless Rola’s skills were truly lacking, the music would be delightful. And anyone competing here surely possessed some level of talent. Although Rola’s performance was certainly enjoyable, her technique remained average.

Still, the audience clapped loudly, more out of obligation than admiration.

Rola felt a surge of pride and cast Sophie a challenging look.

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