When thepetition in Studio 1001 was over, Sebastian announced the result directly. “Rachel is the winner and she’ll be my student. Thank you all foring.”


    The other contestants were sighing and looking enviously at Rachel.


    On the stage, Rachel, who was standing under the spotlight, looked very happy.


    She thought, ‘See? I’m the best.“‘


    Tyler wasn’t as happy as others. He tugged at Sebastian’s sleeves unpleasantly and said, “Give Laura another chance. Rachel was unlikely to be the winner if Laura was here.”


    Hearing that, Rachel stopped smiling and looked at Tyler, pissed.


    She thought, ‘I would be the winner no matter what happened. Laura is no better than me!‘


    However, she still turned to look at Sebastian nervously.


    Sebastian was determined. “I’ve told you that I didn’t want a kid who didn’t appreciate the opportunity to be my student, Tyler. She waste.”


    Rachel breathed a sigh of relief.


    Hearing that, Tyler lowered his head dejectedly, like an unhappy Golden Retriever.


    Although Sebastian listened to him most of the time, he couldn’t change anything since Laura had made a mistake.


    Sebastian looked at Rachel and said, “You just passed the first test today. There will be more tests for youter. I need you toe back with me to learn some basics. Are you free today?”


    She nodded excitedly and said, “Of course, Mr. Fuller! I’m always free!”


    Sebastian nodded, suppressed his disappointment, and walked out of the studio.


    Taron had been looking around the corner. Seeing Sebastiane out, he immediately sent a voice message to someone. “They’re going into the elevator, Zayn!”


    Seeing the message, Zayn said <i>to </i>Laura, “Get ready.”


    Laura nodded nervously and looked up at the elevator going slowly from the tenth floor.


    Just then, Xander squatted in front of her and stared at the wound on her leg. “Forgive me.”


    She was confused.


    The next second, Xander tore open the wound on her leg!


    Being caught off guard, she groaned, “Ouch!”


    09:29


    Aug


    Zayn’s face darkened. “What are you doing, Xander?”


    Jasper and Everett were also confused. “Why did you do this to Laura?”


    Xander pushed up his sses and calmly watched Laura bleed from her knee. “You’ll see.”


    With a nk face, he got up and picked up his violin to get ready.


    Seeing the elevator go down, Sebastian was more irritated.


    He had been looking forward to Laura’s performance for thest three days, but she waste.


    It disappointed him so much.


    After taking a nce at his cold look, Rachel knew that he was still mad at Laura.


    With a brighter smile, she looked Meriel in the eye and grinned.


    She felt so happy about her victory.


    At the same time, the elevator bell rang. “First floor.”


    Sebastian got out of the elevator unhappily with his hands behind his back. As he turned the corner, he was shocked by what he saw.


    Rachel’s smile suddenly disappeared.


    Meriel’s smirk was reced by a look of panic.


    Tyler, who was feeling restless, broke the silence in surprise. “Wow!”


    They saw a small band.


    Zayn sat at the piano in a white shirt and suit pants, with his hair falling on his forehead, making him look like a noble


    prince.


    Sitting diagonally in front of him was Everett with his cor open and hair side parting, ying the drum while raising his eyebrows at Sebastian.


    Jasper<b>, </b>who was ying the cello, elegantly nced sideways at them.


    Xander stood behind Laura, ying the violin intently.


    In apaniment with the violin, Everett yed the jazz drums while Zayn yed the piano and Jasper yed the cello.


    Laura stood behind the microphone in Mary Jane shoes, dancing in ce. Blood from her knees flowed onto the floor, staining it red.


    Tyler looked at the wound on her body in astonishment. “Did she get hurt?”


    Without saying anything, Sebastian fixed his eyes on her bleeding leg and then on her.


    Laura smiled brightly as if she couldn’t feel the pain, singing in decent Hamptonese. The song told a story about a couple who embraced in the snow and made promises to each other.


    Everyone found this song familiar, like a popr song from many years ago.


    Rachel seemed to guess it. “is it ‘Love Song‘ by Seven Princesses?”


    Seven Princesses was a popr children’s choir many years ago and its songs were great for Laura to perform.


    Most importantly, Laura’s pronunciation was perfect, her dance was well–designed, and her expressions were appropriate. The audience wouldn’t think she was pretending. They would believe that she was born for this song.


    ‘How is that possible?‘ Rachel thought, looking at Sebastian in disbelief.


    Sebastian stared at Laura intently, unable to take his eyes off her.


    Despite her bleeding leg, she gave a very professional performance without showing any pain.


    Behind her, Xander was ying the violin gracefully while Jasper was ying the cello as a background sound.


    Everett, who was ying the drums, was obviously very engaged, and he even nodded to the music.


    Zayn was intensely focused on the sheet music. Although it was his first time to y this piece, he had no intention of stopping.


    This small band yed perfectly together.


    As the music came to an end, Laura put down her hands and gently sang the final section of the song.


    The couple in the song gazed into each other’s eyes, promising to stay by each other’s side for the rest of their lives.


    As the piano grew louder, Laura’s voice became louder too.


    Zayn, Everett, and Jasper were harmonizing with her!


    Seeing this, Rachel opened her mouth in surprise.


    The three boys sang the lower parts, highlighting Laura’s high notes beautifully. When Everett finished thest drumbeat, the performance came to a perfect end.


    Laura made a heart shape with her hands and sweetly smiled at the audience.


    Sebastian stared at her in silence.


    Tyler was so excited that he yelled, “Terrific performance, Laura!”


    Laura bowed deeply to <b>Sebastian</b>, breathing heavily. “I’m sorry for beingte. I could have been there thirty minutes early, but I ran into two car idents on the way. After I finally arrived, the elevator was broken, so I had to take the stairs to the tenth floor. Unfortunately, they wouldn’t let me in. Please trust me. I didn’t mean it!”


    Having tears in her eyes<b>, </b>she raised her head and showed Sebastian her wounded arm and palm. “I’m telling the truth. The


    09:30 Fri, 29 Aug


    surveince video can prove it.”


    Tyler pped his hands excitedly and said, “See? I told you that she wouldn’t bete. I was never wrong about her. You have to forgive her, Sebastian!”


    Sebastian nced at him indifferently and said, “You talked <i>too </i>much.”


    Then he looked at Laura’s bleeding leg and asked, “What kind of car hit you? Did he apologize to you?”


    Laura grabbed the hem of her dress nervously and said, “It was an electric scooter. I was distracted. He hit me and ran.”


    “Really?” Sebastian said with a meaningful look, “Was your car hit while driving normally?”


    She nodded and said, “The car on the other side suddenly came at me, but fortunately, I sat on the other side.”


    As soon as she finished speaking, the driver rushed into the hall and came to grab Laura by her shoulder. “I’m sorry, Ms. Yale. That guy wouldn’t let me leave no matter what I said. Are you okay? Did you make it to thepetition?”


    Laura shook her head and patted the driver on his shoulder. “I’m fine. I’ve finished my performance!”


    The driver was still a little scared. “But you were hurt!”


    Sebastian looked through the ss door at the broken Rolls–Royce parked outside, feeling pissed.


    Then he turned to Rachel subconsciously.


    Rachel gritted her teeth and red at Laura with veins bulging on her forehead.


    However, she softened her gaze when she noticed that Sebastian was looking at her.


    She thought, ‘Damn! How could Laura shamelessly perform at the entrance to the hall? Doesn’t she feel embarrassed?


    ‘And those boys! Isn’t it said that the Smith boys dislike her? Why would they help her?‘


    She looked at Meriel angrily, hoping for help.


    However, Meriel looked frightened as if she was hiding from someone.


    Sebastian said coldly with a stern face, “What did I tell you earlier, Linda? Do not let Laura in if she’ste. Why didn’t tell me that she waste because she got hurt?”


    Linda was also confused. He turned to his subordinates and asked, “Why didn’t you tell me?”


    The man lowered his head guiltily and said in a muffled voice, “Didn’t you ask me not to let Laura in no matter what, Linda? I just did what you told me.”


    Linda was so pissed. “Can’t you tell the seriousness of the matter? You could have informed us that she was injured. We’re not heartless people. Fortunately, she’s smart enough to know how to turn the tide. Otherwise, we would all be responsible for this!”


    The man lowered his head and said nothing, ncing at Meriel secretly.


    09:30 Fri, 29 Aug


    Meriel looked away immediately and swallowed nervously.


    Zayn and Xander noticed it and squinted.


    Zayn said, “I suspect that someone deliberately prevented Laura frompeting.”


    Sebastian looked mad. “I agree. It wasn’t just an ident.”