Chapter 623

Leonard Herty's brow furrowed as he sat at the judges' panel.

Natalie Riley leaned closer. "Mr. Herty, is something wrong?"

Leonard took a sip from his thermos. "Doesn't the 49th composition sound familiar to you?"

Having just evaluated the 50th piece, Natalie struggled to recall the previous melody.

She requested the audio team to replay the 49th entry. After listening twice, recognition flickered in her eyes. "It does sound familiar, but I can't quite place it."

Natalie checked the live stream comments on her phone. The chat was exploding with observations.

[That 49th piece sounds identical to the viral melody from TikTok last week! Just slightly rearranged.]

[Wasn't that melody involved in a plagiarism scandal?]

[So contestant 49 is plagiarizing too?]

Though cleverly modified, music professionals could instantly identify the stolen composition.

Natalie whispered, "The rules state all compositions must be original works created within 48 hours. If someone submits pre-existing material..."

Leonard's expression darkened. "That's automatic disqualification."

"What if it's outright plagiarism?" Natalie pressed.

Leonard's voice turned icy. "Then we remove them from the competition immediately."

Natalie handed him her phone. "You should see this."

Cassandra Brown slipped out of the dressing room.

Isabella Morgan had revealed that Evelyn Carter composed the 50th entry. The news unsettled Cassandra deeply.

If Evelyn placed higher than her in the competition, Cassandra's position as principal cellist would become a joke.

She couldn't risk that humiliation.

In the instrument storage area, a staff member stood guard.

As the 49th contestant, Cassandra pretended to retrieve her cello. Passing Evelyn's instrument, she discreetly used a razor to sever the strings.

The sabotage wouldn't be visible until played. Either the string would snap mid-performance or throw the instrument out of tune.

Cassandra smirked, imagining Evelyn's public humiliation before the judges and live audience.

This was payback for those two weeks in jail after Evelyn called the police. Humming, Cassandra returned to the dressing room with her cello.

Isabella raised an eyebrow. "You seem cheerful."

No cameras meant they could speak freely.

Cassandra kept her tone light. "Just handled some business. That 50th entry you were worried about? Consider it neutralized."

Isabella feigned ignorance but gave a knowing smile. "You're on soon. Let's warm up."

Performers had thirty minutes to prepare before taking the stage in sequence.

After changing into her performance gown, Evelyn went to collect her cello.

She always inspected her instrument before playing. But when she set it down in the dressing room, a string snapped without warning, lashing her cheek.

"Ah!"

The sharp pain made her gasp. Blood welled from the thin cut on her right cheek.

She dabbed at the wound, letting the stinging subside. Makeup would slow healing, so she arranged her hair to conceal the injury.

Examining the broken string, Evelyn's frown deepened. These were new strings, replaced just last week.

The clean, precise cut showed deliberate tampering.

Her pulse quickened. The 49th contestant was already performing. No time to investigate.

A staff member knocked. "Five minutes, Ms. Carter."

Panic fluttered in Evelyn's chest. Without that string, she couldn't perform.

Other cellists surrounded her, but none would lend their instrument to a competitor.

Then she remembered - Natalie Riley always brought her personal cello. But they'd never formally met.

Would approaching her be inappropriate?

Cassandra and Isabella left the stage, confident in their performances.

The live voting display showed their names climbing into the top three.

Cassandra's heart raced. She might actually win.

Isabella looked equally determined.

Then the spotlight shifted to the 50th performer.

Evelyn walked onstage in a satin gown, her hair cascading over one shoulder, graceful despite her pregnancy.

Isabella's eyes burned with jealousy at Evelyn's flawless figure.

Cassandra's lips curled when she recognized Evelyn's cello. Any moment now...

But as Evelyn played, the sabotaged string held firm.

Cassandra's smile faltered. This wasn't supposed to happen.