Among the trainees who had just performed, there were certainly those who sang foreign songs, but these choices often didn’t hold much advantage.
Due to copyright concerns, they usually selected lesser-known tracks that weren’t widely recognized, which meant their performances had to be exceptionally outstanding to truly impress the audience.
Just like with the song Isabella chose, many had never even heard of it.
However, as soon as Isabella finished speaking, the judges flipped open her introduction sheet and discovered that this song was actually an original composition by her!
While some trainees had tried the original route, none had been bold enough to challenge themselves with an original song in a singing and dancing performance.
After all, most original songs are simply a combination of two or three instruments playing melodies with common lyrical chord progres
After the initial stage recording concluded, everyone returned to the trainees' dormitories, which were assigned by group. Naturally, the A group had much better accommodations than the others.Isabella was paired with a trainee named Zinnia, who had a powerful soprano voice.Both were somewhat introverted, greeting each other before getting back to their own tasks. The atmosphere in their dormitory was quite peaceful, unlike the noisy chatter in other girls’ dorms.Meanwhile, Masha and Cynthia were assigned to the same dormitory.Since everyone had seen Masha sitting with Isabella earlier, and both were from Knight Entertainment, it wasn’t long before the others gathered around to gossip about Isabella.Today, Isabella’s impressive performance had indeed made her the center of attention.“Isabella is truly outstanding; she’s very dedicated,” Mash
Everyone was working hard, but amidst the effort, there were still moments for relaxation and chatting.However, Isabella had no time for idle chatter.For three straight days, if she wasn't in the practice room dancing, she was on the rooftop singing.While others took breaks to joke and play, she stood in front of the mirror, diligently refining her movements and expressions over and over again.Even though she was an impressive A-group trainee, she worked even harder than those beneath her who performed worse.Yet, all people wanted to hear and see were their own opinions. The others, witnessing Isabella’s dedication, didn’t admire her hard work; instead, they thought she was just putting on an act.Some believed she must not have the skills to succeed, which was why she needed to train so desperately.Only Masha understo
"Isabella, you're still amazing," Cynthia comforted her, then secretly turned off her microphone. Leaning in closer to Isabella, she patted her head in a feigned gesture of comfort while actually saying, "Who would have thought? No matter how well you dance, everyone still doesn’t like you, and you won’t be able to debut anyway."Upon hearing this, Isabella gently pushed Cynthia away, yet smiled at her, responding in a tone that was neither too loud nor too soft, "Thanks for your concern, how have you and your stepmother been lately?"This caused the surrounding trainees to lean in as if they wished their ears could grow longer to catch every bit of juicy gossip."We're doing well. Dad asked if you realize your mistakes; you can come home if you admit them," Cynthia was taken aback and hadn’t expected Isabella to say that. After recovering, she continued discussing family matters."It's okay;
During the second group assessment in the trainee camp, Isabella found that due to the reversal of public opinion, many people wanted to be in a group with her. Zinnia, Lylia, and Masha all joined her team.Coincidentally, the group limit was four members, and they delivered an excellent performance.After their performance, the scores would be combined with votes from fans online to determine which one-third of the hundred participants would be eliminated.Before the list was announced, to create an emotional atmosphere, the show’s production team allowed the trainees to call their family and friends, showcasing heartwarming moments.Seizing this opportunity, Cynthia immediately called her father, discussing how Isabella was in the trainee camp. As expected, her father reprimanded her, accusing her of doing things without informing the family.
It was unexpected that ‘Next Girls’ had become a major hit, especially with Isabella stunning everyone on her debut stage. This had catapulted her into the spotlight, and the rumors surrounding her and Derek had further increased her fame. As they walked down the street, some people recognized her.But unlike other rising stars, Isabella had a unique status—she was both popular and controversial. Thus, when people saw her, they didn’t rush over for selfies or autographs. Instead, they simply took out their phones and began filming her.Isabella understood that if she chose the path of acting, she would inevitably face this kind of attention. She didn’t mind it for herself, but with Lucius beside her, who wasn’t part of the industry, she wanted to protect him from being photographed. She stepped forward and said to the two girls, “Hi, were you just filming us?”“No, I was just taking pictures of the scenery. I wasn’
Within an hour, he had gathered all the information into a report and sent it to Lucius’s phone. He also managed to block all negative comments about Isabella across the internet.He made sure that all terms related to her were blacklisted in search engines on major platforms, hoping this would quell Lucius’s fury.He worked efficiently; Lysander knew him well.It turned out that after the ‘Next Girls’ announcement, Knight Entertainment had quickly arranged for both Isabella and Masha to participate. To prevent Masha from overshadowing Isabella, they had even scheduled them to perform separately.Knight Entertainment had been trying to promote Isabella, but the subsequent editing had taken an unexpected turn.The staff misunderstood Isabella's background, assuming she only wanted fame. As a result, they failed to consult the higher-ups and allowed her to become 'controv
Samuel continued to chatter about how he wanted to help Isabella as he walked alongside her up to the fourth floor of the dormitory.However, his so-called help amounted to nothing more than empty words, with no real action to back it up. It was as if he were blind, completely oblivious to the fact that Isabella was juggling bags in both hands, walking slowly while having to endure his incessant buzzing in her ear like a fly.Isabella had long grown accustomed to Samuel's annoying presence.If she responded to him, it would only encourage him to be even more persistent.So, she decided to pretend she hadn’t heard him at all, giving him no reaction.But the girl and her father following them up the stairs could no longer stand it. Her father pointed at Samuel and gently advised, “If you really want to help, you should take the girl’s things and carry them for her. Just t
Isabella hadn’t kept up with the rumors circulating online. After leaving the training camp, she was eager to get home, took a flight back, and rushed to her house. With the start of the new school term approaching, she had been busy eating out and shopping with Lucius, completely forgetting to address the rumors.The rumors continued to spread like wildfire online.But regardless, other people were now being dragged into the mess, and Isabella knew she couldn’t let things continue to spiral out of control.After a quick lunch in the cafeteria with Celia, Isabella hurried back to her dorm and called Mr. Derek.“Mr. Derek, this is Isabella.”“Oh, Isabella, aren’t you still at the training camp?” Mr. Derek was surprised to receive Isabella’s call.“I was eliminated. Recently, there have been rumors circulating that I have an improper relationship with
As if reading her thoughts, Lucius embraced her and held her face, looking into her eyes. “I love you,” he admitted, his gaze unwavering. “I always have. Ever since the first time we met, I admired your strength and your passion. I wanted to be someone you could rely on, someone who would stand by you, even if it meant hiding who I was.”Isabella searched his eyes for any sign of deception, but all she found was raw honesty. The realization settled within her like a weight being lifted. The anger that had flared between them now seemed trivial compared to the bond they had forged through adversity. “No more secrets, okay?”“Agreed,” he said, relief flooding his features. “I promise to be honest with you from here on out. And please don’t worry about the Rivera Corporation. I’ll help you resolve everything.”“You know?” Isabella blinked, startled once again.“I said I was on a business trip because I’m helping you solve the problems at the Rivera Corporation. Your father is critically i
When Isabella finally finished her work and could take a moment to rest, she remembered that someone was waiting for her at home. She quickly took out her phone to send a message.She had expected to find numerous missed calls and messages from Lucius, given his personality, but to her surprise, there was only one message.“Bella, I’ll be busy traveling with my boss for the next few days, so don’t worry about me.”Of course, Lucius had his own life and couldn’t revolve entirely around her. Yet, for some reason, Isabella felt uneasy upon reading that message.As fatigue set in, she had no choice but to rest in the office for a while.She slept soundly until night fell and was awakened by Nate shaking her.“Miss, there’s a banquet tonight where you need to attend as the representative of the Rivera Corporation. We can't let others see us in a bad light; it’s best if you can bring in some investment for the company,” Nate said, immediately arranging for a stylist and a wardrobe for Isabe
"Are you sure it’s not needed?"“Miss, what do you mean?” Nate, perceptive and sharp, immediately understood after hearing Isabella’s words—Regina was involved.Isabella nodded and said to Nate, “Before, when I was slandered, I had a huge argument with my father because I discovered that Regina was behind the losses of the Rivera Corporation. But I only heard fragments of her conversation; I had no evidence.”“I’ll go retrieve the accounts! As long as there are financial transactions, we should be able to uncover the truth,” Nate said, quickly heading towards the company.After all, with Carlos in his current state, only the doctors and nurses could help him now.Once Nate left, no one else appeared outside the hospital room.Isabella dialed Regina’s number.
As Isabella listened to their conversation, a realization struck her. She stepped forward, hesitating for a moment before asking, “Is this the woman you saw?”Barely able to contain her excitement, she pulled out a photo of her mother and handed it to the person who had been speaking.“Yes, yes, that’s her!” The person, startled by Isabella’s sudden appearance, nodded in recognition. After all, such a beautiful woman was unforgettable after just one meeting.“I clearly remember that she was kidnapped by a man living in this building, and Regina was being chased by debt collectors. She even tried to confront that man, provoking him and putting herself at risk with those pursuing her for money.”“Oh, isn’t that just typical of her? Deep in debt and not even trying to earn her way out,” one person scoffed.“I can’t believe it!” Isabella clenched her fists in anger, her eyes wide with disbelief.Her mother had only mentioned her benefactor once,
“You don’t even share the Knight last name, and you dare to argue with me in front of my parents, and my own nephew? You really have some nerve!” Giselle coldly shot a glance at Lydia, not holding back her disdain for her. When it came to matters of interest, she didn’t even want to pretend anymore.“What do you mean I don’t share the last name? I’ve carried a Knight family member in my belly! My poor Lily is still in the hospital, all alone, receiving treatment while her mother is being bullied like this. It’s really inhumane!” Lydia put on her usual act, crying and making a scene, appealing to everyone’s sympathy for her sick daughter.Lydia was merely the daughter of a subordinate of Lucius’ father—Jay. At a banquet, she climbed the social ladder and successfully became Jay’s mistress, even getting pregnant.She gave birth to a daughter, Lily Knight, but the child was born frail and weak.
“Did they send you as a negotiator?” Hearing Lysander mention the Knight family, Lucius couldn't help but sneer, dismissively saying, “They’re all useless leeches clinging to me. None of them genuinely care about my well-being.”The reason Lucius had been gravely injured in front of Isabella was recently revealed to be the work of a business competitorBut at that time, some members of the Knight family weren’t in a hurry to find him; they even tried to take advantage of his absence to seize control of the Knight Group.The ‘useless’ people Lucius referred to included his stepmother—Lydia, his aunt—Giselle, and Lydia's brother, Hans.They all had their eyes on the Knight Group, clearly incompetent and unable to do anything, yet they harbored grand ambitions of taking it for themselves.Over the years, Lucius had cleaned up many of their messes.Fo
Seeing that the crowd was about to be won over by Isabella, Samuel couldn’t hold back his frustration any longer. He turned and walked away, almost fleeing, and his back looked utterly defeated.“I do not regret choosing Aetheron Film Academy; it has always been my dream school because it is open-minded and inclusive, a place where all aspiring performers wish to be. So today, I will not shy away from being broad-minded and accommodating of everyone’s opinions. Now that I stand on this stage, I am not just myself; I am embodying a character whose image is open to any judgment. Thus, I welcome all your doubts.”“However, I also hope everyone can think critically and analyze dialectically. It’s best to bring strong evidence before questioning me. When you defame me, don’t just follow the crowd; have your own insights. If you have grievances against me, feel free to confront me directly; I am never afraid.”“Lastly, I
Clearly, Isabella's powerful presence had intimidated them.In the audience, surrounded by so many people, it was easy for them to hurl defamatory remarks and throw a few paper balls without fear of being immediately identified by Isabella. They felt shielded by their large numbers.But when Isabella asked who among them could replace her, no one dared to speak up. Many of them bowed their heads, afraid to meet her gaze, fearing that if they made eye contact with her, they might be called up to the stage.However, not everyone present was without courage. Some were accustomed to bullying Isabella under the cover of numbers, while others genuinely disliked her due to the rumors circulating about her. One of these was Molly.Glancing around, Molly noticed that those who had thrown things the hardest were silent, not daring to contradict Isabella. Without fear, she stood up, becoming the center
After wrapping up the matter, Isabella went to Aetheron Film Academy for classes.Today was her opening ceremony, and due to her excellent grades, she had been chosen to represent the freshmen and give a speech.Such things had always been routine for Isabella.Having excelled academically throughout her life, Isabella was not intimidated at all; she delivered her speech as the representative of the new students with great fluency. “I’m very happy to enter Aetheron Film Academy and become a diligent student of Aetheron. In the near future, we will surely be the creators of this glorious era.”However, just as she was concluding her speech, someone in the audience threw a rotten egg at her, hitting her squarely.Wearing a pure white dress that day, the foul-smelling egg not only covered her in a terrible odor but also instantly stained her dress, causing the crowd to eru