Chapter 236
Sitting right next to Laura, her voice floated through the hall, clear and almost lazy as it slipped from the microphone.
“Olivia cheated.”
The second Charlotte looked up, someone in the crowd recognized her.
“Isn’t that Olivia’s sister?”
“No wonder she knew where the music came from. If even her sister is calling her out, it must be true!”
The whispers swelled. Olivia’s face drained of color. She started shaking, her whole body trembling as she completely lost her cool.
“What are you saying?” Olivia yelled at Charlotte, her voice cracking. “Are you really so jealous that you’d ruin me just because I’m better than you at everything?”
“Charlotte, I’m your sister! How could you do this to me?”
The room fell into chaos, everyone trying to figure out what was really happening. It was obvious. Only one person could settle this—-Echo.
Amid the noise, the organizer looked like he was about to melt into a puddle of nerves. He glanced at Laura, who was staring at Charlotte, lost in thought. His voice was barely more than a whisper. “Laura, can Echo come here in person?”
Laura checked her email. Nothing. Email was her only way to reach Echo, and there was no reply. Her hands tightened around her phone.
“I’ll try sending another email Laura frowned, typing out a message. Before she could finish, Charlotte spoke again, her voice calm and cold.
“No need. I’m right here.”
Laura turned, stunned. Did Charlotte know Echo?
Charlotte’s eyes softened just a bit, but there was a quiet strength in the way she held herself the air around. her felt heavy, and everyone seemed to sense it as she spoke, voice steady.
“I am Echo.”
The whole hall went silent.
For a few seconds, nobody moved. Then the silence broke with scattered gasps and bursts of laughter.
“Did she just say she’s Echo?”
“Is she crazy or something? How can she just say that?”
“Is anyone actually going to do something here? Are we all just supposed to sit and
watch her spin stories? Where’s Echo?”
People began talking over each other, their looks full of doubt and ridicule.
But Laura just sat there, caught between disbelief and something she couldn’t quite name. Her mind flashed back to Charlotte playing piano backstage. The music, the rhythm, the skill it was nothing ordinary. In fact, it was just like Echo’s.
But she’s just a teenager… How could she be Echo? Laura felt her thoughts unraveling, her heart pounding with nerves. What was really happening?
The organizer, already on edge,
し
finally lost it. “If you keep interrupting, I’ll have you thrown outh he snapped at Charlotte, the turned to Laura desperate. Laura, where is Echo?”
Laura looked at Charlotte and met her gaze. Charlotte’s eyes were sharp, calm, and unblinking. Laura felt a chill run through her.
“I’ll contact Echo right now,” she said.
She pulled out her phone. If Charlotte really was Echo, she’d get the email. Laura
typed the message, her fingers trembling, and pressed send.
Two seconds later, the unmistakable sound of an email notification chimed right next to her.