Chapter 137. Why Bother Showing Up?

Suddenly, a ray of sunlight burst through the theater doors, catching everyone’s eye. They all turned to see who it was, and a stunning figure emerged in the light.

The crowd was stunned. Sophia had arrived.

Bianca breathed a sigh of relief and eased her grip.

Zoey was surprised, biting her lip as she watched Sophia enter.

But as Sophia stepped closer to the stage and the audience got a good look at her, their expressions turned to disdain.

Sophia stood there, covered in dust, her clothes torn and frayed at the edges of her skirt, her hair a mess, and a dark bruise on her forehead. She looked quite messy.

Natalie couldn’t help but tease. “Sophia, how did you end up like that? People might think you were auditioning as a homeless person.”

Sophia ignored Natalie’s laughter, bowed respectfully to the judges, and said, “Ladies and gentlemen, I’m Sophia Johnson. I had a bit of trouble on my way here. I apologize for the delay.”

Lou