Chapter 55

Emilia stayed collected and gave a halfhearted shrug. "I'll give it a shot."

"Why not turn to Oliver? His wealth and connections could smooth this over in a second,and you wouldn't even need to take the exam,"said Sloane.

If Emilia wanted to rely on her status, she could get whatever she wanted without asking anyone else. The problem was that Elias would catch on immediately.

Emilia had once saved Oliver's daughter, so asking him for support would have been simple and beyond suspicion.

"If I don't pass, I'll think about it then." Sliding on her sunglasses, Emilia slipped into the back seat with practiced ease. "Drive."

"Yes, Your Highness! The Sloane Express is fueled up and ready to launch." Sloane pressed her lips together, fighting back her laughter as she saluted dramatically. Their laughter spilled into the air,filling the car with lightness that made the moment feel untouchable.

At Oticester's Dance Academy.

"Did you hear? Someone actually stepped into the Challenge Tower. I wonder which dance she's going to be tested on."

"Who dares? No one's cleared that tower in two years."

"Word is it's a girl. Pretty, graceful. Want to sneak over and watch?"

"I'll pass. Looks aren't enough in there. She's too full of herself, and she'll be in tears before long."

"Or maybe she's just another influencer desperate for views. That's all they ever do-chasing attention without offering much else."

Word of a challenger inside the Dance Academy's infamous tower spread quickly,but most people weren't socked. Every year brought waves of hopefuls, and almost every year ended in disappointment. The few who dared often walked in with inflated egos or a thirst for online fame.

The ones who had spent years at the academy rarely paid attention to anyone stepping into the Challenge Tower. It was usually the newer students who gathered to watch, drawn in by the thrill of it all.

Hidden in the shadows, Sloane kept her eyes on the tower's entrance, her chest tight with nerves.

She worried that Emilia's long break from dancing might cause even the smallest slip,which would be enough to ruin her chances.

The exam left no room for error. The clock was merciless, and everything had to be finished flawlessly in one attempt.

Under a teacher's assessment, there would have been pauses between the dance trial and the written portions, but this exam offered no such mercy.

The crowd's chatter was harsh, mocking Emilia before she had even stepped out.

Many dismissed her as nothing more than a pretender looking for fame,and their words cut deep.

If Sloane weren't trying to avoid a scene, she would have already confronted them.

Once Emilia succeeded, it would silence every sneer and sting every skeptic, and Sloane couldn't wait to see that.

Minutes crawled past like hours.

At last, Emilia emerged from the Challenge Tower, her face calm and impossible to read.

"She's back! Look at her-so calm! Did she actually pull it off? Hurry,give us the results!"

"I kept track of the time. She finished ten minutes faster than the last person who cleared it three years ago. No way she passed."

"Yeah, I don't buy it either. Breaking that record is impossible."

Above them, the giant screen in front of the Challenge Tower continued its relentless countdown.