Chapter 71 Good Night, Elizabeth
The Starlight Group's publicity department was already in motion the moment Sherry finished performing her song, "Fly High".
Within minutes, their team began pushing the track across every major platform, paying top-tier influencers to spread the buzz.
Ronan, standing near one of the large monitors in the control room, frowned slightly. "Shouldn't we wait until Jessa's performance is over before we start pushing?"
It wasn't that he doubted Sherry's talent. In truth, Ronan suspected that Sherry's past attempts to suppress Jessa might have been motivated by a quiet fear—that Jessa's musical gift could be even greater than hers.
Liam, calm as ever, shook his head. "No need. We're only promoting Sherry's "Fly High". We're not exaggerating or dragging anyone down."
Ronan thought about it and nodded. They were just doing publicity, nothing more.
The Starlight Group never hesitated to spend money on promotion. With well-known bloggers posting and sharing, Sherry's song quickly caught attention in the hyper-connected online world.
Fans began switching their channels to "Let's Sing Together", eager to vote for Sherry.
But just as they tuned in, a voice unlike any they had heard before filled the air—a pure, ethereal sound that seemed to reach directly into the heart.
On stage stood Jessa, dressed in a sharp suit and black trousers, her hair pulled high in a sleek style.
Her voice was airy yet powerful, each note carrying a weight that made the audience hold their breath. The lyrics struck deep, and as they listened, tears began to well in their eyes.
"These mortals… they too wish to fly free, yet life never allows it."
The song's meaning was clear, and Jessa delivered it flawlessly. The Starlight Group's intent had been to draw new fans to Sherry, but those newcomers found themselves captivated instead by the woman on stage.
Jessa had succeeded. She had perfectly conveyed the emotional depth Elizabeth had poured into the song when she wrote it.
Her popularity was skyrocketing.
Down in the audience, Daisy stood with her hands over her mouth, tears spilling freely as she applauded.
Jessa's own eyes glistened under the stage lights.
As the final notes faded, she formed a huge heart with her hands toward the camera, then lifted the microphone. "Yvonne… thank you for giving me the chance to sing this song. I love you."
Backstage, Sherry's hand jerked, knocking over her thermos.
Yvonne?
Jessa had sung a song written by Yvonne!
Della bent down to pick up the thermos, relieved they were in the backstage dressing room and not out in front of the cameras.
On the monitor, Jessa stood under the lights, and the crowd—regardless of whose fan they were—rose to their feet, clapping and cheering for her.
Sherry's voice tightened with frustration. "Armando once tried to contact Yvonne for me, to see if she'd write a few songs. She refused."
Della's eyes narrowed. "We should find out who Yvonne really is."
Sherry gave a small, cold nod, her gaze fixed on the screen.
In the publicity department of the Starlight Group, silence hung heavy.
Sherry had entered the competition with the goal of winning the Newcomer Award for that episode.
Liam broke the stillness. "Keep pushing. Jessa's performance is done. We need to get ahead of her team before they start promoting her."
If they could secure more votes early, they might still win.
Ronan glanced at his phone, then handed it to Liam. "Too late. Quin Agency is already promoting. Look at these videos."
Meanwhile, at the Carlton Hotel's luxury suite, Timothy stepped out of the bathroom, a white towel wrapped low around his hips. His expression was cold and sharp—until he saw Elizabeth lounging on the sofa.
The severity in his gaze softened instantly. He sat beside her, eyes on the live broadcast. "You're watching the whole show?"
Elizabeth smiled at the sight of Jessa's heartfelt declaration on stage. She turned to Timothy, her eyes bright, as if she had found a new direction.
"Mr. Robinson… carry me to the bath."
His brows lifted slightly. "Alright."
He scooped her up effortlessly, his arms strong and steady, and carried her into the bathroom. Setting her down, he turned on the bathwater.
Just as he turned back, Elizabeth rose on tiptoe and brushed her lips against his.
He lifted her onto the sleek black marble counter, his lips curling into a faint smile.
"Why aren't you staying at Greenview Mansion?"
Elizabeth gave a soft hum, biting his shoulder to muffle any sound.
"That place is already Emma's. It wasn't my purchase anyway,"he explained. But there wasn't time for explanations.
Two hours later, Timothy carried Elizabeth out of the bathroom and laid her on the bed, pulling the covers over her long, enticing legs.
Elizabeth's eyes were half-closed, her voice lazy. "Mr. Robinson, turn off my laptop, please."
"Let's Sing Together" had ended while she was in the bath. She had heard the announcement—Jessa had won the Newcomer Award.
She wondered if Sherry would be able to sleep tonight.
Elizabeth certainly would.
Timothy dimmed the bedside lamp before closing her laptop. Only then did he lie down beside her, pulling her close.
His lips brushed the back of her neck, his voice low. "Elizabeth… good night."
"Good night."
Across the city, Sherry drove straight to Imperial Garden after the show ended.
The moment she stepped into the living room, she heard Sloane crying.
Her face hardened. "What's going on? Why is Sloane crying?"
Eloise, who was holding the child, looked apologetic. "I'm sorry, Miss Scott. I don't know why Miss Johnson keeps crying. She's eating and drinking fine, her temperature is normal."
Sherry had already been fuming over the night's disappointing results. The crying only deepened her irritation.
"Has Armando come back?"
Axel shook his head. "Not yet."
Sherry walked over to Sloane, then looked up at Eloise. "Calm her down quickly. If she keeps crying, she'll damage her throat. If you can't manage, I'll find someone who can."
Eloise nodded quickly, bouncing the child in her arms.
But Sloane kept crying.
Sherry turned away, heading upstairs to shower.
She soaked in the bath, scrolling through her tablet. Every algorithm seemed determined to push her videos of Jessa's performance of "Bird".
Sherry let out a cold laugh. It was only the beginning. She didn't believe Jessa could stay popular for long—one song didn't make a career.
It was all Yvonne's fault for ruining her plans.
She shut off the tablet and rose from the bath after twenty minutes.
By the time she had dried her hair and stepped out, Armando was sitting on the sofa, resting with his elbow on the armrest. He looked up at the sound of her footsteps.
"Did you watch my performance tonight?"she asked, settling onto his lap and resting her head against his chest. Her voice was tinged with disappointment. "I lost. I wanted that Newcomer Award."
Armando's tone was calm. "One failure doesn't mean anything."
"I know… but I'm still a bit down."She tilted her head to look at him. "Last time, you had Tom try to contact Yvonne for me. Do you know her real name?"
"No. Why?"
Sherry smiled faintly. "I want to visit her in person, ask her to write me a song. The one she wrote for Jessa tonight is the reason I lost."
She thought Tom could find Yvonne faster than she could.
Armando's voice was cool, almost lazy. "You can talk to Mr. Davis tomorrow."
Sherry smiled again, leaning in to kiss him.
He didn't move, letting her kiss him.
"Armando?"
His hand slid to the back of her head, pulling her into a deeper kiss. After a moment, he murmured, "I'm going to shower. You should drink a glass of milk before bed—you must be tired."
Sherry's heart gave a small, uneasy thump. Since returning from Harmony City days ago, he hadn't made love to her once.
Something felt… off.