Chapter 130: And The Winner Is!

Ruby turned around in her vanity chair, leaning up to press a quick, sweet kiss onto my cheek. "Wish me luck," she whispered.

Instead of stepping back, I caught her gently by the waist, leaned down, and kissed her straight on the lips—a deep, confident kiss that completely stole the air right out of her lungs.

When I pulled back, she sat there utterly stunned, her cheeks flushing bright crimson. Her violet eyes were wide with a mix of awe and absolute adoration, looking at me as if every dream she’d ever chased had just coalesced into that exact second.

"You’ve got this," I said smoothly, giving her a calm, grounding smirk.

"I—yeah... yeah, I definitely do," she stammered out, holding her hand over her chest as her heart raced.

Before she could fully catch her breath, the backstage doors opened, and Chloe, Patricia, and May walked in together, having cleared security from the VIP lounge.

"Look at you," Chloe said with an admiring smile, taking in Ruby’s floor-length, shimmering gown. "You look absolutely stunning."

"No doubt about it," May agreed, stepping up with her signature grin and bumping Ruby’s shoulder playfully. "You’re going to tear that stage apart, Ruby. Leave nothing behind."

Patricia handed her a small glass of warm honey water. "Your voice is primed and perfect tonight. Just remember who you are when you take that mic."

Surrounded by everyone, the lingering nerves completely evaporated, replaced by an unstoppable rush of excitement. Ruby looked around at all of us, her smile radiant and full of fire.

"Two minutes, Ruby!" the stage director called out, gesturing frantically toward the wings.

"Go knock them dead," I murmured.

Ruby took one last look at me, squeezed my hand tightly, and stepped out from backstage toward the blinding lights and roar of the arena.

We stood together near the side-stage monitors, right at the edge of the wings, watching her step into the blinding spotlight.

The moment the music started and the stadium lights cut through the haze, the atmosphere in the arena shifted. Ruby didn’t just sing—she commanded the entire room. Her stage presence was electric, moving with an effortless, hypnotic grace that had thousands of people completely locked onto her every move.

Chloe leaned in slightly, a quiet look of genuine respect in her eyes. May folded her arms with a proud grin, while Patricia watched with a soft, beaming smile.

I kept my eyes fixed on her as the song built up to the bridge—the exact moment where she had been straining and forcing the note just days ago.

Ruby took a deep, composed breath, tilted her head back, and struck the note.

It hit the arena like a thunderclap—flawless, resonant, and soaring effortlessly through the air without a single hint of tension. The crowd erupted into wild cheers and applause, the energy in the building spiking to a absolute fever pitch.

Her confidence on stage wasn’t just back; it was higher than I had ever seen it. There was a raw, captivating fire in her eyes every time she glanced toward the wings, a radiant glow that went far beyond mere vocal technique. That kiss backstage had completely shattered her doubts and unlocked something legendary inside her.

As the final note echoed and the entire stadium stood up in a roaring applause.

Ruby lowered the mic, breathing heavily, bathed in the thunderous roar of the crowd, her eyes locked straight onto mine through the stage lights.

The moment the house lights shifted and the stage cue ended, Ruby practically flew down the backstage steps and straight into my arms.

"I did it!" she gasped, her face flushed and eyes shining as she wrapped her arms tightly around my neck. "Ethan, did you hear that crowd?!"

"Every single word," I smiled, catching her easily and holding her close for a second before setting her down.

"You completely crushed it, Ruby," Chloe said, stepping up to hand her a glass of water while giving her a rare, warm hug. "That note alone locked the whole night down."

"Told you you’d tear the place apart," May chuckled, giving Ruby a light slap on the shoulder that almost knocked her off balance. "Pure power up there."

Patricia wiped a stray tear from her eye, laughing softly. "It was beautiful, Ruby. Truly legendary."

While they were celebrating, surrounded by the high energy of the backstage corridors, my mind stayed sharp and analytical. Ruby had just delivered an S-rank performance, but Quin Records and Fastine Hope didn’t play fair. If a label was corrupt enough to run systematic blackouts on an independent artist’s ticket sales, buying off a panel of award judges was well within their playbook. Pure talent alone wasn’t going to guarantee that trophy if the envelope had already been paid for behind closed doors.

Good thing my trick is already running in the background, I thought, a cold, calculating smirk touching my lips.

The overhead monitors flickered, and the voice of the floor manager echoed down the hallway: "All nominees for Best New Artist to the main auditorium! Category is live in two minutes!"

"Alright," I said, smoothing down the lapels of my jacket and looking around at the group. "Let’s go take what’s yours."

We walked out of the backstage area together, stepping back through the VIP tunnels and into the glittering, high-stakes arena just as the presenter walked out onto the main stage toward the podium.

We took our seats in the front row of the VIP section just as the ambient house lights dimmed and the stage spotlights converged on the presenter at the podium.

Ruby sat right beside me, leaning in close and lacing her fingers through mine. She had a wide, excited smile on her face, completely riding the high of her performance. In her mind, the crown was already hers—and based on the thunderous ovation she had just received, anyone in the arena would have thought the same.

But I held her hand tight, my mind staying sharp and guarded. I knew how corrupt this industry could get when major money was on the line.

"Up next," the presenter announced into the crisp audio system, "the award for Best New Artist of the Year!"

The massive LED screens behind the stage lit up, flashing through the video packages of each nominee.

When Ruby’s name and performance clip appeared, the entire auditorium erupted into wild, deafening cheers.

Ruby squeezed my fingers, her heart pounding against her chest so hard I could almost feel it through her gown.

"Win or lose tonight, Ruby, you’ve already conquered the world," I whispered, tightening my grip.

"Ethan, I’m terrified," she breathed back, her eyes shining with tears. "Promise you won’t let go.

Her eyes were fixed on the envelope in the presenter’s hands, fingers crossed, breathing short and quick.

"And the winner is..."

The presenter pulled out the card, paused for a beat of artificial dramatic suspense, and read the name into the microphone.