---
Mia woke up to find her phone flooded with sixty missed calls from her mother.
She sneered. Desperate much?
Without a second thought, she tossed the phone aside and headed into the bathroom. The warm water was quick, sharp, and refreshing. When she emerged, she got dressed—casually sharp, as always. After all, today was the filming of the third episode of the variety show. And unlike the others, this one was being aired live.
As she arrived on set, the atmosphere was unusually tight. No laughter. No light-hearted chatter. Just strict silence and the buzz of tension.
The host finally appeared, all smiles, but her tone held a serious edge.
"Alright everyone! Starting today, all our variety show episodes will be filmed and aired live! And from now on, every contestant's private room will be thoroughly checked before and after use."
Gasps echoed. But the real chaos began online.
---
[Live Comment Feed]
> [Tsk, looks like they're getting more serious now.]
[As they should! Only took one episode for someone to almost die.]
[Securing the rooms doesn't help if the real mastermind is still walking around.]
[Don't worry—they'd never remove Tessa. Daddy's money protects her.]
[Ugh, jealous much? Not everything is about money. You just hate the rich.]
[Are you her lawyer or her loyal puppy?]
[I'm not even a fan, but Maria smells shady too.]
["Passerby," sure. You just happen to hate Maria, huh? If you are really a passerby my keyboard]
[Maria went through the full check and NOTHING was found. Meanwhile, banned drug packets were found in Tessa's room.]
[That doesn't prove anything! Maybe Linda framed her—she was scared and desperate.]
[Wow. If "delusional" had a face, it would be yours.]
[So Linda drugged herself by putting the drug in her mouth wash!!! Then force it down her throat, snuck into Tessa's room, planted the evidence, and nearly died to frame her? Should we clap now or later?]
[The episode hasn't even started and the comment section is already wild.]
[I came for the scandal, but now I'm staying for the drama.]
[This show better be more interesting than this chat, or I'm suing.]
Unknown to the audience still going wild in the comment section, the host carried on smoothly with her announcement:
"Due to the unfortunate incidents in the last episode, five contestants were removed after a private online screening. That leaves us with 45 participants now. However, since Maria won both challenges in the previous episode, she's been granted a free pass to Episode 4. That said, she will still perform for us today, just without the pressure of elimination."
A few gasps were heard, but the host smiled and went on unfazed.
"Now for today's challenge: Every contestant must sing a song from the 90s. The theme is 'Don't Speak.' Don't just sing—tell the story. Feel it. Live it. Keep the energy steady, stay on pitch, and show us who you really are."
Then the host exited the stage, and the performances began.
The first girl came up, bowed politely, and started singing. Her voice was soft and sweet, but there was something off—it lacked depth, like a pretty painting with no soul behind it.
Then the next one entered. Her voice cracked within the first few lines, and instead of correcting herself, she powered through with shaky high notes that made the crowd wince.
---
[Live Comment Feed]
> [Did they let a bird in the show?]
[I swear I heard a ghost scream.]
[My ears filed a harassment case.]
[Sis stepped up all confident just to drop a dying seagull sound.]
[This comment section is no longer a safe place.]
[Tessa baby, come sing and cleanse my soul.]
[Tessa's angel voice better show up and bleach this mess from my brain.]
[My dog sing better than this ]
[Now that is just too much but I would rather listen to your dog than this ]
Then came Tessa.
She walked onto the stage with the air of a queen in exile—gorgeous, elegant, smug. Her voice, as expected, was soft and melodious, with that polished shine that money could buy. But she sang with an odd kind of force, like she was trying too hard to prove something.
The song was supposed to be about heartbreak—a fragile, painful ballad about a crumbling relationship—but Tessa twisted it into a flashy performance. She added playful riffs, upbeat rhythm, even a few dance steps. It felt more like a party anthem than a soul-tearing lament.
She smiled brightly throughout, voice soaring like a peacock mid-parade. But the emotion? Gone.
---
[Live Comment Feed]
> [Is this the "angel voice" people keep bragging about?]
[Not to sound dramatic but... she just turned a funeral into a rave.]
[Did she just remix a heartbreak song into a TikTok dance challenge?]
[People vibing to someone crying about losing love—what timeline is this?]
[You all are just haters. Tessa slayed! She gave us a remix, not depression.]
[First of all, I'm not a Maria fan. Second of all, sit down and hush.]
[Somebody poured their soul into that song and your idol served glitter and noise.]
[Trash stans defending trash vocals. Classic.]
[Who was she performing for? Sounded like she was battling ghosts.]
[Honestly, this isn't even about voice. It's about emotional delivery. And she flopped.]
[I swear Maria fans don't need to lift a finger—Tessa fans roast themselves.]
---
Then the stage darkened.
A single spotlight hit center stage.
Maria stepped out.
She didn't wave, didn't smile, didn't try to dazzle the crowd. She simply bowed and lifted the mic.
The first note that left her lips was soft—barely a whisper. But it carried weight, like a wounded breath after a sob. The audience fell silent. Comments slowed.
Her voice was low, raw, and enchanting. She didn't sing the song—she became the song. Every word came out like she had lived it, like she'd sat in that heartbreak, bleeding quietly behind closed doors.
Her tone trembled with restraint, but behind it was a tidal wave of emotion. Her voice cracked—not from lack of control, but from pain. Real pain.
"Don't speak… I know just what you're saying…"
Each syllable carried a tear that hadn't yet fallen. And the way she held her notes—letting the silence stretch just long enough before pulling the next lyric from her chest—was haunting.
By the second verse, the camera caught audience members wiping their eyes. Even some crew members looked away, pretending dust had gotten in their eyes.
By the bridge, people weren't just watching—they were feeling. Every word was a blade slicing through shared memories.
It wasn't a performance.
It was a confession.
---
[Live Comment Feed]
> [I don't know why I'm crying, but I can't stop.]
[I felt that in my bones. In my divorce. And I've never even been married.]
[This… THIS is how you carry a song.]
[Maria didn't sing the song. She made the song cry.]
[How did she make a simple 90s track feel like my whole life falling apart?]
[Tessa who? Sorry, I only know Queen Maria.]
[Maria wins. No vote needed. End the show here.]
[Now THAT was soul. That was pain. That was art.]
[F**k… this is beautiful.]
[My boyfriend cried hearing this and hugged me. Told me he was sorry… we weren't even fighting.]
[My grandma shed a tear. This was her favorite song. She said Maria gave it new life.]
[Now where are those "Tessa for the win" warriors? Come out. Say it again with your whole chest.]
[Tessa for the win.]
[Tessa will still win, okay? Maria already got a ticket to the next round. This doesn't count anyway.]
[Oh so now it "doesn't count" because she just snapped your fav in half with a single verse?]
[Let's be real. Maria is just an attention seeker. You're safe already—why still sing like that?]
[Tessa fans moving through the five stages of grief in the comments. Fast pass to depression incoming.]
[Tessa fans be: 1. Denial. 2. Anger. 3. Bargaining. 4. Depression. 5. Acceptance (maybe in episode 10)]
[Tessa fans = kindergarten reunion. This is why children shouldn't have WiFi.]
[Maria wasn't showing off. She was showing up. There's a difference.]
[She sang for people's hearts, not for votes. That's the difference between talent and glitter.]
[Nah, she was showing off. Who sings that perfectly when they're already safe? That's shady.]
[At least you know it is perfect now we know you are just refusing to accept the truth delusional much]
[Sorry but I'd rather be "shady" with talent than delusional with autotune.]
[Let's not lie though—Tessa tried. She really did. Both girls did well.]
[Trying and succeeding are not the same thing.]
[Maria served emotion, control, storytelling, soul. Tessa served… jazz hands and confusion.]
[Maria just gave us a masterclass. Y'all crying "show off" because you got schooled for free.]
---
As the comments flared on, the camera panned to the judges—some dabbing their eyes, others stunned into silence. One leaned back and muttered, "She wasn't singing for applause… she was grieving for all of us."
Backstage, contestants whispered among themselves, some wide-eyed, others quiet in defeat. A few Tessa supporters refused to look up from their phones.
Tessa, watching from the side, clutched her mic tighter. Her nails dug into her palm.
Maria didn't just perform a song.
She reminded everyone why she didn't need to compete to win—because she already owned the stage.
This is golden chaos—the drama, the sarcasm, the fan wars, the backroom politics, the unexpected plot twist with Ruth taking the win—everything is boiling over perfectly. Here's how we can organize this into a clean, intense scene for your chapter while keeping that unfiltered, raw energy from the comments and the judges:
---
[Scene: Judges' Panel – Post-Performance]
"I know Maria doesn't need the votes," one of the lady judges smiled, voice slightly choked. "But girl… I give you a ten out of ten."
"I second that," the two other female judges nodded.
One of the male judges leaned forward, cautious. "Yes, we all know Maria did well… but let's not get carried away."
Another male judge in blue frowned. "Tessa should get first place. Maria isn't even part of this round."
[Live Comments Blazing Below the Screen]
> [Wow… finally someone saying it.]
[I smell shady business.]
[Y'all scared of a girl with talent.]
"I understand that," the female judge in white replied, "but honestly, I still think Maria deserves a vote for what she just delivered."
"She's not participating," the male judges argued. "Why should we vote for someone who isn't part of the competition?"
"Are you saying Maria didn't deserve it?" the second female judge snapped.
"You're getting too emotional," one of the men muttered, looking away.
> [They're obviously Tessa fans.]
[If Tessa doesn't gets first after this, I'm done watching.]
[Nobody will miss you.]
[At least one trash will be out.]
[The Decision: Judge Votes Appear On Screen]
Male Judge (blue suit): 20 points to Tessa
Male Judge (gray suit): 20 points to Tessa
Female Judge (white): 5 points
Female Judge (green): 10 points
Head Judge: 4 points
The room fell quiet. Tessa's face stiffened.
"You have a nice voice, Tessa," said the female judge in white, "but it lacked emotion tonight."
"What?!" the male judge in blue flared. "She sang well! This is wrong!"
"You changed the timing of the song, shifted the tone," the other female judge cut in. "If someone sang your song like that, would you be happy?"
The main judge sighed, voice cold and direct. "Tessa, you didn't do well. You were strong before… now? Your voice felt damaged. It was unpleasant and inconsistent. You turned an emotional song into a strange, upbeat mix—it was like someone biting their own ear."
> [I KNEW IT. Shady business all along.]
[Tessa bribed those two judges, change my mind.]
[I LOVE how those three judges just sliced through the nonsense.]
[Result: Rankings Update]
Tessa: 30th place
Ruth: 1st place
Five contestants eliminated.
> [HOW DARE THEY. THIS IS BULLYING.]
[Do they even know who Tessa is?!]
[This is a singing competition, not a "who has the richer family" show.]
[But when it's someone else rich, they cry oppression. Hypocrites.]
[Typical. If it doesn't hurt them, it's fine.]
> [Okay Maria fans, step aside. This is between us and Ruth's shady win.]
[She called Tessa a friend and still took the win? Snake behavior.]
[She should have rejected it poor Tessa all her friends are garbage]
[I'm speechless…]
[Tessa fan brain be going backwards]
[No wonder they said talking to Tessa fan reduce IQ I am now counting number backwards]
[I am drinking milk backwards after talking to Tessa fan ]
[Lol]
[Oh, so it's okay when Tessa wins, but Ruth wins and she's suddenly evil?]
[This friendship is suffocating.]
[All of Tessa's friends = scapegoats. Facts.]
[Ruth must have the patience of a saint to still be in this toxic circle.]
> [Let's keep an eye on Ruth. I don't want to hear she lost her voice or… worse.]
[Same to the person who posted this—don't disappear, we're watching out for you.]
[Tessa fans gone real quiet since this dropped.]
[They're planning a "heartfelt" visit to Ruth and the top commenter. Brace yourselves.]
> [You mean telling them to commit suicide, throwing eggs, and bringing coffins? Real love right there.]
[Tessa fans really brought a coffin to Linda's little brother's school and followed him with it.]
[Don't insult them. They were "protecting" him. In case he fell, he'd have a soft landing.]
> [That's funny… and horrifying.]
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