Chapter 261: Chapter 261: Winning Rhys Quinn’s Exclusive Favor

“She hasn’t even performed yet. How can you just give her a failing grade? That’s ridiculous and completely unfair,” Rhys Quinn said.

Marcus Maverick nodded repeatedly. “Yes.”

As Rhys Quinn’s agent, Marcus Maverick was able to arrange very few jobs for him. This was simply because Rhys was the kind of person whose immense talent allowed him to act as he pleased. He was extremely opinionated, hated being controlled, and would turn down things he didn’t like, even at the risk of paying a contract termination fee.

Marcus was counting on this cash cow for the rest of his life, so he never contradicted a word Rhys said.

Many people in the room recognized Naomi Kenway. She had been in the spotlight a lot recently, and it was extremely rare for a celebrity to be liked and followed by an official state-run newspaper.

“What’s Naomi Kenway doing at the auditions? How could she possibly know how to dance? She probably pulled some strings to get in. I just saw Marcus Maverick staring at her. She’s an actress, what’s she doing trying to steal our jobs?”

“If you don’t have the skill, don’t take the job. She acts, she does variety shows, and now she wants a piece of the MV pie, too? Her ambition is getting a little out of hand!”

“Watch what you say, you don’t want to offend her. Naomi Kenway is obviously super rich. What kind of person can donate over ten million a year to charity? And that’s not crowdfunding; that’s Naomi Kenway paying straight out of her own pocket!”

“The preliminary round was an online selection, but the finals are different. With so many people watching, it won’t be easy for Naomi Kenway to pull any tricks.”

“I’d say it’s a safe bet Jeanette Kensington will get the part. She’s a popular idol, and her skills are undeniable. Anyone who saw her performance just now would say it was breathtaking. There’s no way anyone can top her. Poor us. If we’d known Jeanette Kensington was going to be here, we wouldn’t have bothered showing up just to be cannon fodder. What a waste of a trip.”

…

“Number twelve, Ms. Kenway. You may begin.”

Naomi Kenway nodded slightly and gave a standard bow.

She was tall with long legs and a superb aura; simply standing there was a feast for the eyes.

Naomi Kenway took a soft breath, filtering out everything around her. Her eyes focused only on the small stage before her.

Ever since she was a little girl, she had loved to dance. She had fantasized countless times about performing on stage, dreaming of a brilliant spotlight following her every move.

Her heart quickened. Naomi Kenway had found that old, thrilling feeling of dancing again. It was passion.

Naomi Kenway chose a cheerful classic, with choreography by Rose Kenway. When she was a child, Rose would occasionally take time out of her busy schedule to be with her, patiently teaching her dance moves. Little Naomi had always admired her mother, because to her, she was like a superhero who could do anything.

Recalling every move from her childhood, Naomi Kenway spun and leaped, her toes tapping lightly like a fluttering butterfly. Suddenly, her movements quickened, the music shifted, and her steps became fiery and passionate.

The dance was as bright and dazzling as she was, as brilliant as the sun, threatening to sear onlookers into the very hem of her clothes.

The people around her stared, dumbfounded and unable to look away.

“Is… is that really Naomi Kenway? When did she get so good at dancing? It’s like she’s a completely different person!”

“Naomi Kenway never said she could dance before. This can’t be the result of just practicing for a short while, can it? If it is, that’s just insane!”

“Her skill level looks almost on par with Jeanette Kensington’s! Naomi Kenway is actually this good?!”

“Jeanette Kensington’s technique is great, very solid and stable. But Naomi Kenway’s dancing is so expressive! She’s a natural-born dancer!”

…

Jeanette Kensington’s gloating expression suddenly changed, replaced by a grim solemnity. She stared at Naomi Kenway’s every move, her brow furrowing.

’I never expected this… It seems I underestimated her.’

As the buzz of discussion continued to rise, Jackson Kensington turned his back, not wanting to watch Naomi Kenway humiliate herself. Suddenly, someone tapped him twice on the shoulder.

“Hey…”

Jackson Kensington instinctively replied, “I don’t know her. I’m not her parent.”

“What’s wrong with you? Aren’t you a staff member here? The AC is too cold, go turn it up a couple of degrees.”

Jackson Kensington turned around and realized the person was another contestant.

Remembering the identity he’d used to bluff his way in, he had no choice but to act to avoid being exposed.

After turning up the thermostat, Jackson Kensington returned to his spot. As he turned his head, he couldn’t help but see Naomi Kenway performing up front. He instinctively tried to look away in embarrassment, but the next second, he froze on the spot.

This was the daughter he’d always looked down on the most, yet now she was as dazzling as a phoenix reborn.

His expression stiffened, his face a mixture of complex emotions. This was the first time he had ever settled down to watch Naomi Kenway dance. And she was… surprisingly not bad.

On the stage, Rhys Quinn’s expression was just as complicated. He watched Naomi Kenway’s dance in disbelief, his thoughts drifting back many years.

A gasp rippled through the crowd. Rhys Quinn had come down from the stage to dance with Naomi Kenway. He was wearing a loose white shirt and light-colored ripped jeans, and his every move was relaxed and casual, yet he hit every single beat with perfect stability.

Naomi Kenway was slightly surprised to see him in front of her, but her steps never faltered. Sensing that Rhys Quinn seemed to be matching his dance to hers, she moved a little closer. The two moved in perfect sync, like old partners with years of experience working together.

Rhys Quinn gave a slight wink, a hint of playfulness appearing on his delicate features, the corners of his lips curling into a smile.

Both of them were exceptionally good-looking, and the sight of them dancing together was truly a feast for the eyes.

When the dance was over, Rhys Quinn took Naomi Kenway’s hand and gently pressed it to his soft cheek. “My apologies. I hope I wasn’t a bother.”

Naomi Kenway smiled. “It was my honor. Your joining in actually gave me a lot of inspiration.”

Everyone around them was utterly astonished. Even as the next contestant took the stage, the chatter still revolved around Naomi Kenway and Rhys Quinn:

“Did I see that right?! Rhys Quinn came down to dance with her himself?! Is this the same Rhys Quinn who’s rumored to be eccentric and a total maverick? Am I dreaming?”

“Naomi Kenway really is a great dancer, and they were perfect together!”

“How do they have so much chemistry? Don’t tell me Rhys Quinn has been secretly coaching her and practicing with her? Damn the power of money!”

“Even if they did practice beforehand, Naomi Kenway’s skill is still amazing. And what does money have to do with it? Do you really think Rhys Quinn is the type to bow down to money? I heard that at a banquet once, some CEO specifically demanded that Rhys come over to toast him and dance. And guess what? Rhys just turned around and walked out, completely humiliating the guy! People later speculated that Rhys must have some powerful backing of his own! That CEO didn’t get away with it, so how could this be about the ’power of money’ when it comes to Naomi Kenway?”

“I bet Naomi Kenway will get the female lead role this time. After all, Rhys Quinn seems to admire her so much. I’ve never seen him be so pleasant to anyone before.”

…

Listening to the gossip swirling around her, Jeanette Kensington’s face grew darker and darker. She leaned against a nearby pillar to catch her breath, feeling her own breathing growing short and rapid.

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