Azura followed closely, grabbing a nearby bag and slamming it onto the thief's head, shouting angrily, "Stealing tickets, are you? Why didn't you steal my bag?! You MTD! You leave my bag and go for my tickets. I'll bash you to death!"
"Spare me, heroine! Spare me, hero!" the young thief begged for mercy.
Security guards quickly arrived, rescuing the boy from Azura and promptly detaining him.
"Hand over the tickets."
"They're in my pocket."
Azura unceremoniously reached into his pocket and pulled out two tickets. Upon seeing the tickets, her face turned dark.
One ticket's QR code was missing a small piece, while the other was intact.
This made Azura furious!
"You'll pay for my ticket! This is a diamond VIP ticket!"
These were hard to get!
The young thief's eyes flashed with regret upon hearing it was a diamond VIP ticket. But it wasn't the damaged ticket he regretted; it was missing the chance to make a fortune.
If he hadn't been caught today, just one diamond VIP ticket could have fetched him tens of thousands.
The thief was taken away by the police.
Azura was disheartened and upset.
Zuri handed her the intact ticket. "The concert is about to start. You should go in."
She didn't care about watching the concert.
After all, she wasn't an Owen fan.
But Azura thought differently. They had come together, and leaving her friend outside while she went in felt disloyal.
"Forget it, I'm not going either."
Saying this pained her heart deeply.
This was Owen's concert, the one she had been eagerly anticipating.
"Don't." Zuri thought for a moment, then approached the ticket counter with the damaged ticket. "This ticket is real. You can check it. It got torn during the robbery. Can you make an exception?"
The ticket inspector shook his head. "No."
"It was stolen right at the entrance. You saw it happen. The ticket is real." Azura joined in persuading.
But no matter what they said, the inspector wouldn't budge.
"The concert is starting. Go in. I'll be fine." Zuri pushed her forward.
Azura, thinking of something, pulled out her phone and muttered angrily, "It's all because of that phone call. I'll deal with that person now."
Farida had made several calls with no answer. Just as she and Isaac were about to give up, Azura called back.
They exchanged surprised glances, and Farida put the call on speaker.
"Azura, it's Farida."
Azura frowned, "Farida?"
She wasn't familiar with her, so why was she calling?
Azura was already irritated and said, "You better have a good reason, or you'll be sorry."
"I have something very, very important. Can you give me Zuri's number? I need to find her urgently."
"You're looking for Zuri?" Azura looked at Zuri suspiciously.
Zuri took the phone from her. "This is Zuri."
Isaac spoke up, "Hello, Zuri. I'm Owen's manager, Isaac. Here's the thing, Owen needs a piano accompanist for his concert. He heard you play and thought you were excellent. Could you help us and accompany Owen for one song? Just one song. Can you do it?"
Accompanying, she intended to refuse.
But…
She glanced at the dejected Azura beside her and replied calmly, "Okay."
Isaac finally breathed a sigh of relief. "Thank you. Where are you now?"
"At the C entrance. You need to send someone to get us."
"Alright, no problem."
Zuri handed the phone back to Azura. "You don't need to call your uncle anymore."
Soon, a staff member hurried over, spoke to the ticket inspector, and let both of them in.
"What's going on?" Azura asked curiously.
"They seem to be short a pianist, so they're asking me to fill in."
Azura excitedly grabbed her hand. "Does this mean you'll be close to Owen?"
Zuri nodded.
Azura was thrilled. "Zuri, you're so lucky. Your first concert and you get to be close to your idol. Such divine luck."
One was overjoyed, while the other remained indifferent, showing no excitement or joy.
Entering the backstage area, they were greeted by a bustling scene. People hurried back and forth, seemingly chaotic yet orderly. Zuri was led to the innermost dressing room.
"You're Zuri, right?" Isaac examined the girl before him. She was unexpectedly beautiful, her exquisite features perfect for a star.
A promising talent!
"Yes, I am."
"Can you play Chopin's C minor? The piece you played in Windsor Academy's piano room half a month ago."
Without responding, Zuri sat at the piano, her slender fingers dancing over the black and white keys. The melodious sound flowed gently, bringing a serene and harmonious aura. Those in the room unconsciously slowed their actions, and their anxious, tense expressions relaxed.
Yes, this was the sound!
After confirming, Isaac immediately called for makeup and stylists. "Quick, get her ready, change her outfit."
Staff brought a row of high-end evening gowns. The designer immediately chose a white one. Her clear, bright eyes would perfectly complement the white gown.
The staff presented the gown to Zuri, who glanced at it and said, "No."
The designer urged, "Sweetie, you'll look stunning in this white gown."
The gown was beautiful, but she didn't like white.
Too cold!
Zuri's gaze swept over the rack and stopped at a red gown. "That one."
The designer dramatically covered his mouth. "Oh my! Sweetie, red is too bold. You're too young to pull it off. It will only make you look gaudy."
Despite the designer's persuasion, Zuri insisted on the red gown. The designer had no choice but to have an assistant take it down and lead her to change.
When the dressing room door opened, designer Pablo, seeing her, covered his mouth, exclaiming, "Oh my God!!!"