Chapter 242

Aria's POV I'd just made it back to the bedroom and was sorting through my things in the bathroom when my phone rang. It was Lillian, which surprised me. She knew I hated these social events, so she rarely called after competitions ended. This was only the second time she'd reached out in all the years we'd known each other. "Lillian?" I answered, confusion evident in my voice. "Aria, are you still at the hotel?" Her tone was urgent, making my stomach tighten. "Yeah, I'm still here. What's wrong?" She exhaled sharply into the phone. "Your name is trending on several social media platforms since yesterday. There's a swarm of reporters camped outside the hotel entrance waiting for you. If you're still inside, don't come out yet." My mouth fell open. This was completely unexpected. Even when I first gained recognition as a young pianist returning home, I'd never been ambushed by the media. Now, just because my identity had been revealed, reporters were surrounding the hotel? I frowned, bi