#Chapter 67: Just a Sham

Ava After Dedrick strode out of the council chamber, a heavy silence blanketed the room. I shifted in my seat, pinching the bridge of my nose. A headache had begun to set in while Dedrick was giving his speech, and it was worsening now. Squeezing my eyes shut for a brief moment, I tried to will the pain away—now was certainly not the time to appear anything less than fully present. When I blinked my eyes open again, I found Olivia’s piercing gaze fixed on me from across the table. There was a strange light burning in their depths, her lips curved into the faintest hint of a smug smile. “Well?” Chris asked, breaking the silence. “What do you all think of the contestants?” “Dedrick’s performance was nothing short of masterful,” Olivia said without hesitation, snapping her eyes away from me and over to Chris. “I’m thoroughly impressed. Sam and Allen, on the other hand…” Her voice trailed off, but the implications were clear. Sam and Allen’s performances had been d