Bound Hearts: My Vows to My Disabled Spouse

Determined To Never Yield

Merlin slowly stroked his chin and asked, "Have you ever thought that your path won't be smooth

if you find yourself in the spotlight too much due to the poor state of your foundation?"

Understanding what Merlin's words really meant, Elyse widened her eyes in shock.

Clearly, Merlin was telling her to give up!

Fuming inwardly, she couldn't help but wonder why he would want her to do such a thing.

Was it because there was no one backing her and that she had the potential to be better than other contestants?

Clearing her throat, Elyse locked her eyes onto Merlin's and replied firmly, "Sure, I don't have any powerful connections, but that doesn't mean I don't have an iota of strength. I have and shall always fight for myself."

Merlin let out a sigh and said expressionlessly, "There's nothing wrong with young people working hard to achieve their dreams. Then he ceased talking and looked away.

Uneasy, Elyse frowned and bit her lips as she tried to figure out what was going on in Merlin's mind at that moment. After studying him for a few seconds, she realized that he was kind of unhappy.

But then, what was the connection between his feelings of unhappiness and her?

Gritting her teeth, Elyse decided that come what might, she'd do whatever it took to be concertmaster for it was what she wanted!

Besides, she also wanted Cody Tucker to view her through a new lens and appreciate her skills. Her wish was to stand on the biggest stage in the world and perform her solo to millions of fans from across the globe!

Suddenly clearing his throat, Merlin, with his eyes fixated on the tea inside the cup that he was

holding, said, "Let me go straight to the point without beating around the bush. I want you to drop out of the selection. In return, you can tell me whatever you want and I'll do all I can to give it to you. In fact, I've made arrangements to have you as the concertmaster for the next tour as long as you don't compete in this selection."

Elyse pursed her lips and let Merlin's words sink in. Before they went on any tour, everyone was given a chance to prove themselves and earn the title of concertmaster. So, Elyse couldn't help but wonder why Merlin, of all the tours that he could have tried to make unfair, was so particular about this upcoming one.

Was this just a regular tour or was it much more?

After all, why would Merlin be willing to designate her as the concertmaster of the next tour after the upcoming one just to get her to agree to not compete in the selection?

When Elyse didn't say anything after a while, Merlin continued, "Do this for me and I'll be hugely indebted to you. Any help you might need in the future regarding music, I'll gladly provide it." Though his clout didn't extend to the international level, Merlin, the director of the Celestial Sounds Symphony, nonetheless had the capability to move an artist from obscurity to nationwide fame.

Repeating in her mind Merlin's words about being indebted to her, Elyse felt fully sure that there was something unique about this << upcoming tour.Content (C) Nôv/elDra/ma.Org.

As she thought of all of this, Elyse kept her mouth shut and said nothing.

Not wanting to overpressure her, Merlin decided not to urge her again. After all, since the

selection was still two days away, there was ample time for Elyse to think his offer over and make

the wise decision by agreeing. The only important thing now was for her to bow out of the selection before it kicked off.

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Taking a sip of his tea, Merlin dismissed her, saying, "There's no need for you to come to a hasty

decision now. Go back and give my proposal a thought."

Elyse stood up from her chair, walked out of the office, and headed to the lounge. On the way, feeling dizzy and upset, she accidentally bumped into someone.

Covering her aching nose, Elyse apologized to the person repeatedly With tears gathering in her eyes, she looked up and quickly turned her face back to the floor. The person she had bumped into was Darren Bill, a nephew of none other than Merlin! Not wanting Darren to see her red nose, Elyse covered it and tried not to make eye contact with him. She really hated him a lot now. Noticing that Elyse was hostile towards him, Darren asked calmly, "Seeing that you just came out of the director's office, is it safe to say that you're mad about something that my uncle said to you?"

Elyse rubbed her nose and retorted in an irritated manner, "Why ask when you already know the answer? Tell me, all your so-called talents and outstanding achievements that you've been scooping up since you < were a kid, are they truthful or were they just bestowed upon you by Merlin"

Instead of getting angry at her sarcastic words, Darren simply pushed them aside, let out a soft sigh, and said, "! knew he must have offended you. So, is it about the selection? Did he ask you to drop off?"

Elyse scoffed and replied, "I'm glad that you know that you're being propped to the top unfairly." Darren shrugged and said, "Well, just so you know, I don't need any propping to get to the top. So, please don't accept his proposal. I know that I might struggle with my performance due to nervousness and failing to be strong-minded, but that makes me all the more determined to win this competition. However, if you drop off and I win first place, my victory will feel hollow."

Planning your weekend reading? Ensure you're on 00005s.org for uninterrupted enjoyment. The next chapter is just a click away, exclusively available on our site. Happy reading! Hearing this, Elyse bit her lip in hesitation, not sure of whether to believe his words or not.

"Actually, I had no intention of agreeing to his ridiculous request in the first place. I don't care what

he offers me, I'll stay here and compete in the selection, and I'll leave all of my competitors, including

you, in the dust!" Elyse proclaimed firmly as her eyes flashed with determination.

At this moment, unlike before when she had been nervous when she thought of her opponents,

she felt very sure that she would come out on top in the competition. All Merlin had succeeded in doing was waking up a spirit of competitiveness in her.

She was determined to never yield to anyone and march to victory regardless of any obstacle that stood in her way!

Seeing the flame of anger flare up in Elyse's eyes, Darren, who rarely showed any emotion, smiled softly.

Cocking his head slightly, he suddenly asked, "Do you know why my uncle is so fixated on who wins this selection?"

Elyse raised an eyebrow in confusion and said, "I don't know. Perhaps, you could tell me." In the Celestial Sounds Symphony, the concertmaster who made the most impressions on the audience and the board would be granted the opportunity to participate in a tour. Getting all worked up regarding a domestic tour wasn't something that one would expect from Merlin. Therefore, Elyse was sincerely confused as to why Merlin was taking this selection so seriously. Looking quite amused, Darren cocked his head slightly and said with a smile, "Wow, you are really in the dark regarding what's going on. Well, there's a rumor flying around that Cody Tucker came here to select an apprentice."