The entire venue was silent.
Then, the crowd erupted into thunderous applause and cheers. The school administration, teachers, and students stood up, clapping.
They gave Darnell and Makenna Frances the wildest cheers and most violent applause.
Many people had attended concerts before, but they had never seen such a visual feast.
The proud queen and the cold emperor collided like grand fireworks, dazzling and radiant, high above yet mutually admiring, tucking at everyone’s heartstrings.
True art could shock people in intangible ways, thereby changing their inner world!
Darnell and Makenna Frances achieved this.
Karlee and other admirers couldn’t control their screams. Even Raelynn rubbed her hands slightly, unable to contain herself.
“Darnell, Makenna! Darnell, Makenna!”
When Jefferson led the chant, Alexander and Lisa had no choice but to clap along. Otherwise, it would seem awkward.
Alexander remained shocked. He couldn’t accept that Darnell knew Makenna Frances and that they sang a duet together.
“Thank you all!”
Darnell and Makenna Frances walked to the front of the stage step by step and bowed deeply to the audience.
Alexander bit his lip almost to bleeding and squeezed out a sentence with difficulty. “What’s so great about it? It’s just singing.”
“There are many people in this world who can sing. Not everyone can become a big star. What future does being a singer hold? At best, he’ll end up as a small-time singer in a bar who can’t even afford a house.”
“Exactly! Only brainless people would be captivated by his singing.”
Sitting in front, Saul heard Alexander’s snort and immediately found a kindred spirit. “Bro, great minds think alike. I feel the same way.”
Alexander was slightly startled, seemingly not expecting someone to support him. His mood instantly improved. “Your thoughts are profound, not something ordinary people can match.”
His eyes glanced at Raelynn beside him. She looked sexy and charming. His breathing became heavier as he couldn’t help but unbutton one button.
“I’m Alexander. What’s your name? Let’s be friends.”
Despite hating rich people, Saul stood up to shake hands. “I’m Saul.”
While the two were bonding over their mutual disdain for Darnell, Lisa’s pretty face turned ugly. Her pride was shattered.
She looked at her happy friends and snorted angrily, “Idiots! Going crazy over a song.”
Makenna Frances was a diva. It was undeniable. But what future does Darnell have?
Though she was displeased with Darnell’s glory, Lisa knew very well that Darnell’s stage presence, his singing skills, and the rendering power and passion he showed were beyond ordinary stars.
And she understood that such things couldn’t be compensated for by effort alone.
Darnell’s rendering power and passion were, something she could never reach despite her love for singing.
Understanding this left Lisa feeling soulless.
The stage lights gradually dimmed as the two figures who had given the audience unparalleled shock slowly disappeared.
The audience remained motionless, still staring intently at where Darnell and Makenna Frances had been, hoping for another performance to satisfy their boiling blood.
At this moment, Caleb Tomlinson and Yaretzi Elwes were long forgotten.
“Ah!”
When the lights returned to the dim stage, three thousand teachers and students found that Darnell and Makenna Frances were gone. They were stunned for a moment before erupting into a frenzy.
They screamed wildly like a volcanic eruption, releasing their suppressed emotions!
The on-site lights lit up again, illuminating every corner of the stadium. One could see spectators shouting hoarsely while full of anticipation.
The endless screams impacted the entire stage. Some spectators began rushing towards the stage to see Darnell and Makenna Frances again.
The whole venue fell into extreme madness.
This effect was far beyond what Caleb Tomlinson and Yaretzi Elwes could achieve!
Seeing such an explosive scene made Garrett and Jefferson both happy and worried. They hurriedly gathered security to maintain order.
Karlee and other performers also came up from backstage to conclude this memorable event with speeches.
That night, a large number of reporters flooded the University of Whiteville to report on this grand event.
Fifteen minutes later, a black van slowly drove out of the University of Whiteville. Inside the van sat a man and a woman facing each other.
Darnell and Makenna Frances.
Makenna Frances still wore her red dress. Her long hair was still elegantly tied up. She kicked off her high heels and then gracefully brewed tea.
“If I had known you were in Whiteville, I would have brought your favorite tea.”
The woman no longer had her domineering stage presence but instead exuded gentle tenderness.
Makenna Frances had fair skin, beautiful eyes, and lips that were a striking red, full and tempting. Her figure was voluptuous, and the loose red dress she wore showcased the curves of her chest, radiating the allure of a mature woman.
Darnell ripped off his suit jacket, leaving only a black shirt, and unbuttoned a few buttons.
“It’s truly an honor to share a car and tea with a superstar,” he said.
Makenna’s delicate toes slid against Darnell’s calf. “Are you mocking me?”
Darnell swiftly caught her restless foot and placed it back where it belonged, bursting into laughter.
“You’re a chart-topping singer, the highest-paid actress in TV and film, and the queen of box office hits. How could I dare to mock you?”
“If I really disrespected you, wouldn’t your ninety million fans devour me alive?”
Makenna flashed a radiant smile, crossing her legs to sit more comfortably. Despite a hint of exposure, she seemed completely unbothered.
“Your words are just a veiled jab at me. Yes, I have these achievements, but a significant part of it is thanks to your help.”
“And for you, as long as you want it, you can achieve all this fame and fortune whenever you like. Your talent is beyond what I could ever hope to reach.”
“Why don’t you switch careers and join the entertainment industry? We could form a duo and surely take the world by storm.”
Darnell nearly stumbled, exclaiming, “I’m only performing tonight because I have to.”
“I can sing a song or two occasionally, but if I do it too much, the audience will tire of me and just see me as a joke,” she replied playfully.
They were clearly familiar with each other since they spoke freely without hesitation. As Darnell’s words fell, Makenna’s lips curled into a teasing smirk.
“Usually, you’re the one laughing at others, right? Since I’ve known you, I’ve never seen you as a joke. Besides, tonight is just a matter of reciprocity.”
“If you want me to help save the show, a duet is really not asking too much, is it?”
She continued jokingly, “If you don’t want to duet with me, do you expect the University of Whiteville to pay me?”
“My fee starts at five hundred thousand per song, plus the time wasted and team costs. They better give me at least five million tonight.”
She was worth that price.
“Ugh, why talk about money?”
Darnell shot her a glance. “Given our relationship, discussing money will seem rather vulgar. Let’s stick to talking about romance from now on.”
Makenna pushed a cup of tea toward Darnell, her smile sweet and delicate. “Didn’t you tell me that feelings aren’t really a thing?”
Darnell found himself at a loss for words and could only lower his head to sip his tea.
“I’m actually a bit curious about why you came to Whiteville. Is it for a job, a getaway, or are you trying to avoid me?”
Makenna held her teacup, her fingers glistening and fair. “Are you really not tempted by the bodyguard position I offered you? That’s a hundred million a year, you know.”
“I’m here in Whiteville for a small task,” Darnell replied without much concealment, grinning. “It’ll be wrapped up soon, at most three months, and then I’ll come to be your bodyguard. Just make sure the pay is fair.”
“Otherwise, the organization will think I’m pocketing the money and kick me out, and I’ll end up homeless.”
“If you’re homeless, I’ll take care of you.”
Makenna was boldly assertive. “After all, you saved my life, so it’s only right that I take care of you.”
Darnell raised his teacup for a toast, then downed it in one go. “It’s settled then.”
Makenna smiled softly, finishing her tea before sighing, “But I know you’re just trying to cheer me up. There’s no way you’d actually come be my bodyguard.”
“Besides, being Roselyn’s sister would always reopen old wounds.”
At the mention of Roselyn, Darnell’s eyes dimmed for a moment but quickly brightened again as he smiled. “It’s all in the past. I’m over it.”
“You wouldn’t even believe that yourself.”
Makenna spoke softly, reaching out to grasp Darnell’s hand. “Darnell, I know you love her, but the past is truly the past.”
“If you don’t let go and move on, it will stick to you like a scar.”
Darnell gently withdrew his hand, gazing out the window. “But I really can’t believe she’s dead…”