Free The Monster of Fame (The Price of Fame Series) by Aimée Duffy

said.
    Despair rocketed through Anna, knocking the breath right out of her as quick as a hard punch to the gut. Before she composed herself, he spoke again.
    “Sam, Jenkins, Annabelle. The competition this year is fierce, but it is a competition and I have to put the person through who has the best recording voice. After all, that’s mostly what this show is about.”
    Anna closed her eyes and felt the moisture spill over and roll down her cheeks. He was going to send her home. She had no doubt about it. Why would anyone in their right mind put her through when she hadn’t the balls to so much as face the audience when she was singing?
    Not to mention, this was a competition and the winning judge not only got the chance to offer the winner a record deal, but they got half a million pounds. What idiot would throw that away?
    “So, I’ve made my decision. I’m going to have to send Annabelle through. I’m sorry, guys.”
    Idiot indeed.
    What on earth was he doing? Anna’s eyes flew open and she stared at him for a moment in utter shock. She barely noticed Safri glaring at him, or the cheers from the audience.
    Suddenly, the whole day’s events seemed too much to tolerate. The bank demanding money, hearing muffled boos as she sang a song she knew didn’t suit her, being in the bottom three of the night, and her mentor backing someone else. A crushing despair overwhelmed her and she burst into tears on stage in front of Miles, the audience, and probably the whole of the UK. Not silent tears either, but the full, sobbing and sniffing kind that would embarrass her later when she didn’t feel so overpowered by emotion.
    She was ushered off the stage by Mhairi, but couldn’t hear the words over the sobs ripping from her chest. What if Miles was right that first day? she thought as she tried to pull herself together. What if she wouldn’t be able to cut it? What would her family do then?
    * * * *
    “Ugh,” Anna groaned at her tear-stained face and red, puffy eyes in the mirror. She couldn’t go out in public like this. Mascara blackened her eyes and spilled down her cheeks. She pulled out a few face wipes and got to work removing the mess.
    It took ten minutes to pull herself together, but she managed to do it. What was important was that she had another chance to stay in and she’d make sure she did better next week. One breakdown wasn’t going to break her.
    Once she finished with her face, she slipped on the jeans and t-shirt she’d worn at rehearsals. Unable to face going to the house to celebrate, she went back to the table in her dressing room and pulled out her phone.
    Maybe all those people who followed her on EconEkt would give her the encouragement she needed. She felt hollow from the close call and could barely summon the energy to get up from the chair. The thought of facing a house full of strangers she didn’t like was bad enough, never mind now, after getting through over Sam and Jenkins who were friends with everyone else.
    A knock at the door interrupted her worrying. She put her phone on the dresser and went to answer it. Before she reached the door, Miles walked into the room, closing the door behind him. His face was blank, but the torture still hadn’t left his eyes.
    “Thank you,” she told him sincerely. “I really appreciate you giving me another chance.”
    Something flashed in his eyes then, something that looked like anger. Anna backed up a step. “Don’t thank me.” His voice was hard and flat, only an undercurrent of anger leaked through. “Have you even thought about what will happen if you win?”
    “No.” She thought it would all be over then, all the worry, the anxiety attacks, the constant fear of homelessness. Everything would be okay if she won. Wouldn’t it?
    “If you win this, the whole country will know who you are. Your life will be free pickings for the papers and magazines. You won’t ever have privacy. You will be constantly criticized and you won’t be able