Chapter 28
No one expected the pianist to be so young, and the applause grew even louder.
“She’s so young!”
“I thought someone capable of playing such a top–tier piano would at least be middle–aged. They look way too young!”
“This piano isn’t something just anyone can play. Being so young, her future must be really promising!”
Juliette, hearing all these praises, felt her face flush with embarrassment. She nervously glanced around, and her eyes inadvertently landed on Kelly, who was sitting quietly, watching them.
Kelly wore a look of pure schadenfreude and provocation. With graceful elegance, she raised her wine glass in a toast, then leisurely took a sip.
In that moment, Juliette finally realized what was going on.
Kelly was clearly trying to get back at her for what had happened earlier.
But it was Valerie who had confronted her
look foolish!‘
she wondered, ‘Why is Kelly targeting me? I can’t even play the piano! Kelly is clearly trying to make me
Juliette’s face soured, and she quickly made up her mind.
She walked up to the stage, grabbed the microphone, and flashed a bright smile. “Sorry, the one performing today isn’t me–it’s my friend, Valerie.”
As soon as Valerie returned to the restaurant, she heard Juliette’s words and turned to look at her, still confused.
When Juliette spotted her, her eyes lit up. “Valerie, come here!”
Not giving Valerie a chance to back out, Juliette practically dragged her onto the stage. “Come on, give the free meal challenge a try! We’re here, and it’s such a beautiful piano–might as well play it, right?”
Valerie was still a little disoriented. “Play the piano?”
Juliette nodded without missing a beat. “Yep!”
Though Valerie didn’t fully understand what was going on, she recognized the piano. This wasn’t just any piano–this was something truly special.
Off to the side, Kelly was clearly enjoying herself, her face full of satisfaction, while the crowd around them buzzed with eager anticipation.
Valerie had a sinking feeling about the situation, especially after seeing Juliette’s “I’m doing this for your own good” expression. She couldn’t help but scoff inwardly.
She thought, ‘Some people’s malice is obvious, while others wear it beneath the surface.‘
Without waiting for a second, Juliette hurriedly sat Valerie down at the piano bench. “It’s fine, just play something.”
The manager, who had been listening nearby, kindly interjected, “Ladies, to play this piano, you need to meet certain standards. Only those who are skilled enough to perform at a professional level can play for free. If you’re not at that level, there will be a fee.”
Juliette was taken aback, but her expression quickly turned smug. “We have to pay?”
The manager smiled politely, though the subtle condescension in his voice was hard to miss. “This piano is incredibly expensive. If everyone could just come and play, the wear and tear would be quite costly. So, if your performance doesn’t meet the standard or is not well–received by the audience, there’s a 700 dollars usage fee. Of course, if you don’t feel you’re at that level and don’t want to pay the fee, you’re welcome to step down now.”
While his words were polite, the underlying judgment and scorn were unmistakable.
- 1.
Chapter 28
A voice from the crowd spoke up, “What’s going on here? If they can’t play, why even bring out this plano?”
“The piano was already an antique, not something anyone could just look at whenever they felt like it.”
“I heard that last week, a female singer wanted to try playing this piano, and they asked her to pay 700 dollars. The girl coming up now looks even younger than the last one. Could she be here just to mess around?”
“If she can’t play, then get down. Don’t waste everyone’s timel”
Juliette suddenly felt a huge sense of relief for quickly passing the responsibility onto Valerie. If she hadn’t, she’d be the one in an awkward position now.
With an anxious look, Juliette turned to Valerie. “Valerie, what should we do? Should we just leave?”
As she spoke, Juliette began to head down the stairs.
But to her surprise, Valerie remained seated at the piano, unmoving.
Kelly watched her in disbelief. She wondered, ‘Is she really going to play?‘
The manager asked again, “Excuse me, Ms. Clark, are you going to perform or would you prefer to leave?”
Anyone else in this situation would have been embarrassed, flushing red with no place to hide.
But Valerie unexpectedly smiled softly. She glanced at the manager and said, “Thank you, I’ll give it a try.”
With that, she lifted the piano lid.
Many guests below were surprised. Almost every eye in the room was on her.
Kelly let out a cold laugh. “She’s out of her league.” She pulled out her phone and started recording.
She thought, ‘A moment like this has to be captured, especially for Aiden, who is completely infatuated with Valerie.‘ She wanted him to see the real her.
Juliette also thought Valerie was overestimating herself, but in order to avoid further embarrassment, she wisely returned to her seat. She didn’t want to get dragged into the mess if Valerie made a fool of herself.
Onstage, Valerie lowered her head, tuning the piano. The crisp sound was like a distant divine melody, soothing and pleasant to the ear.
She was enchanted by the sound. Her delicate fingers, as white as jewel, quickly moved across the black–and–white keys, filling the room with a beautiful, clear melody that flowed effortlessly from her fingertips.
The music was light and cheerful, with an air of gentle joy and ease, as if walking in the sunshine through a peaceful countryside.
The tune was simple yet unique, and its lighthearted style instantly lifted the spirits of everyone listening.
The audience below couldn’t help but murmur to each other, “What piece is this?”
“I’ve never heard it before, but it’s making me feel so much better. And her technique- the way the main melody and chorus are so clearly separated, it sounds slow but requires incredible hand speed to pull off. Look at her hands!”
At that, many people shifted their attention to Valerie’s hands.
Sure enough, her slender, white fingers flew across the keys, and the music grew even more lively and charming.
The number of people watching her intensified, and almost everyone was completely focused on her.
Her graceful neck, straight back, and the elegant way she moved all radiated a noble charm that was simply mesmerizing.
All the earlier doubts vanished without a trace.
Chapter 28
Valerie had always been striking, but now, as she played, she seemed to glow with an almost ethereal quality that made her even more c
Kelly found herself momentarily lost in admiration. She thought back to the first time she’d seen Valerie at home, that initial moment of awe of beam of light had pierced her heart.
She couldn’t deny it–Valerie was truly beautiful. She thought, ‘No wonder Aiden is so determined to marry her!”
But Kelly never imagined that someone as stunning as Valerie could also play the piano so beautifully.
Juliette was also in shock.
From what she knew of Valerie, she had expected her to embarrass herself today. But instead of failing, she not only played, but she played amazingly well. Juliette wondered, ‘How is that possible?‘
The Clark family did own a piano, but Valerie’s level of skill had been practically nonexistent. Juliette thought, ‘How could she possibly play something like this?‘
The feeling of being out of control only intensified. A sudden wave of unease washed over Juliette.
Juliette wondered, ‘Playing the piano isn’t something you can master overnight. When has Valerie become so skilled? How have I not known about it?”
AD
