Chapter 65
I smiled back and said lightly, “Good luck with your playing.”
Lorcia’s face stiffened slightly, the subtle shift in her expression betraying her feelings. She must have caught the undertone in my words, the veiled mockery of her piano skills.
The anger flashed briefly in her eyes, but she quickly composed herself, forcing a smile as she noticed the cameras still pointed at us. It was a strained smile, and I knew it took everything in her to maintain that façade. I didn’t care. This was a competition, and I had my own battle to fight..
The venue was abuzz with media activity. Reporters flocked around the favorites, microphones and cameras capturing every word, every expression. I, on the other hand, was ignored.
No one knew who I was; to them, I was just another nameless contestant, a rookie who wouldn’t make a headline. I didn’t mind the anonymity. In fact, I welcomed it. It allowed me to move through the crowd unnoticed, a shadow among the lights.
I overheard a reporter not far away, her voice enthusiastic as she reported, “There are rumors that the daughter of piano master Ethan Winter is also participating in this year’s competition, but she remains elusive. It’s still unclear which contestant might be the one.”
A smile tugged at the corner of my lips as I walked past her, my identity still a secret. I was glad for that. The pressure of living up to the name Ethan Winter was immense. It was easier to compete when no one expected anything from you.
The competition was structured in three stages: the preliminary round, the rematch, and the final. I had already navigated through the preliminary and rematch stages successfully. Reaching the final was an achievement in itself, as only the best made it this far.
Out of the hundreds who entered the preliminary round, only seven of us had made it to this city Serevia, to compete in the final. This competition was known for its rigor, and in the last six iterations, no one had claimed the championship. The title had remained vacant for twenty–four years. This year, everyone was eager to see if someone would finally break that streak.
The draw placed me as the sixth performer. I sat in the lounge area, waiting for my turn, my heart pounding steadily against my ribs. The judges were all figures I had seen in books or on TV–legends in their own right. And sitting in the center of the panel, with his usual stoic expression, was my father, Ethan Winter.
“In a flash, it’s been twenty–four years,” Maurice, who sat beside me, said softly, his tone tinged with nostalgia. “Do you know who the last person to win this competition was? It was your father, Ethan
After I Let Go My Alpha, He Knelt in Regret
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Winter. He was just a young man then, but that victory launched his career into the stratosphere.”
nodded, recalling the images I had seen of him from that time. My father had a natural grace about him, a cool, almost regal demeanor that complemented the melancholic tunes he played. His features were as delicate as they were striking, giving him an air of untouchable beauty, like a prince in a tragic fairy tale.
Morris said, ‘If one person could pick up this trophy twenty–four years from now, I think that person would be you.‘ He looked at me, his eyes determined.
I responded in a low voice, ‘I’ll do my best.‘
By the time I responded, the fifth contestant had already taken the stage and started playing, and the
Few ushered me off to get set up.
I felt a surge of adrenaline, my heart racing even faster now. I stood up and made my way backstage
to prepare.
I went backstage and tried to play like I usually do by visualising the piano in my head, but failed.
Because when I tried to do so, my fingers trembled slightly and my hands felt cold, a result of the nerves that were now taking hold. I took deep breaths, trying to steady myself, but the anxiety clung
to me like a shadow.
Suddenly, I felt a warm hand gently take mine, the touch grounding me instantly. I turned, surprised to see Lorik standing behind me. His presence was unexpected, especially given the tension between
us recently.
“What brings you here?” I asked, my voice a mix of surprise and confusion. “You should have a lot of business with your pack this time of year.”
Lorik’s lips curled into a faint smile, one that seemed to carry a thousand unsaid words, yet the
emotions behind it were difficult to unravel.
“Yeah, it’s true, there’s a lot waiting for me to handle. But…”
He paused, his gaze soft yet unwavering. “But some things are more important than work–especially when it comes to… us. My Luna is about to compete in such an important
tournament, and I didn’t even know.”
His warm hand tightened around mine, like he was silently trying to offer me strength and comfort.
“I know we’ve had our misunderstandings lately,” Lorik’s voice dropped, sincere and low, “and that’s made us drift apart. I shouldn’t have lashed out at you for saying no. I’m sorry, Sherry. Please,
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prgive me… I just care about you too much.”
ooked up, meeting his earnest gaze.
But it did nothing to sway me.
“Now’s not the time for this.” I coldly pushed him away. “We both have responsibilities, don’t we?
I’m about to go on stage, and you should get back to your duties as Alpha.”
