Chapter 52
The crowd gasped when they saw me–blood–streaked, disheveled, my ankle clearly injured.
But I didn’t care. All eyes were on me now, not on Linda, not on her fake performance.
The security guards and host tried to stop me as I neared the stage, but I shoved them away with a newfound strength that surprised eve
mne.
They weren’t going to keep me from this moment.
rolled onto the stage, landing squarely in the spotlight. Linda froze, her fingers hovering over the piano keys as she turned to look at me, her expression a mix of shock and fear.
She hadn’t expected this. No one had.
to the floor.
With one swift motion, I kicked over her piano bench, sending her tumbling to
The elegant melody she had been playing stopped abruptly, and the crowd gasped in horror.
I slammed my fist down onto the piano, the sound echoing through the auditorium, my voice dripping with venom.
Play? Did I tell you to keep playing?”
Linda scrambled back, her eyes wide as she stared up at me in disbelief.
“Sophia, what are you doing?” she stammered, but I cut her off.
“How dare you!” I shouted, the rage bubbling up from deep inside me. “How dare you send Ryan to set me up, to put me in this position, and then you have the audacity to sit here, pretending to play like some innocent little princess? Not anymore!”
**Of course, I know.“*
The prestigious admissions teacher, invited by Arman, is seated on the stage, watching the proceedings with sharp, discerning eyes. His presence alone commanded respect.
In another life, he had heard Linda’s performance of “Moonlight and had approached her at the
end of the recital.
That night, he had asked if she would accept the special admission slot he had reserved for only the
Chapter sa
most talented. Linda, with a smile as bright as her future, had agreed.
Under Arman’s careful guidance, Linda was soon taken under the wing of a renowned master at the prestigious music academy. Her rise was inevitable, a product of both talent and connections.
I remember the day vividly.
I had gone to visit my dance teacher at the hotel, where there was to be a grand celebration later that evening.
It was the kind of party that attracted the elites of the arts world.
That’s where I saw Linda. But our meeting was nothing more than a fleeting glance across a crowded room. We didn’t speak, just a glance.
When I returned home that night, I was greeted by Arman. He stood at the door, blocking my way, his face twisted with disdain.
“Sofia, are you done?” His voice was sharp, cold.
I stared at him, confused, but before I could respond, he sneered. “Just because you can’t do anything and are inferior to Linda in every way, do you hate her so much that you’d destroy her sheet music? The sheet music she hand–copied for her teacher?”
I froze, trying to comprehend what he was accusing me of.
“You’re such a born bad seed,” he spat. “Someone who deserves to be without a father or a mother.”
The words stung, and for a moment, I was too shocked to respond. But when I finally found 1 voice, I tried to defend myself.
my
Before I could even finish a sentence, he cut me off with a wave of his hand. “You’re going to start lying again, aren’t you? Blame it on Linda?”
He didn’t wait for my answer. “I won’t believe a word of your sophistry.”
The sting of his accusations cut deeper than any physical wound. How could he not see the truth? The pain of his betrayal weighed heavily on my heart.
But as always, there was nothing I could say to change his mind.
Linda had wrapped him in her web, and he believed every word she said.
问廳
uddenly, a sharp cry rang out from the audience. “Blood! There’s blood on her dress!”
The hall erupted into chaos. I stood at the edge of the stage, my dress tattered, the hem soaked in blood and dust. My hair hung in tangled waves around my face, and my ankles, swollen and bruised, pulsed with pain. Every part of my appearance screamed the truth.
Linda stumbled to her feet, grasping onto the piano bench for support. Her eyes blazed with fury for a split second before she softened her expression, transforming into her usual innocent mask.
“Sofia,” she whispered sweetly, though there was venom beneath her words. “I don’t know what you’re talking about. This must be some sort of misunderstanding.”
Her voice was like honey, but I knew better.
“But,” she continued, “this is my show now. And out of respect for the audience, you shouldn’t be here so boldly.”
The Alubris
