âThatâs right. Just returned from overseas.â
Mila extended her hand, and Joelle was briefly surprised when she shook it.
Milaâs hand was just like hers, calloused from playing musical instruments.
In that moment, a silent understanding passed between them, a recognition of shared artistic devotion.
Dunn led Ryland and Aurora to explore his toy room.
In the front hall, a group of adults were deep in conversation. Joelle was there to support Adrian, but neither of them wanted to draw attention, so they remained quietly in the background.
Stephen turned to Joelle, curious, and asked, âWhat have you been up to these past few years?â
He admired Milaâs success and knew that without a platform, artists could easily fade into the background. Back when Milaâs career was at its peak, Joelle had faced her own challengesâan injury to her hand, marriage, divorce, and raising a child on her own.
Thinking about it now, Joelle smiled faintly, while Adrian, sensing her emotions, gently held her right hand.
Her wrist was wrapped in a brace designed to provide mild electric stimulation to revive the once-numb nerves.
âMr. Finch, Iâve opened my own studio, mostly focused on crafting and selling violins.â
âThat explains why we havenât heard much from you these last couple of years.â
Their conversation was suddenly interrupted by the sound of beautiful piano music.
It was Mila, her fingers dancing gracefully over the keys. The Finch Mansion had pianos scattered throughout, allowing Mila to play whenever inspiration struck.
Everyone fell quiet, enchanted by the music.
Joelle could feel the depth in Milaâs playingâsometimes soaring, sometimes gentle, but always filled with emotion. It was an auditory masterpiece.
When Mila finished, she looked over at Joelle and asked, âJoelle, would you like to play something?â
Joelle waved her hand, smiling politely. âNo, the piano isnât my strong suit.â
Mila, of course, knew that Joelleâs true talent lay with the violin.
She wanted to use this public event to subtly remind Joelle of the gulf between them.
That single loss to Joelle had been the only defeat she had ever truly struggled to accept.
She had never suffered a defeat like that, and she couldnât let it go.
Since she couldnât surpass Joelle in violin, Mila had changed directions entirely. Mila had always been seen as a prodigyâthere was nothing she couldnât master when she put her mind to it.
How could Joelle ever compare? She didnât even belong in the same competition.
Joelle sighed. âAlright, Iâll give it a try.â
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