Chapter 482

“She played it, that’s true,” Connor said, his voice carrying a hint of something deeper. “But whether she composed it all by herself… that’s up for debate.”
These days, having a great mentor made all the difference. The better the mentor, the better the student turned out.
Lucinda was lucky-she had an amazing mentor.
Richie was someone Connor respected a lot.
Come to think of it, wasn’t it Richie he’d hired to play during his first date with Lydia at the Royal Hotel?
Lydia hadn’t expected Connor to catch all that just from listening. She shot him a sideways glance. “So, when are you going to play for me?”
She said it in the same tone she’d once used to tell him she wanted to see him fight.
Chris burst out laughing. “I’ve known Connor my whole life and I’ve never seen him touch a piano. Mikey, though, he’s the one who really knows how to play.”
Mikey always looked like the quiet one, and his piano skills were impressive, but he barely had any time for it now that he was so busy with his work.
As for Connor, he’d grown up in the military. It wasn’t like there were pianos lying around the barracks.
Sure, maybe the military band had one, but the idea of Connor, who acted like girls were radioactive, hanging out with the band to get some piano time? Chris couldn’t even picture it.
Actually, the thought of Connor sitting at a piano was so weird, it almost made Chris laugh out loud. He would look so out of place, maybe even a little ridiculous.
Connor shot Chris a look that was pure irritation. “Can you play?”
Chris cracked up. “Me? Not a chance.”
The only reason he’d shown up was to join in the fun and stick close to Lydia.
Connor stopped paying attention to Chris and looked back at Lydia, his expression softening. “I’ll play for you, when I get the chance.”
Lydia nodded. “Alright.”
No matter what Chris said, Lydia was sure Connor actually understood music.
While the three of them chatted, the competition was already heading into its final stretch.
The closer it got to the end, the more intense the performances became.
For the last round, everyone pulled out their best piece. No one was holding anything back. Each performance was more breathtaking than the last, and the energy in the room was almost over the top.
Backstage, Lucinda watched what was happening out front and felt a rush of relief. Thank goodness she’d been smart enough to ask Melody Mastro to help her revise her score If she hadn’t, in this kind of alfor-nothing showdown, she honestly wasn’t sure she’d have a shot at the top prize.
At last, it was Lucinda’s turn.
The atmosphere in the hall was even more electric than before.
Everyone was waiting, eyes fixed on the stage, dying to see what Lucinda would
bring to the table for the final performance.
The others before her had already played their trump cards.
What was Lucinda’s?
She was so focused now that she didn’t even look for Lydia in the audience, let alone try to provoke her.
The pressure was real.
But Lucinda trusted herself.
She lifted her gown just enough to step forward, moving with effortless grace as she sat at the piano. Her hands settled on the keys. She closed her eyes, took a deep breath, and then-her eyes opened.
Music spilled from her fingers, so alive it felt like it had its own heartbeat. The notes leapt and spun through the air, filling the room. ɪꜰ ʏᴏᴜ ᴡᴀɴᴛ ᴛᴏ ʀᴇᴀᴅ ᴍᴏʀᴇ ᴄʜᴀᴘᴛᴇʀs, ᴘʟᴇᴀsᴇ ᴠɪsɪᴛ.net
The piano keys seemed to come alive under her touch, each note from the sheet music turning into something that reached straight into people’s hearts.
The high notes rang clear as silver bells, so light they seemed to float up and touch the clouds. The low notes were deep, like the sound of a distant bell, echoing inside everyone and making them pause, lostiva thought.
Sometimes, the music surged with energy and boldness, like waves crashing against a rocky shore, full of power and courage. Sometimes, it softened, like a gentle breeze ripping across a quiet lake carrying delicate feelings and telling stories that tugged at the heart.
The audience was completely swept away, caught up in the beauty of it all.
Their faces were a mix of amazement and admiration, as if Lucinda’s music had pulled them into a dream they never wanted to leave.