“Fine!” Cecelia gritted her teeth. “But what if you lose?”
“If I lose, then I lose,” Kaia said with a shrug, sounding completely unfazed.
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“So you don’t have to pay any price if you lose? You’re just trying to get a free ride! You do know how to take advantage!” Cecelia snapped.
Kaia lounged against a nearby pillar, glancing up lazily. “If you don’t like it, no one’s forcing you to play against me.”
‘Damn it!‘ Cecelia fumed to herself.
She and Bianca were so pissed that they could barely hold themselves back from jumping at Kaia. Kaia had them totally under her thumb.
Meanwhile, Devin leaned over to Tobias and whispered, “Miss Kaia is pretty impressive.”
You’re just figuring that out now?” Tobias replied, a hint of amusement in his voice.
Devin glanced at Tobias and noticed a faint look of pride on his face.
Soon, all the pianos were in place, and the showdown officially kicked off.
Bianca stepped forward, her voice dripping with false modesty. “I’m not that good at the piano. I’m sure I can’t compare to Kaia. Please don’t judge me too harshly.”
‘Bianca, what are you talking about? You’ve won awards in piano competitions right here in Laverille! If you’re saying you’re not good, what does that make the rest of us?” Cecelia sneered, shooting a smug look at Kaia.
The crowd around them started to join in, stirring things up.
“Yeah, Bianca, come on! Show us what you’ve got. We all believe in you!” someone called out.
“That’s right. Everyone’s waiting to hear you play!” another person echoed.
With everyone egging her on, Bianca finally gave a reluctant nod, putting on a show of hesitation.
“Well… I guess I’ll give it a try,” she said, acting all modest.
With that, she gathered her skirt and walked gracefully onto the stage.
She sat down on the piano bench, and right before she played, she cast a glance at Tobias.
She was convinced that with her talent, Tobias wouldn’t be able to take his eyes off her.
Just thinking about Tobias watching her made her so thrilled that she nearly burst out laughing.
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She took a deep breath, composed herself, then placed her fingers on the keys and began to play.
Meanwhile, Kaia was lazily leaning against Tobias.
She grabbed a handful of hazelnuts, cracking them open and enjoying the show as she watched Bianca perform.
As Bianca played, Kaia would sometimes shake her head or frown.
She muttered quietly, “She missed a note there.
“Not enough emotion here either.”
“Not bad. She’s got some real skill.”
Cecelia overheard her muttering.
She scoffed and thought, ‘Who does she think she is, critiquing Bianca’s piano playing? The nerve!‘ Cecelia scoffed.
‘Keep gloating, Kaia—your turn to embarrass yourself is coming up real soon!‘ Cecelia thought.
With a crisp final note, Bianca wrapped up her performance.
The audience burst into applause.
“Thank you, everyone,” Bianca said as she stood and gave a graceful bow.
Her eyes couldn’t help but seek out Tobias again.
But Tobias remained standing tall and unmoved beside Kaia, never once looking her way.
She dropped her head, disappointment written all over her face as her eyes instantly lost their
shine.
Devin didn’t miss Bianca’s reaction and grinned mischievously at Tobias.
‘Mr. Moreno, Miss Clayton played for a long time, and you didn’t even look her way? Doesn’t matter how pretty the music is, and you’ve only got eyes for Miss Bennett. Man, you’re totally whipped, Devin teased.
Tobias looked a little stunned, caught off guard by the comment.
On this side, as soon as Cecelia saw Bianca step off the stage, she wasted no time calling out to Kaia.
“Your turn. What are you waiting for? Get up there,” Cecelia snapped,
Kaia tossed another hazelnut into her mouth, finished it off, then shot Cecelia a lazy glance.
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“Me? I don’t know any of that fancy stuff. I can only play “Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star,” Kaia replied, looking completely unbothered.
Cecelia sneered inwardly. ‘She’s trying to weasel out of this?
Just wait. I’ll show her who’s the boss!‘
Cecelia glanced around, seeing everyone’s eyes glued to their showdown, and felt a surge of satisfaction.
‘This is exactly the kind of attention I was hoping for!‘ Cecelia thought.
She immediately raised her voice so everyone could hear, “Seriously? You can’t even play the piano? Aren’t you supposed to be the Bennett family’s precious daughter? What? Did your mom just skip teaching you the basics when you were a kid?
“Oh right, I almost forgot–you’re the Bennett family’s good–for–nothing. No wonder you never got a real chance to learn anything decent.”
Kaia stopped cracking hazelnuts the moment Cecelia brought up her family background. She looked up at Cecelia with a sharp, icy glare.
“Enough,” Kaia said in a low, cold voice.
Her eyes narrowed, and her tone was so cold that it sent a chill through the room.
That simple word carried a chilling intensity, a pressure that was impossible to ignore.
Cecelia had been ready to throw even more insults at Kaia, but when she met Kaia’s gaze, the words
died in her throat.
‘Wait, what?‘ Cecelia thought, totally thrown off.
‘I felt a chill running down my spine. Is Kaia intimidating me?
‘Where did this good–for–nothing from the sticks get such a strong vibe?‘
‘And just now… Kaia had yelled at me.’
“What did you just say? ‘Enough“?” Cecelia blurted out, still in disbelief.
Cecelia kept talking while eyeing Kaia closely, trying to size her up and see what she was thinking.
But Kaia instantly pulled herself together, slipping back into that cryptic, half–smile that made her so hard to get a read on.
“I said, I’ve had enough hazelnuts,” Kaia replied, totally unfazed as she rubbed her face.
Her eyes were clear and unreadable, making it impossible to tell what she was truly feeling.
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Cecelia stared at Kaia for ages, but she still couldn’t figure her out.
For a split second, Cecelia could’ve sworn Kaia’s eyes were piercing, almost intimidating.
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It sent an icy chill shooting up from her feet to her spine, leaving her shivering and breaking out in
a cold sweat.
‘Was I just imagining that?‘ Cecelia wondered.
While Cecelia was still trying to process it, Kaia tossed the hazelnuts back onto the table and stood
- up.
“Alright, I’ll play. It’s just the piano, isn’t it? Anyone with hands can do it, right?” Kaia said, sounding completely unfazed.
Her
gaze unwavering, Kaia climbed the steps to the piano, each stride steady and sure.
Down below, Tobias’s deep, intense gaze followed Kaia’s every move without missing a beat.
*****
Up on stage, Kaia stood tall, her back straight, her exclusive designer gown accentuating her graceful silhouette.
Then, in a heartbeat, she lifted her hand, letting her delicate fingertips slowly come to rest on the black and white piano keys.
But instead of playing right away, Kaia closed her eyes, taking a moment to center herself.
Thoughts surged through Kaia’s mind, images of wild mountains and rivers flashing before her
eyes.
‘Look at her just sitting there,‘ Cecelia scoffed inwardly. ‘She’s obviously stalling. Bet she can’t even play and is just dragging it out to save face.
“Kaia, hurry up! Quit wasting everyone’s time. We’re all dying to hear your angelic performance!” Cecelia shouted, her words laced with biting sarcasm.
She was deliberately trying to corner Kaia, making sure she had nowhere to hide and would be forced to embarrass herself.
If Kaia really couldn’t play, she’d be utterly humiliated in front of the whole crowd.
‘She’ll never live this down. Kaia is about to make a complete fool of herself!‘ Cecelia gloated inwardly, already savoring the moment.
Kaia’s train of thought was cut off by Cecelia’s jeering. She slowly opened her eyes, lashes sweeping up like butterfly wings, then raised her hand. After a brief pause, her slender fingers hovered over the keys before she finally began to play.
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“Ding-”
The very first note rang out from beneath her fingertips.
Then came the second note, following right after.
Then the third, the fourth…
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Suddenly, a cascade of smooth, enchanting notes poured out, echoing through the entire hall.
Her music shifted from the gentle flow of a stream to the wild rush of a waterfall, each phrase alive with emotion.
Every note seemed to tug at the heart, drawing everyone deeper into her world.
Before they knew it, the whole crowd was swept up by her rhythm, completely lost in the music.
In an instant, the hall fell into a hushed silence, so quiet that they could hear a pin drop.
Just moments ago, Tobias’s brows furrowed with worry for Kaia. But as soon as her music filled the air, his face softened into a doting smile, and he listened with rapt attention.
As he listened, Tobias couldn’t help but lift his gaze, locking onto the dazzling girl on stage. His sharp eyes seemed to shine even brighter, completely captivated by her presence.
Kaia sat quietly, eyes closed, letting the melody dance lightly beneath her fingertips. Each note leapt effortlessly from her hands, weaving a spell over the room.
Though her expression remained cool and detached, there was a cold, ethereal purity about her–a kind of deadly allure that drew everyone in, unable to look away.
Even Tobias, who was always so aloof and acted like nothing in the world could catch his attention, found himself completely captivated–his gaze glued to Kaia, unable to look away.
After what felt like forever, the last note finally faded, but the melody still lingered in the air, echoing around the hall as if refusing to leave.
Even after Kaia finished playing, everyone just stood there, mesmerized and dazed, still lost in the spell of her music, unable to snap out of it.
‘No way… Did Kaia, the hick from the sticks, just play that?‘ Cecelia thought, totally losing it. ‘How is this even possible?‘
Cecelia’s eyes went wide in shock, staring at Kaia on stage, totally floored and unable to move a muscle. She just couldn’t believe what she was seeing.
Beside her, Bianca was spaced out, jaw practically hitting the floor. She never imagined Kaia could play…
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To top it off, her performance was insanely good!
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The crowd, still spellbound by the music, finally started to come back to their senses, as if waking
from a dream.
“Oh my god, did I just hear that right? She played like an absolute goddess! Who would’ve thought she had this kind of skill?” someone gasped, still reeling from shock.
All eyes were glued to Kaia, everyone staring at her in
“Damn, Kaia is something else! Tsk, even the top piano masters would be left speechless by her performance!” someone blurted out, shaking their head in disbelief.
“Seriously, same here. I can’t believe my ears! For a second there, it felt like I was in the Wonery Concert Hall, listening to a world–class pianist live!” another person added, voice full of admiration.
“Even as someone who doesn’t know much about piano, I can tell Kaia blows Bianca out of the water,” someone said, shaking their head in disbelief.
“I heard Bianca took top three in Laverille’s piano contest, but honestly, Kaia’s on a whole other level. If she entered, she’d probably sweep the awards!” another person added, their voice full of
awe.
While everyone was talking and comparing the two performances, Bianca was standing not far from them.
The hall was still so quiet that she could hear every single word they were saying, loud and clear.
In that instant, Bianca’s hands balled into fists, and she ground her teeth so hard that it felt like they might shatter.
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