Chapter 386
Chapter 386:
Even if it meant damaging her hand further, securing a future among the wealthy was a price she was willing to pay.
Determined, Rosanna quickly reconsidered. “It would be a privilege to attempt it. Please forgive any shortcomings p>
With those words, Rosanna walked confidently toward the piano. The orchestra members politely stepped aside to make room for her. Settling herself at the majestic instrument, Rosanna inhaled deeply and readied her fingers to begin.
Rosanna’s slender fingers brushed the piano keys, and a soft, flowing classical melody unfurled through the room like a river in spring. Though Rosanna had once sprouted from the cracks of some rough slums, her adoptive parents had pinched every penny they could send her for piano lessons — holding tightly to the belief that this little girl deserved a shot at chasing dreams most could only imagine.
For a girl born into such hardship, learning the piano was a far-off dream, a castle in the clouds. Back then, the townsfolk scoffed at Maia’s biological parents, branding them fools for pouring money into something so extravagant.
From childhood, Rosanna had been tethered to the piano. Even now, with her hand throbbing from injury, she coaxed from it a breathtaking melody that held every listener spellbound.
One by one, the guests, caught in the music’s gentle current, edged closer, gathering into a loose semicircle around her.
Clenching her teeth against the sharp pangs in her hand, Rosanna vowed silently: no matter the cost, she must play flawlessly tonight. “This is what all those years were for,” she told herself, fierce with determination.
As the final note faded into silence, Rosanna’s fingers quivered, yet she exhaled a slow, steady breath.
Her performance hadn’t merely matched her old self — it soared even higher, heavy with the emotions and battles she’d weathered.
gαℓησν𝒆𝓁s․𝑐𝓞𝓂 brings great stories
Soon, the room swelled with waves of praise, rising louder and louder.
“She played that beautifully, injury and all p>
“I wonder who she is. Absolutely remarkable p>
“I heard she’s the true daughter of the Morgan family. Miss Cooper brought her tonight p>
“Oh! I remember now — she returned to the Morgans just a few years ago, didn’t she? Who would’ve thought she had such brilliance in her p>
Rosanna rose from the bench, poised and graceful, offering a modest smile. Across the room, she caught Claudius’s gaze. Though his expression remained unreadable, his eyes lingered on her a second longer than custom allowed.
And in that brief second, Rosanna’s heart lifted.
Just as she was basking in the glow of admiration, Mariana sauntered casually over to Maia. Flashing a polished, calculating smile, she spoke just loud enough for every nearby ear to catch. “Rosanna spent more than a decade struggling before she found her way back to the Morgans, yet her piano skills are masterful. Ms. Watson, since you were raised by the Morgans from the very beginning, surely your playing must be just as refined p>
The room froze into silence.
Every eye swung toward Maia.
Most of the guests — the elite of Wront’s business world — knew little of family squabbles. But their wives and companions had feasted on every juicy detail of the drama between Rosanna and Maia online. One guest leaned in, whispering, “You know, Maia used to go by Maia Morgan. For seventeen years, everyone thought she was the Morgans’ daughter. Then, four years ago, the truth cracked open — Rosanna was their real daughter, and she’d lived all those years in hardship. And here’s the kicker. The Morgans swore they’d still treat Maia as family, but Maia panicked, afraid Rosanna would steal her spot. She tried to frame Rosanna for stealing jewelry from Radiant Jewels to send her to jail! Only, the plan backfired. Maia got herself thrown behind bars for four years p>
“You’re kidding!” gasped another newcomer, glaring openly at Maia. “She lived seventeen golden years she didn’t even earn — all she ever wanted was more p>
“Some people have a bottomless appetite. Why would Mr. Hurst Cooper even invite her p>
“Can she even play the piano p>