"You''re killing me withughter! Are you seriously trying to tell me she''s some undercover queen of disguise?" Jasper was practically in stitches, tears brimming in his eyes. "Hahaha, have you been reading too many thrillers and now you''re just daydreaming?"


    Abby was about to explode with anger, ready to march over, but Ste held her back.


    "Let it go, Abby. The show is about to start. Don''t let someone like that ruin the performance."


    Abby was fuming. "What''s wrong with that guy?"


    Ste shrugged, "Maybe he''s been hanging around someone who''s seriously lost


    it and now he''s caught the fever himself."


    Abby threw up her hands in exaggerated terror. "I''m staying five feet back - wouldn''t want to ''identally'' trip and get med for damaging national treasures." She jerked her chin toward the exit. "Star, Marvin - wheels up before the drama catches fire."


    She knew Ste and Marvin were about to take the stage. Stirring up trouble now could mess with their performance, and that was thest thing Abby wanted.


    Neville grinned slightly, "Alright folks, I''m out too. Don''t forget to get yourself a new pair of sses on the way."


    After they left, Jasper couldn''t help but curse under his breath. "Ugh, what a piece of work!"


    Rachel watched Ste''s retreating figure, her brow furrowed with curiosity.


    "Haynie, are you really sure Ste can''t y the violin?"


    Haynes shook his head. "I don''t know. I''ve never seen her y."


    Then Keen piped up, "I once saw Mom looking at sheet music at home."


    Rachel turned to Keen, "Sheet music? Did she ever mention anything about the violin to you?"


    Keen thought for a moment, "Mom did mention Grandma once, said she was a pretty amazing violinist."


    Rachel recalled seeing a violin named "Nocturne Ste" at a music shop not too long ago. It had belonged to the renowned violinist Nora.


    Nora was a prodigy in the music world, sweeping countless violinpetitions and reigning supreme during her peak. Tragically, she passed away at a young age, leaving a void that many mourned. Herpositions became timeless ssics, some even making it into the standard exam repertoire.


    When Rachel first saw Nocturne Ste, she didn''t connect it to Ste or Nora. It wasn''t until Ste mentioned that it was her mother''s violin that Rachel was truly taken aback.


    Jasper, hearing all this, shrugged it off. "Just because her mom was great doesn''t mean she is. Haynie and Keen both said they''ve never seen Ste practice. How good could she be?"


    Seeing Rachel still deep in thought, Jasper reassured her, "Rachel, remember, it takes years of practice to shine on stage. Even if you''re sick, as long as you''re able, you''d keep practicing. Ste hasn''t yed in years. How could she possiblypete with you? You''re worrying over nothing."


    Rachel considered this and realized he was right. She turned to Haynes and asked, "Haynie, did Ms. Cameron agree to lend me that violin?"


    "A violin?" Jasper asked, intrigued. "What''s going on?"


    Rachel quickly filled him in on the situation.


    The violin hadpletely slipped Haynes'' mind, buried under the dumpster fire Ste kept lighting in his life. Now, with her looking at him like he was something scraped off her shoe, convincing her to surrender it seemed about as likely as putting out those mes with gasoline.


    After a short silence, Haynes sighed, "Rachel, maybe you should consider using a different violin."


    Rachel''s eyes widened in surprise. Since she''d returned, Haynes had never denied any of her requests. He even gave her the wedding with Ste he''d nned.


    Asking for a violin seemed like a piece of cake. It must be the recent events that had shaken Haynes'' trust in her.


    She''d managed to brush off thest incident with Haynes by exining that Marvin had interrupted before she could finish talking to Keen, but she knew this was far from over.