Mr. Walden let out a heavy sigh, as if in an instant he''d aged ten years.
"So many eyes are watching me right now. If I were to expel Rachel from my
tutge at this moment, who knows what stories people would concoct-how
they''d twist the tale to suit themselves.
This matter needs to be approached with caution."
No one else said a word.
...
With Ste''s wless performance of the notoriously difficult piece, *The Gaze*,
her victory at thepetition was practically set in stone.
A video of Ste defeating Harry was spreading like wildfire online.
Invitations to music festivals and mastersses poured in, so many that Abby''s
hands ached from sorting through them all.
Tickets for Ste''s recitals—and even thepetition—were selling out at record
speed.
Abby could barely contain her excitement; she was so energized, she workedte
into the night without a hint of exhaustion.
"Star, we''ve really made it this time! Even with Haynes pulling strings for Rachel
and Mr. Walden paving the way, what good has it done them?
No one''s even mentioning Rachel anymore—and when they do, it''s only tough
about how Mr. Walden must be losing his touch."
Abby had a feeling Ste was at the very peak of her career.
Still, with Ste preparing for her uing concerts, Abby turned down every
unnecessary corporate gig, determined to let her focuspletely on her music.
As she scrolled through thetest news, Abby chatted with Ste. "Everyone''s
saying you''re a shoo-in for the international title now. Just y *The Gaze*, and
no one will be able to top your performance."
For a "neer" to outshine even Harry was enough to catch the attention of
musicians around the world. It was nothing short of astonishing.
Ste said, "I really was in rare form this time. That kind of state is hard toe
by. Honestly, it''s unlikely I''ll ever y at an even higher level in the future."
Abby waved off her concerns. “Even
if you have a dip, you can still y
*The Gaze* without pushing the
difficulty. You’ll be just fine. Star
don’t hold yourself to impossible
standards—you''re already
incredible."
Ste smiled as she changed the water in the vase on the table.
Abby watched as she handled the bouquet of baby''s breath. "Those flowers are
gorgeous. Joshua really has a thoughtful side, doesn''t he?"
She sighed. "You were married to Haynes for five years, and he never noticed you
liked baby''s breath. Joshua''s only been your assistant for, what, a few months?
And he already knows your favorite."
Ste''s hand paused over the vase.
"You didn''t ask Joshua to get them for me?" she asked.
“Nope,” Abby shook her head. “I did
think about telling him to pick up
some flowers, but ever since you
beat Harry, my phone''s been ringing
off the hook. I haven''t had a minute
to arrange anything. And I never told
him you liked baby''s breath."
Ste lowered her gaze to the delicate blooms in her hands.
The faint, sweet scent lingered at the tip of her nose, soothing and clear.
She nced around. "Where''s Joshua?"
Abby replied, "He''s been taking time offtely—super secretive about what he''s
up to. Maybe he''s started getting his memory back... or maybe he''s found himself
a girlfriend."
After a moment''s thought, Ste
said, "Let''s give him a raise
tomorrow. If he really does have a
girlfriend, his expenses are bound to
go up. A little extra in his paycheck
will keep him from seeming stingy."
Abby gave her an "OK" sign. "No problem!"
Joshua was not only considerate and capable, but also came in handy when it
came to putting Ste''s scummy ex-husband in his ce. Having him around as
an assistant was a win all around.
...
A bucket of water sshed over Harry, yanking him awake.