Chapter 150 The Piano's Serenade
"We'll cross that bridge when we come to it. Who knows where I'll be by then," Ava mused, her smile laced with a bitter undertone. The notion of a lifetime commitment seemed implausible, even ludicrous.
Marriages, after all, were not infallible.
Particularly for a man of William's caliber. A man of his stature would inevitably marry a woman of equal standing. With a family of his own to consider, how could he possibly shoulder the responsibility of another's child? His future wife would undoubtedly object.
Sensing the futility of the conversation, William wisely refrained from pressing the matter further.
Abruptly, the room was awash with the melodious strains of a piano, a tune distinct from the ones previously heard.
It was a melody Ava knew all too well.
Her gaze drifted towards the source of the music, landing on a man impeccably dressed in a suit, his slender fingers dancing expertly across the monochrome keys of the piano.
The enchanting melody held the room's occupants in its thrall.
Recognition dawned on Ava's face as she identified the pianist. Alexander. What was he doing here? And why was he at the piano?
Her eyes scanned the crowd, coming to rest on a woman whose chin was propped in her hands, her gaze fixed adoringly on Alexander. A silent exchange of profound affection passed between them.
The woman could only be Isabella.
A frown creased William's brow as he observed the man on the stage. What rotten luck for them to cross paths here.
"Ava, perhaps we should find somewhere else," he proposed.
Jolted back to reality, Ava responded, "There's no need. We've only just begun. Let's finish our meal first."
Fleeing now would only serve to implicate her. As if she were the guilty party? She was the rightful wife. Why should she be the one to retreat when her husband had the audacity to flaunt his mistress in public, and upon being discovered by his wife, showed no remorse?
She resolved to stay, if only out of principle.
Seeing Ava's resolve, William held his peace, and they resumed their meal in silence.
As the piano music filled the room, Ava's grip on her cutlery tightened. This was the melody Alexander used to play for her, wasn't it? In the early days of their marriage, he would often serenade her on the piano.
She would listen, utterly entranced by the sight of him. So handsome, so graceful, he was like a prince when he played.
But over time, he stopped. Whenever she expressed a longing to hear him play, Alexander would claim exhaustion, and eventually, he stopped playing altogether.
And now, here he was, playing their song for another woman in front of an audience?
A bitter laugh welled up within her. In Alexander's eyes, Isabella was no mere mistress; she was his one true love. It was likely Ava, his lawful wife, who had been relegated to the role of the other woman in his heart.
Ava's hands trembled, threatening to turn her meal into a chaotic mess on her plate.
Setting down his cutlery, William reached over to Ava's plate. With a careful gesture, he sliced her meal into neat, manageable pieces before returning the plate to its original position.
Ava's hands remained wrapped around her silverware as she lifted her despondent eyes to meet his, "Do you think I'm useless?"
"No, you're already brave," William reassured her, his voice a soothing balm. "The mere fact you're sitting here is commendable. You're right, why should you be the one to leave? You haven't done anything wrong. It's them who should be ashamed. You're not the type to make a scene. That would be beneath you."
William's words resonated with Ava, stirring a cocktail of sadness and gratitude within her, "Thank you."
"Let's finish our meal, and then I can take you somewhere to clear your head."
"Okay."
As the piano's melody faded into silence, the room erupted into applause.
Alexander straightened his suit jacket and descended from the stage with an air of grace, then settled into a seat across from Isabella.
