Chapter 310 True and False Phantom
Scarlett was genuinely surprised to hear Marcus, who was usually so cold, speak to her with concern.
She quickly nodded, grateful and obedient. "Mr. Ayers, my foot's not that bad. I can still go on stage and sing another piece for you. But I know you're worried and probably not in the mood to enjoy the opera at the moment. I don't want to stress you out, so I'll sing for you another time! While I'm resting my foot, I'll practice my voice more. Next time I sing 'Hamilton' for you, I'll make it perfect!"
Marcus looked at Scarlett, his eyes showing a new level of appreciation.
He nodded slightly. "Alright, just focus on healing. You don't need to practice more. You sang beautifully today!"
These weren't just polite words; they were a heartfelt and honest evaluation.
Her recent performance in "The Phantom of the Opera" was flawless. The audience's applause said it all!
With such a good voice, it's easy to imagine her singing "Hamilton" just as well!
Even from a talent perspective, Marcus's opinion of Scarlett had changed significantly today.
He had always disliked Scarlett, thinking Bernard's half-sister was hypocritical and pretentious. Though she spoke and acted perfectly, it always seemed calculated and insincere.
But today, hearing her sing so well, he realized she was actually very dedicated!
Maybe he had been biased and misunderstood her intentions.
For years, he had been trying to find some comfort for Aria, who had Alzheimer's. He wanted to find a girl who resembled their missing daughter to adopt as a goddaughter and keep Aria company.
Now, seeing Scarlett's dedication, there was no need to look for an outsider. She would do. Knowing her background was more reassuring than an outsider.
Moreover, Scarlett somewhat resembled their missing granddaughter, Laura, especially with that birthmark between her eyebrows.
This resemblance might bring some comfort to Aria, who had Alzheimer's.
In the future, Scarlett could come over more often as Claire to keep Aria company, talk to her, and sing operas. Maybe it could ease Aria's longing for her daughter and help with her worsening condition.
At that moment, Aria, who was beside them, was anxiously looking at the stage, eager to leave. "Claire. Claire is gone. We need to find Claire. Let's go."
Marcus snapped back to reality and quickly held onto Aria, comforting her, "Aria, Claire hasn't left. Look over there, Claire is right here!"
He pointed to Scarlett in the wheelchair so Aria could see.
Aria looked over, her anxious eyes falling on Scarlett's face. She frowned and stared at her for a long time.
Then, maybe because Scarlett's outfit was different from the girl who had just sung on stage, Aria didn't approach but instead took a few steps back. "No, no. It's not her."
Seeing Aria retreat, Marcus felt a bit strange and furrowed his brows in worry. "Aria, what's wrong? Weren't you just asking to see Claire?"
Aria shook her head vigorously, full of resistance. "I want to find Claire. It's not her. It's not this one."
Hearing this, Marcus furrowed his brows again, suddenly at a loss. Why didn't Aria recognize her?
Having just gained Marcus's trust and now facing Aria's rejection, Scarlett couldn't help but feel a bit guilty.
She looked up and cast a pleading glance at Sophie, pretending to be at a loss, and signaling her friend to speak up for her.
Receiving Scarlett's plea for help, Sophie quickly spoke up, "Mrs. Ayers, it's her! It's really her! She's the one who just sang 'The Phantom of the Opera' on stage. She just changed her costume and makeup, so you might not recognize her. Because she's preparing to sing another opera, she's dressed differently now. Aria, don't worry, calm down and take a closer look?"
Marcus also tried to soothe Aria's agitated emotions, coaxing her. "Yes, Aria! Look closely again. The one you were asking to see is her. How can you not recognize our Claire?"
Hearing everyone around her say this, Aria looked at Scarlett's face again under their guidance, staring intently. She seemed to waver a bit. "Claire?"
Marcus blinked, signaling Scarlett to say something.
Scarlett, being very clever, understood that Marcus wanted her to temporarily play the role of their daughter Claire Ayers to calm Aria down.
And this was exactly what she wanted!
As long as Aria treated her like her missing daughter, the Ayers family would become another powerful support for her, in addition to the Mitchell family!
Scarlett's eyes reddened with emotion, and she tentatively held Aria's hand, softly saying, "It's me! I'm Claire, Mom. I'm back."
"Claire!"
With a cry full of tears, Aria seemed to be transported back to the days when her daughter was still with her. Her eyes instantly filled with tears, and she trembled as she held Scarlett's hand. "Claire... my Claire... you've suffered."
Scarlett leaned her head on Aria, a slight smile of triumph on her lips.
Seeing this, Marcus felt a mix of heartache and relief. It was good that Aria accepted Scarlett so easily. She could now comfort Aria's longing for her daughter.
Just as this touching scene was bringing tears to everyone's eyes, a lazy, indifferent voice interrupted.
"Excuse me, sorry to interrupt!"
Everyone was stunned and looked towards the source of the voice.
Katherine had walked over at some point, smiling calmly as she spoke.
Sophie and Scarlett became instantly alert upon seeing Katherine suddenly appear.
What was this wretched woman doing here?
Was she here to cause trouble again?
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