Chapter 167
Exiting the piano store, Haley found her two children waiting at the door, hand in hand.
Seeing Emily approaching, Todd quickly ushered Angela outside. The last time they'd run into Emily at the preschool, Angela had nightmares for nights. Todd couldn't dare risk another direct encounter between his sister and Emily.
"Mommy, didn't you get a piano?" Todd inquired, looking up.
Haley was about to respond when her phone began to vibrate in her pocket. She glanced at the caller ID, her expression tinged with surprise.
It had been a year since this person had last reached out to her.
"Mr. Albert, what made you think of calling me?"
"I'm in Cuenca for a piano tour and thought of you—this is your hometown, isn't it?" The slightly aged voice spoke from the other end of the line. "Do you remember what I told you a year ago?"
Haley paused, her voice softening, "I've lost the childhood passion I had for the piano..."
"But you have a gift for it. Why not harness that gift to its fullest potential?" Mr. Albert spoke earnestly, "In my life, I've only taken on one student, and your talent surpasses even his."
Haley's lips tightened as she watched Angela in front of her. The little girl's eyes, clear and wide, were fixed in the direction of the piano store.
The sounds of a melodic piano piece drifted from within, and the little girl swayed gently to the rhythm.
Abruptly, the music stopped, and a look of innocent confusion clouded Angela's eyes.
Haley's grip on her phone tightened, "Mr. Albert, would you consider taking on another student?"
"If I wasn't willing to take on students, why would I call?" Mr. Albert, sensing her interest, urged. "I'm in Cuenca now and won't be leaving for a couple of days. We could meet if you have time."
"Okay, see you tomorrow."
After hanging up, Haley crouched down and locked eyes with her daughter, "Angela, tell Mommy, do you really want to learn piano?"
The little girl, often oblivious to her surroundings, met her mother's gaze with wide eyes and nodded emphatically.
"Alright, Mommy will take you to meet the teacher tomorrow," Haley said softly, the corners of her mouth curling into a smile.
She had initially wanted to foster only a simple interest in piano for Angela. How well she played didn't matter.
But in that moment, Haley saw in her daughter's eyes a fervor for the piano.
Perhaps Angela could indeed find her way out of her closed-off world through the keys of the piano...
The following morning, Emily had a piano delivered to the Winston family estate. She had agreed to Keith's request for her to learn to play, but only on one condition: the lessons had to be at the Winston residence. Keith, without asking for her reasons, had consented.
Within the Winston household, Keith was perhaps the only one who would accommodate her to such an extent...
In the living room, Ivan was skimming through some documents when he suddenly spotted Emily leading a team of movers through the front door. The four workers, heaving the cumbersome piano into the living area, made an irksome racket.
"What's this all about?" Ivan's voice was cool as he closed his files.
An intangible aura radiated from him, casting an invisible net that seemed to envelop the room. The workers, already gasping, began to sweat profusely. Emily herself felt an unaccountable tension.
Regrets over her previous candid words now came to haunt her, turning this encounter into an awkward affair. Shaking off the memories, she conjured a gentle smile and said, "Ivan, didn't you hear? Keith has found me a piano teacher. My first lesson is this afternoon."
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