Chapter 351
All eyes turned to Haley.
"My sister is an exceptional pianist," Emily said with a smile. "Sister, everyone wants to hear you play. Why don't you grace us with a piece?"
Haley's lips curled into a sneer. "I can't."
Emily's smile cooled.
Indeed, Haley had lost her touch at the piano. It made sense; she had been locked away for eight months five years ago. After that ordeal, she moved abroad with her two children, busy with childcare and making a living, leaving no time to practice.
Five years of neglect could rust any skill. Knowing how to play is one thing, but playing well is another.
Emily couldn't suppress the smug satisfaction bubbling inside her. With a voice dripping with faux humility, she turned to her sister and said, "Sis, you really should stop being so modest. Everyone who learned piano with us back in the day knows how well you play."
Haley responded with a dismissive tone, "I haven't played in many years. I don't even remember how."
She wasn't interested in currying favor with Mrs. Winston or anyone else in the banquet hall. Haley felt no need to sit at the piano and perform for an audience.
But the more Haley resisted, the more Emily was convinced that her sister couldn't play at all.
"Come on." Emily persisted with a bat of her eyes, "You told me just last night that you prepared a piece for Mrs. Winston's birthday. This is the perfect opportunity. It doesn't matter if you don't play it well; it's the thought that counts."
Many of the men in attendance were captivated by Haley's beauty and were eager to see such a beauty play the piano. They chimed in with encouragement, "Yeah, just play something for us. It'll be fun; don't worry about making mistakes."
With a graceful laugh, Haley set her wine glass aside and made her way to the piano in her high heels.
Curling her lips into a smile, she said, "Since Emily is so insistent, I suppose I should give it a try."
Stepping onto the stage, she nonchalantly touched the piano, which sounded quite ordinary and slightly out of tune.
When Emily had played earlier, Haley had noticed a few missed notes, but a non-professional would hardly catch such slips.
Seated at the piano, Haley paused, her fingers positioned above the keys. "I guess I'll play the same piece that Emily just played", she said.
Emily's heart leaped at the mention. By playing the same piece, the difference in skill would be evident, so she braced herself for the comparison.
The room hushed.
Ivan stopped talking and looked up at the woman poised before the piano. She was dressed in a flowing, snow-white gown, her hair cascaded down her back, and her fair complexion shimmered under the crystal chandeliers.
Her slender, pale fingers danced across the ivory keys, weaving an enchanting melody through the room. They were all familiar with the piece, which Emily had played competently, much like a cassette tape's tutorial.
But now, as Haley played, the crowd seemed to grasp for the first time why some were utterly captivated by piano music. It was as if they were transported to ancient fields under a clear sky, with wheat swaying, fresh air breathing life around them, and deer and rabbits darting by...
Such visions filled their minds, elevating the piece to a new level. For a brief few minutes, the audience journeyed through primal forests, the music guiding every step.
The piece abruptly ended, and the listeners awoke from their trance. A moment of silence was quickly followed by enthusiastic applause, and their look changed.
"It's been years since I last played, and my skills are rusty. Please don't laugh," Haley said with modest grace.
Haley graced the stage with a faint smile and confidently stepped down.
Emily remained on the stage, her face a sickly shade of pale, her whole demeanor oddly disheveled.
She could clearly hear the audience murmuring below.
"Miss DeRoss's piano playing was truly marvelous, certainly better than Emily's."
"Emily's piano skills are all about technique, but it's Haley's emotional delivery that resonates with us."
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