Chapter 1225 Figure It Out Eventually
When Hannah and Charles came downstairs for breakfast, they immediately spotted Stella sitting alone on the living room sofa, staring blankly into space.
Hannah paused, unable to resist teasing her. "What are you doing sitting here all by yourself? Don't you have classes this morning?" Then, as if remembering something, she added with surprise, "Wait a minute! Doesn't the journalism department have classes today? Aren't you usually shadowing Emeric to his lectures by now?"
In her relentless pursuit of Emeric, Stella had managed to get hold of his entire class schedule from a fellow student. Her dedication to the chase was nothing short of extraordinary.
She would accompany him to breakfast when she had no morning classes, send him messages at precisely scheduled times throughout the day, and had even waited outside his dormitory with flowers and balloons when she heard the music department was performing off-campus. She had practically memorized every detail of his preferences and habits, even going so far as to buy him new shoes when she noticed his old ones were falling apart.
Her tireless efforts over the past few weeks had paid off—their relationship had grown considerably closer, and Stella would report her daily victories with obvious satisfaction. Hannah had to admire her persistence; she'd never seen anyone invest so much energy in pursuing someone.
Stella had always been naturally gifted. While Hannah burned the midnight oil studying just to scrape into D University, Stella would sleep through lectures, never review after class, and then casually study for two weeks before exams to effortlessly secure her place at the same institution. This was the first time Hannah had witnessed such unwavering dedication from her cousin toward anything.
As time passed and it became clear that Emeric's interest in Stella wasn't merely a ploy to get closer to Randy, Hannah had stopped voicing her concerns. Their relationship seemed genuine enough, and she'd begun to think this romance might actually work out.
But after only two weeks, had Stella already lost interest?
"Randy's furious with me," Stella said miserably. "He's gone back to Sunset Bay."
Both Hannah and Charles froze in shock. Charles immediately bolted upstairs while Hannah settled beside Stella, offering comfort. "Randy adores you—he'd never stay angry with you for long. You must be misunderstanding something."
Stella shook her head despondently. "No, this time he's genuinely angry." She suddenly grabbed Hannah's hand with desperate urgency. "Hannah, do you think I've been completely out of line lately? Is that why Randy's so upset?"
Just then, Charles descended the stairs. Hannah caught his eye questioningly, and he shook his head grimly before settling into the opposite sofa, crossing his long legs and leaning casually against the armrest with practiced elegance.
"Alright," he said. "Tell us exactly what happened last night."
Stella recounted the entire confrontation in painstaking detail. Even Hannah found herself incredulous by the end.
"It seems Randy really is angry," Hannah said slowly. "I've never seen him lose his temper like that—he's usually so even-tempered."
Charles chuckled dryly. "Among all of us, Randy's always been the most patient. Learning music requires cultivating both discipline and temperance. I thought he'd endure your behavior for at least another few days, but he only lasted two weeks. That should tell you exactly how far you've pushed him."
Stella felt utterly wronged. "But I haven't done anything terrible!"
Even now, she couldn't pinpoint her exact transgression. Yes, she'd been practicing less lately, but she'd always been completely focused during her sessions. Was Randy simply angry about her reduced practice time?
Charles rubbed his temples, running his fingers through his hair in exasperation. "You don't even understand what's upset him. He's not angry about your practice schedule—he's furious about your attitude toward music itself. Randy has valued music above his own life since childhood. He can accept that you might not love music the way he does, because everyone has different passions and interests. Not loving something is perfectly acceptable.
"What he cannot tolerate is your claiming to love music while simultaneously treating it with complete disrespect. Be honest with yourself—have you thought about anything besides Emeric these past weeks? You spend every waking moment scheming about how to win his attention. Have you spared even a single thought for your own musical development? Have you considered extending your practice sessions or challenging yourself with more difficult pieces? There have been countless concerts throughout Country D recently—have you attended any to broaden your musical understanding?
"Your entire world has become Emeric."
Hannah nodded emphatically. "Charles and Randy are twins—no one understands Randy better than he does. If Charles says this is the reason, then it absolutely is."
The realization hit Stella like a physical blow. "No wonder Randy told me to seriously consider whether I want to continue."
"Exactly," Hannah agreed. "Your casual attitude has convinced him that you don't truly love music. If you're not passionate about it, why should he force you to continue? Why waste everyone's time?"
Charles leaned forward intently. "You should understand that countless people would kill for the opportunity to study under Randy, yet he's never taken on a formal student. While you're not officially his apprentice, he's been treating you as one, pouring all his knowledge and energy into your development. He's even slowed his own performance schedule to focus on teaching you.
"Take my advice seriously—if you genuinely don't love music, don't force yourself to continue. Randy won't hold that against you. But this indifferent attitude you've been displaying? That will absolutely infuriate him. Randy's right—you need to make a clear decision."
Stella fell silent, finally beginning to contemplate the situation seriously.
Charles clapped his hands and stood, walking over to help Hannah to her feet. "You think carefully about what you really want. Hannah and I are returning to Sunset Bay in the next couple of days to finalize our wedding preparations. Once you've made your decision, you can attend our wedding and tell Randy what you've decided.
"Remember this clearly—Randy isn't a tyrant. You have your own preferences and interests, and he would never force you to love something that doesn't speak to you. If you choose to abandon music, he'll still care for you just as much. It won't affect your relationship in the slightest."
With that, he guided Hannah toward the dining table. Stella immediately jumped up and followed them, settling into the chair across from Hannah.
"You're leaving so soon? With Randy gone too, I'll be completely alone here."
Hannah couldn't resist teasing her. "How could you possibly be alone? You have Emeric! You're busy delivering breakfast every morning, standing in lunch and dinner lines to save his spot, and attending his classes when you don't have your own. Look how perfectly you've organized your schedule!"
Something in Hannah's tone made Stella uncomfortable. "Stop mocking me! I researched this online—everyone pursues people this way."
Hannah sighed deeply, and Charles, understanding her thoughts perfectly, placed a pickled radish in her bowl.
"Just eat," he said gently. "You will figure it out eventually."
"What's that supposed to mean?" Stella asked, completely bewildered.
"Nothing important. Just eat quickly—you don't want to keep your precious Emeric waiting."
Stella remained thoroughly confused.
Log in with Google Account
Chapters
Favorite
Settings
