Chapter 197 Nolan Cunningham Took a Shine to Jasmine
"What's happening? Where's the pianist?" A minor hiccup disrupted the wedding.
Such high-profile nuptials were expected to proceed flawlessly.
However, they had engaged a renowned pianist who, unfortunately, suffered a heart attack and was rushed to the hospital.
"What do we do? Does anyone here play the piano? It's too late to find someone now; the couple will soon pass through here amidst a shower of petals, and without a live piano, it just wouldn't be the same..."
As tension mounted and guests grew puzzled, Nolan scanned the crowd. Among them were figures from the business, entertainment, and modeling industries, mostly accompanied by influencers and moguls.
However, the piece intended for piano was notoriously difficult; they feared ruining the wedding, as playing it smoothly from sheet music was no small feat.
The bride herself grew concerned; the disruption was tarnishing her vision of a perfect wedding.
"Shall I give it a try?" Jasmine offered quietly, feeling empathy for the bride.
"Are you sure you can? Don't ruin someone's wedding," someone doubted.
"Who is she? Who brought her?"
"It seems like Ethan..." murmured another.
"I heard she's just an assistant and plays the piano?"
Jasmine remained silent; her only intention was to aid the bride.
"Trust me, give it a shot." The bride ushered Jasmine toward the piano.
With a glance at the sheet music, Jasmine's delicate fingers gracefully touched the piano keys, pressing them softly.
The sound fell short. Rising from her seat, Jasmine began inspecting the piano's strings.
"The tuning's off," Jasmine whispered. "Let me adjust it."
"Can she even play?"
"Ha... I bet she can't, and now she's making excuses."
Jasmine disregarded the murmurs. She possessed piano-tuning skills she had acquired during her time in prison.
After making the necessary adjustments, Jasmine returned to her seat.
She felt deeply grateful to the Wilson family for their attentive care before they knew her true identity.
Jasmine was indeed a rare talent, not only with her exceptional memory but also with her natural artistic abilities.
Now, the piano resounded with clear, melodious notes as Jasmine's fingers glided across the keys.
The music flowed gracefully.
Ethan, engaged in conversation, paused and instinctively turned towards the piano.
There sat Jasmine, playing with an elegance that seemed to emanate a special radiance.
Similarly, Nolan Cunningham and Edward were captivated, their gazes fixed on Jasmine.
She possessed an inexplicable charm that continually drew the attention of the three brothers.
Nolan Cunningham had to acknowledge his newfound interest in Jasmine.
"Did you get a reality check?" Edward teased Nolan. "Who was it that claimed Ethan was shallow, only attracted to Jasmine's looks, and dismissed her as nothing more than a trophy wife?"
Nolan Cunningham grunted, choosing to remain silent as he kept his focus on Jasmine.
Indeed, there was an enchanting quality about Jasmine that held the attention of the three brothers.
"Who exactly is she? A domestic celebrity? She must be with Ethan," guests speculated.
"Mommy! That's my Mommy!" Little Bao exclaimed joyfully, pointing at Jasmine.
The guests were astonished.
“The mother of the Cunningham family's young heir?”
“The same woman who had a child with the Cunninghams and then disappeared?”
A woman intertwined with both the Cunningham Family and Ethan was undeniably complex.
The wedding concluded flawlessly, accompanied by the sweet melodies emanating from Jasmine's piano, as the bride and groom slowly made their way to the vow exchange spot.
With teary eyes, Jasmine watched the couple, a bittersweet feeling overwhelming her heart.
It would be disingenuous to claim she wasn't envious.
Every woman longed to walk down the aisle with the love of her life.
It's the happiest, most beautiful moment in a woman's life.
As the groom kissed the bride, Jasmine looked away, holding back tears.
In this lifetime, she would likely never experience her own wedding.
Unbeknownst to her, Ethan approached from behind and enveloped her in his arms. "How many more talents do you have that I'm unaware of, hm?" he whispered.
Jasmine managed a smile. "Nothing... I just happened to be good at the piano."
"Oh? I'm starting to think you're a genius…" Ethan held her tightly, unwilling to let go. "With such a strong ability to learn, you should get more tips from Emily."
Her cheeks flushed at the thought, and she instinctively retorted, "Why don't you learn?"
She blurted out the words and immediately felt weak in the knees, realizing how bold she had become under Ethan's influence, suggesting such things to her benefactor.
Ethan’s eyes narrowed, his voice dangerously soft. “Are you suggesting I’m not trying hard enough?”
Stammering, Jasmine hurriedly clarified, "No, no, I didn't mean that."
Ethan chuckled and led her away by the hand.
After the beautiful conclusion to the wedding, the bride, very grateful to both Ethan and Jasmine, presented Jasmine with a luxurious favor before she departed.
Jasmine was delighted; it was her first time receiving a wedding favor.
"The bride is so thoughtful," Jasmine remarked as they drove back, unable to resist peeking at the carefully selected gifts.
"And what favors do you plan on giving out at your wedding?" Ethan teased, gently squeezing her fingers and inspecting her hand.
Her fingers were delicate; custom-designed rings would be necessary.
After playing with the ring finger of her left hand for a moment, Ethan sent the measurements and a photo to a renowned jewelry designer.
"Such beautiful hands," the designer expressed astonishment.
"My love," Ethan proudly replied.
"Leave it to me," the designer responded.
"Design drafts within a month. Once I choose, craft the rings quickly. I need them for a proposal," Ethan instructed.
He planned to propose to Jasmine formally after announcing their engagement.
"Designing for you will take some time, so give me a couple of months," the designer pleaded.
"Make it quick," Ethan replied before shutting off his phone's screen and tossing it to Jasmine.
Today, at the wedding, he saw longing in Jasmine's eyes.
For some reason, whatever Jasmine wanted, he was inclined to give it to her.
Even if she wished for the stars in the sky, he'd find a way to pluck them down for her.
Probably, he was truly in love.
Before, Ethan didn't understand what it felt like to love someone.
Turns out, love is favoritism, boundless favoritism, trust, wanting to give her nothing but the best, and feeling she deserves the best the world has to offer.
The first half of Jasmine's life was something he couldn't make up for or be part of, but for the rest of her life, he wanted to protect her.
Ethan knew Jasmine had endured much pain and humiliation. He wanted to heal her scars and bring her happiness.
As long as Jasmine was willing to give him the chance.
Ethan was scared, too—afraid of the truth from six years ago.
If he was indeed the man from that night, once Jasmine found out, she would surely run.
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