Chapter 163
14%
There are 10 minutes left before the piano competition organized by the Clusia Pianists‘ Association begins.
In the VIP lounge on one side of the recital hall, Liam and Tina had just arrived, waiting for Cherise to come so the competition could start immediately.
Liam saw Tina and greeted her, “Tina, long time no see. Thank you for taking the time out of your busy schedule to be a judge.”
“Liam, it’s nothing. After all, I’m also the honorary vice president of the Clusia Pianists‘ Association.
“Besides, everyone here is so familiar. I haven’t seen any good talents in years, so I personally wanted to come and check it out.” The person speaking was Tina, one of the judges for this piano competition.
The woman standing before him looked elegant and graceful. She wore a traditional Clusian dress and had semi–curled medium–length hair that made her look youthful and classy.
This was Tina, Truman’s older sister and Xenia’s mother.
One wouldn’t have guessed she had a daughter in her twenties just by looking at her exquisite figure and perfectly maintained appearance.
She also had remarkable achievements in piano, having performed many outstanding solo pieces. In Betrico, she was considered a quintessential lady of high society.
Liam thanked Tina gratefully and said, “There’s one more judge who’s about to arrive. Once she’s here, we can begin.”
Tina’s demeanor changed from calm to something more excited and restrained as she asked, “Liam, is it really Arlina everyone is talking about online?”
Liam nodded affirmatively, “Yes, it is. She’s a good friend of mine, and the old man of the Taylor family, Marlon, knows her too. It seems your daughter Xenia also mentioned that she has a good relationship with Cherise.”
“What!” Tina’s face showed utter shock.
She paused, seemingly thinking about something, then suddenly said, “What should I do? Should I touch up my makeup? I’m afraid of embarrassing myself.
“I know who she is now; she’s Cherise Leach, right? I heard from Xenia that Cherise is amazing at the piano. If it’s true, that’s great! I finally get to see her in person.”
Liam couldn’t help but twitch his lips at the sight. He thought, “This is Tina, right? Isn’t she usually so calm and elegant? Why the sudden change?‘
Two minutes later, surprisingly, Tina had actually touched up her makeup and was now nervously rubbing her hands together.
The next second, the VIP room door opened. A perfect figure draped in light blue appeared before Liam and Tina. Liam hadn’t had the chance to explain the competition rules before Tina jumped in excitedly. “Cherise, is that you? Do you know who I am? I’m such a big fan of yours. I didn’t expect you to also be Arlina! This is just delightful.”
Cherise, who had just walked in, was taken aback by this unexpected enthusiasm. “You, you must be Mr. Simpson, right?”
Tina nodded vigorously, “That’s me! I finally get to meet the real Cherise. You not only saved my daughter but are also my favorite piano master.
11:03 Sun, vec &
Chapter 163
“I’m beyond thrilled. It’s just a shame Xenia had issues with her new anime project, or I would have brought her too”
93%0
Cherise knew that Tina was Xenia’s mother. She had never met her before and always imagined her as a soft–spoken lady raised in an intellectual family.
But the reality was quite different; she was straightforward like Xenia and Truman.
Cherise smiled gently at Tina and said, “Hello, Mr. Simpson. I’m Cherise. Xenia is a good friend of mine.”
Tina stared at Cherise’s face, captivated. “How can someone be this beautiful and talented at the same time? Also, don’t call me Mr. Simpson; it’s not close enough. Just call me Tina.”
Cherise chuckled softly, finding Xenia’s mom amusing and easygoing, and simply nodded in agreement, saying, “Tina.”
Seeing that all three judges had arrived, Liam instructed the host in charge of the competition to start the event.
In the concert hall lobby, Melissa quietly took her seat, immediately sparking whispers among the nearby audience. Some even snapped photos of her discreetly and posted them online.
As soon as the pictures hit the internet, they caught a lot of attention.
[Finally seeing our beloved Melissa again, still as stunning as ever.]
[Melissa must be here for her sister–in–law. I’m so jealous of having such a superstar sister–in–law.]
[Ever since seeing that special professor from Betrico University. I’ve lost interest in Melissa.]
[Same here! But sadly, you can’t find any pictures of her online.]
[To the person posting these photos, keep going! Don’t stop! Please upload the whole competition!]
[Please +1!]
[Please +2!]
[Please +N!]
Inside the concert hall, as an elegant piano melody began to play the host slowly appeared on stage.
After a brief introduction, the host invited today’s judges to the stage. “Ladies and gentlemen in the audience, we are honored to present to you our three esteemed judges for today’s event.
“They are, respectively, Ms. Tina Simpson, Vice President of the Clusia Pianists‘ Association; Mr. Liam Wilson, President of the Clusia Pianists‘ Association; and last but not least, the mysterious piano master, Arlina. Please give them a warm round of applause.”
