CHAPTER FIGHT
The empty concert hall amplified every scratchy note from Sofia’s violin Aria lingered in the shadows of the upper balcony, watching the young violinist struggle through another attempt at Paganini’s Caprice.
“The moustics are better on the rot,” Artahad told her earlier that week. “The open air helps you hear your mistakes more clearly.”
Now, as the sun began to sel, Aria climbed the maintenance stairs to the mottop. She heard Sofia’s voice before she saw her – not playing, but talking, Laughing.
“No, she has no idea.” Sofia’s voice carried on the evening breeze. “You should see how the looks at me during our private lessons, all concerned and motherly.”
Aria’s hand tightened on the doorframe. Through the pap, she could see Sofia pacing near the edge, phone pressed to her ear, violin forgotten beside her case.
“I knew, baby. It’s actually kind of pathetic.” Another laugh, higher this time. “The keeps pushing me to practice this impossible piece, trying to be all encouraging, while I’m literally sleeping with her faned t
The metal doorframe creaked under Aria’s gÜR.
“I mean, how stupid can she be? The great Maestro Martinelli, can’t even see what’s happening right neufer her nose.”
omething snapped inside Aria. She shoved the door open, the bang making Sofia whirl around, phone dropping from her hand.
“Oh my God.” Solu’s face went chalk, white. “Aria, T-”
“How long?” Aria’s voice was eerily calm, even as her vision blurted red at the edges.
“Please, Icamexplain-”
“How Long?”
Sotia backed away, her designer heels scraping against the concrete. “It just happened. We didn’t mean-
“Didn’t mean what Aria advanced, her whole body trembling. “Didn’t mean to fuck my fiancé? Didn’t mean to laugh about it behind my
sofia’s back hit the low wall surrounding the roof. “Please, Arla, I’ll end it, I swear!”
Aria laughed, a harsh, broken sound. “End it Like you ended my engagement? My reputation?” she lumped forward, shoving Sotia hard The younger woman tell backwards, hitting the ground with a yelp. Her palms scraped against the concrete as she scrambled to her teet
“Ana, pinnin‘” Sofis kept backing away, tears streaming down her face. “You’re scaring me!”
“scaring you?” Ana stalked forward, past the abandoned violin, past the dropped phone still connected to David. “You want to know what’s scary? Watching some little girl destroy everything you’ve worked to!”
“I’ll leave! I’ll quit the orchestra, I’ll never see David again, just please-
Sota’s lar hit the ledge. Her arms windmilled as she lost her balance, eyes going wide with terror.
For a split second, time seemed to stop. Arta saw everything in crystal clarity–Sofia’s mouth forming a perfect Dot surprise, her expensive sük blouse billowing in the wind, her green eyes locked on Arta’s in un final, pleading look
The scream that followed would haunt Aria’s dreams for years.
She stood frozen, staring at the empty space where Sofia had been. Her ears rang with a high–pitched whine that almost drowned out the distant sound of brakes screeching below
“Oh God. Of God, of God, sh God the words tumbled from her lips as she finally forced herself to move, to look over the edge
She uniuediately wished the ludert.
People weir already pathering on the start below. Someone was scream
was screaming. A car had swerved, its driver stumbling out to stare at the broken figure on the
Aria’s legs pave out, she crawled away from the edge, bile rising in her throat. This wasn’t supposed to happen. She’d wanted revenge, wanted to hurt them, but
It took her twenty–five minutes to call 901. the low because alu watched each minute tick by one phone, her finger hovering over the keypad as her mind raced Hough every possible scenario
When she finally made the call, her voice was Meady. Professional. The voice of a conrened mentor who had gone looking for her student only to witness a tragic
Hours later, iar lound David in his study. He sat in the dark, a glass of whiskey untouched in his hand.
Devid a steriliders tesound at lari vulce. “The Zhang merger tell though “His words were that, eliased. “And then hearing about what happened at the concert
ing a long swallow of whitslay.
Anta murved beland him, placing her hands on his shoulders. She felt the tremors he was trying so hand to control, saw the way his jaw clenched against emotions.che
She began massaging his shoulders silently, feeling each set of felt, each suppressed so that fe disguised as a cough. Neither of them spuke. Neither of them Outside, night fell completely, wrapping the study in shadows that bid their laces and all the things they couldn’t say.
CHAPTEININI,
