Phoenix Rising: From Heartache to Heroism

Chapter 687 Unexpected Melody

At that moment, the host heard a voice through his earpiece. "The music's coming soon! They're fixing it right now-oh no!"

After hearing those voices in his earpiece filled the host's eyes with panic.

What's going on?

She glanced at Violeta beside him.

Then, suddenly, a crisp, melodic tune filled the air.

The host's first thought was that the sound system had been fixed, and he sighed with relief-until he realized something was off. Wait a minute.

That wasn't the rehearsal music.

Turning his head toward the source of the sound, he saw that it was coming from a decorative piano at the back of the stage.

Meanwhile, Violeta had already started her speech, completely unaware. She assumed the background music had been restored and proceeded with her prepared remarks without hesitation, confidently facing the camera.

While everyone backstage scrambled to deal with the situation, only the host and a few staff members knew this was a full-blown stage malfunction.

But Violeta's quick reaction and the impromptu piano music skillfully covered up the mishap.

But the moment passed quickly, and most viewers at home would likely think the organizers had planned it that way on purpose. The host followed the music with her gaze, and to her shock, the man playing the

gliding across the keys. He had no sheet music before him; he played the song purely from memory. His

It was perfectly timed.

speech, Jasper's piano playing came to a

it might have seemed like this seamless coordination had

Violeta descended from the stage with her award, thunderous applause

who couldn't bring herself

Evelina.

an awkward minute

would step

clenched into tight fists, her eyes filled with confusion

her way backstage, she glanced over her shoulder and saw Jasper

was taken aback for a

the next second,

just heard. "Jasper, you were the one playing the piano just

"Yeah," he replied calmly.

would've gone viral for all the wrong reasons." Violeta still had a lingering sense of unease. When she'd been up on stage, she could feel the tension radiating from the host, but she'd had no choice but to keep going. Jasper didn't explain,

the two returned to their seats, Jasper returned to the

met Evelina's, locking eyes for a

heart skipped

washed over her, but she quickly