Side Chick Era... Over

Loving Mom 179

Chapter 179

“This time, Sharon rearranged the piece,” Wendy said. “She tailored it to fit Matty’s strengths-recomposed it with him in mind. From now on, White Moonlight can be performed as a duet.”

Xavier spoke up. “I believe you now.”

The audience seats were still shrouded in darkness. No one could see Xavier’s face-just his voice, low, husky, and resonant.

“She’s… truly extraordinary.”

Wendy shifted her gaze toward the Biggs family’s section.

“They said Sharon was just copying Kelly. Said she was nothing but an imitator…” A small, cold smile curved her lips. “Well, now they’ve seen what she’s capable of.”

Across the aisle, Madeline and Denise sat frozen, staring at the stage.

When Sharon had first started playing, they’d still been sneering, tossing out their usual insults in low murmurs.

But somewhere along the way, the mockery had stopped. Neither of them could say exactly when.

Denise’s jaw hung slack. “Mom… wasn’t Sharon supposed to be useless? Just some pretty little airhead? How the hell does she know how to play the violin?”

And not just play-what Sharon had done went far beyond that. This wasn’t just skill. It was something else entirely. Something transcendent.

Madeline looked just as shocked. Her eyes betrayed a disbelief she couldn’t conceal.

person, the music might have sounded pure,

to anyone who

breathtaking.

Sharon supposed

all agreed that, at best, she’d scrape by with a few squeaky notes-and at worst, sound

had it been

rooted in her seat, eyes fixed on Sharon. Her lips were pressed into a bloodless line, and her wide eyes gleamed with disbelief. Her body

again and again, whispering under her

always believed in her

yet-but she was damn close. At her conservatory, she ranked consistently in the

Her skill, her hard work-they were real.

knew she couldn’t compete with Sharon when it

violin? That was her domain. Her

she could beat Sharon at

a pretty face. A shallow girl who

1/2

heirs and smile for the

Undeserving of Carter. Unfit

she would

she was going to dismantle Sharon

Powerless. Insignificant.