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.

music might have sounded pure, clear,

who actually understood

breathtaking.

Sharon supposed

all agreed that, at best, she’d scrape by with a few

had it been the exact

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

her head again and again, whispering under

always believed

she wasn’t world-class yet-but she was damn close. At her conservatory, she ranked consistently in the top ten. That was proof enough

University. Her skill,

she couldn’t compete with

the violin? That was her domain. Her battleground.

could beat Sharon at something that really

nothing more than a pretty face. A shallow girl who

1/2

Built to produce heirs and smile

sure-but empty. Undeserving of Carter. Unfit to be

believed that if Madeline hadn’t pushed her out back then, she would be the one standing

to dismantle Sharon piece by piece. Tear down that

Powerless. Insignificant.