CHAPTER 23: CHAPTER 23: IF NOBODY LOVES YOU, WHO ARE YOU SPOILING YOURSELF FOR?

Forty minutes later, the performance officially began.

Seraphina Thorne stood at the front of the orchestra in a red dress, her left hand holding the violin still wrapped in bandages.

The orchestra conductor swung the baton, and she lifted her bow to the strings.

Her fingers danced, slid, and pressed on the strings...

The blisters on the back of her hand were rubbed raw, pus soaked through the bandages.

Each note carried piercing pain.

Yet, Seraphina’s face remained elegantly smiling, pouring her whole being into the performance.

That touch of red became the brightest color on stage.

Her violin tones stood out amidst the orchestra, tugging at the heartstrings of every audience member.

The piece came to an end.

The whole hall erupted in thunderous applause.

She succeeded!

After bowing, Seraphina lifted her skirt and stepped off stage.

Julia Chamberlain was holding her violin, ready to leave.

The angrier Julia got, the brighter Seraphina’s smile became.

"I really have to thank you today, if you hadn’t provoked me, I wouldn’t have performed this well."

"It’s just an opening performance, don’t think you’re a musician now."

Julia snorted coldly and left indignantly.

Watching her profile as she walked away.

Seraphina lifted her left hand, looked at the bandage soaked in pus and blood on the back of her hand.

She furrowed her brow, turned back toward the backstage.

They weren’t the protagonists; after the opening performance, the school orchestra’s work was done.

Many students were already changing out of performance clothes and removing makeup, preparing to leave.

"Miss Thorne!" Secretary Larson from the city’s Department of Culture jogged over, stopping her, "Prepare yourself, after the show ends, you’ll be returning to the stage."

"Me?"

"Indeed, it’s Minister Caldwell’s wish. No problem, right?"

Seraphina withdrew her left hand, "No problem."

Going back on stage would mean attracting more attention.

This event was a high-level cultural activity held by the city, which would significantly boost her personal fame.

Fame and fortune are twins; with fame, her worth would increase accordingly.

Her father’s treatment, her brother’s lawyer fees...

All these needed money.

The former Seraphina never lacked money, always indifferent to fame and fortune.

Because she never experienced financial dilemmas and never realized how terrifying the power of money could be.

Life gave her a brilliant lesson.

You have to make money, become strong, and endure pain.

She waited for two hours.

After the entire performance concluded, Seraphina and other musicians who participated returned to the stage for the curtain call.

When she stood on stage again, the applause was no less than for the other famous musicians.

Many audience members spontaneously came up on stage and handed her flowers.

After taking group photos, reporters crowded around, snapping photos with their cameras.

Facing the cameras, Seraphina cooperated fully, hiding her left hand and smiling brightly.

When she returned to the backstage, the classmates in the resting room had already left.

Adrian Chamberlain sat at her makeup station.

The man held a red rose from the bouquet given by an audience member.

One by one, he plucked the petals.

Seeing her, Adrian threw the battered rose onto the ground and stomped on it.

"Dare to mess with me, Seraphina, you’ve got guts!"

Seraphina lifted her face, meeting his gaze.

"Adrian Chamberlain, I’m not afraid of you now!"

"Do you think just because you hide your dad, I can’t do anything?"

Adrian stepped forward and grabbed her arm.

Noticing the bandages on her hand, Adrian instinctively let go.

"What happened to your hand?"

"Stop playing dumb!" Seraphina took the opportunity to grab her bag and coat, "Go back and tell your sister, as long as I’m at school for a day, she can forget about pulling off being the lead."

She turned and quickly ran out of the rest room.

"Seraphina, stop right there!"

Adrian chased after her, the security personnel responsible for maintaining order in the corridor saw him and approached.

"What’s this? Who gave you permission to come backstage?"

Taking advantage of this opportunity, Seraphina quickly ran out of the backstage area.

A figure appeared in front of her, startling her into a scream and halting her steps.

"Who?!"

"It’s me." Ethan Sterling holding a bouquet walked into the light, "Why are you in such a hurry?"

"It’s nothing, just startled by you." Seraphina quickly walked over, grabbing his arm, "Let’s go!"

By the time Adrian broke free from the security guards and chased after them.

Ethan and Seraphina were already in Ethan’s car.

Too far away, Adrian couldn’t quite see Ethan’s face.

He only saw a tall figure and Seraphina holding the bouquet, letting him help her into the car.

A man!

Adrian gritted his back teeth in frustration.

No wonder she could find Professor Hans, someone was helping her.

"President Chamberlain." The assistant drove the car to the steps below, "Shall we get in?"

Adrian sat in the back, slammed the car door, and took out his phone to dial Seraphina’s number.

"Sorry, the number you dialed is unreachable."

Trying again, it was still the same.

Guessing that Seraphina blocked his number, Adrian angrily smashed the phone onto the car seat.

"License plate YA99999, check who the man who left with Seraphina was."

Dare to compete for a woman with him!

He’ll see who has the nerve to mess with him.

...

...

On the cerulean allure.

Seraphina checked the rear-view mirror, ensuring Adrian hadn’t caught up, then relaxed her back against the chair.

Ethan noticed her unusual state, "What exactly happened?"

Seraphina lowered her head, inhaling the fragrance of champagne roses from the bouquet, "I thought you wouldn’t come!"

"When the wife is performing formally, of course the husband has to be there to support." Ethan’s fingers lightly tapped the steering wheel, "How about finding a place to celebrate?"

The man’s intonation rose, showing his seemingly pleasant mood.

Seraphina didn’t want to dampen his joy, "Okay."

Ethan glanced sideways at her, "Being so obedient today?"

Seraphina tucked her left hand into the coat sleeve, "When am I ever disobedient?"

"Not likely!"

Ethan smirked, not minding her small retorts.

The two arrived at a western restaurant.

While waiting for the dishes to be served, Ethan leaned back in the chair, speaking with a lazy tone.

"Tonight’s piece was really good. I quite liked the part after the key change; it had a touch of desperate heroism."

Seraphina was a bit surprised.

She initially thought he was merely picking her up after finishing some business nearby, but he had listened to the whole performance.

His critique on her music was indeed spot-on.

The ending part of the piece posed significant difficulty for the left-hand violin position.

At that time, she really clung to her breath, gritted her teeth with a "going all out" approach.

The waiter served the dishes, Ethan sat upright, and took the wine glass.

"Congratulations, Mrs. Sterling."

Seraphina used her right hand to take the wine glass and clinked glasses with him.

From start to finish, she kept her left hand hidden under the table.

The burning pain on her hand was fierce; she remained composed.

If there’s no one to care, who would one act coy for?

In the script between her and Ethan, she was merely a supporting role, bound to act according to his script.