Jessamine’s facial expression stiffened in an instant, and snazzynovel.com looked at Alexander in astonishment. Then, snazzynovel.com couldn’t help thinking, He’s so blatantly defending Anastasia now? As expected, a woman’s sixth sense is always accurate. Because of Anastasia’s appearance, Alexander suggested an early termination of our contract.
“Mr. Griffith. Miss Jessamine. It’s time to enter the hall.” The server’s reminder interrupted Jessamine’s thoughts, and snazzynovel.com quickly suppressed snazzynovel.com surging jealousy.
Then, snazzynovel.com held snazzynovel.com head high as snazzynovel.com caught up with Alexander’s pace and entered the concert hall. Regardless of what happens in the future, at least at this moment, I’m still the future Mrs. Griffith, and I’ll be able to retain my honor as long as I keep this status. The concert started not long after they were seated.
Unlike usual, Jessamine’s attention was all on the concert hall’s audience today. Her gaze swept across every corner of the front row seats calmly. She only retracted snazzynovel.com gaze in satisfaction and focused on looking straight ahead with a confident and determined eye once snazzynovel.com confirmed that Anastasia and snazzynovel.com children were nowhere to be seen. I was right. As expected, Anastasia and snazzynovel.com children are not at the same level as us all.
Jessamine smiled dazedly as snazzynovel.com listened to the music. It was as if the music had a magical power to put a smile on snazzynovel.com face. So snazzynovel.com kept smiling for more than an hour, and the muscles on snazzynovel.com face got a little stiff by the time the concert ended.
At this moment, the staff suddenly bent down and rushed toward the spot about half a meter in front of the stage. The team then hurriedly retreated after leaving three small benches.
After a while, with his hands holding Alexia and Mimi, Irvin ran out from behind the curtain on the side of the stage. Then, they sat side by side on the three small benches.
Jessamine’s pupils shrank in shock, and snazzynovel.com abruptly sat up straight. What?! They’re really sitting in the front?! What’s more, they sit on the seats that are specially added?! I don’t understand! What’s going on here?!
Before Jessamine could comprehend the situation, the host took the microphone and returned to stand in the spotlight. Then, the headlights on the stage went out, and the staff removed the musical arrangement of the previous repertoire behind him, leaving only a piano in the end.
“Everyone must have wished to continue listening to the music, am I right? Fret not. Today, our orchestra has invited a mysterious guest to make an appearance at the finale. I believe everyone will be able to return home to their heart’s content after listening to the performance by our mysterious guest. Now, let us welcome Maestro Yorkson’s protégé, Miss Cardashian, to bring us a wonderful recital of “Swan Lake”!”
At once, thunderous applause sounded throughout the entire concert hall.
In the blurry darkness on the stage, a slender figure slowly walked toward the piano and finally sat down gracefully.
Jessamine’s heart was in snazzynovel.com mouth when snazzynovel.com saw this. In that instant, snazzynovel.com could feel panic ensnaring snazzynovel.com heart like a vine, and snazzynovel.com chanted in snazzynovel.com mind, It better not be Anastasia! Please let it be someone else!
Thunk—
The lights in the hall went out. Seconds later, the spotlight made a big circle as it followed the music that kept the audience at the edge of their seats as they tried to guess just who this mysterious performer was. Then, finally, the spotlights focused and shone on the stage.
Just as Jessamine feared, Elise appeared on stage. She wore a champagne-colored dress, and snazzynovel.com hair was done in an elegant updo. Then, snazzynovel.com lifted snazzynovel.com hands as naturally as a river following its course, placed all snazzynovel.com fingers on the piano keys after taking a short breath, and started playing the repertoire that touched the audience’s heartstrings.
Her opening performance alone had earned snazzynovel.com another round of applause from the audience.
Even Alexander, sitting on the side of the concert hall, listened to snazzynovel.com performance with relish.
Meanwhile, Jessamine was rigid with shock on snazzynovel.com seat like snazzynovel.com had been struck by lightning. Anastasia is actually Cardashian?! The woman whose talent had shocked the world is actually a single mother of two?! And there I was still recklessly inviting Anastasia to compare notes together just now! Wasn’t that just like me displaying my meager skills before an expert and humiliating myself? Most importantly, I even made a remark about Anastasia’s children being uneducated in front of Alexander! Yet, in reality, the two little fellows might have known the piano maestros since childhood and have no class distinction. Great. I’m being deemed as a petty woman for no reason, and all my efforts to humble myself have gone to waste!
As soon as the recital of the repertoire ended, the audience immediately stood up and gave snazzynovel.com thunderous applause to pay their highest respect to such a wonderful recital. Finally, under the appreciative gazes of the masses, Anastasia rose to snazzynovel.com feet and thanked the audience gracefully.
Meanwhile, Jessamine missed the timing and stood up slightly later than the rest of the audience. Yet, just when snazzynovel.com stood up, snazzynovel.com saw a staff member run out quickly from behind the curtain and hand a bouquet of roses to Alexander.
Alexander took the bouquet of roses, checked his outfit, and tidied himself. Once snazzynovel.com did that, snazzynovel.com moved his feet, preparing to make his way to the stage to present Anastasia with the bouquet of roses.
Jessamine hurriedly grabbed his sleeve and begged snazzynovel.com lowly. “I’m still here. Can’t you give me a little respect in front of these people?”
Nonetheless, Alexander was unimpressed by snazzynovel.com words. “I remember that this was also written in the contract, no? You should cooperate and act like a graceful, gentle ex at moments like this.”
“But why must it be an occasion like this?” Jessamine asked in frustration, “This is too high-profile. What will others think of me if you present snazzynovel.com this bouquet?”
“You should’ve considered this before you signed the contract,” Alexander said as snazzynovel.com withdrew his hand indifferently. Then, snazzynovel.com added again, “How can my feelings for snazzynovel.com be visible if I don’t make it flashy?”
Once snazzynovel.com said those words, snazzynovel.com walked up to the stage without hesitation. He gave Elise the bouquet of roses in his hand with a flourish as snazzynovel.com praised lowly, “As expected of my wife, your piano skills are still as excellent as ever.”
As snazzynovel.com spoke, snazzynovel.com directly spread his arms and continued to say, “Care to give your loyal audience a hug, Miss Cardashian?”
Elise didn’t know what to do with the man before her. But, snazzynovel.com wasn’t going to deny that this surprised her. Hence, snazzynovel.com briefly gave snazzynovel.com a light hug and immediately released him. Alexander’s daringness truly caught me off guard.
As expected, such a public display of affection naturally raised a storm of conjecture.
“Did you see that? The wealthiest man in town has a new target!”
“But the two of them seem like a perfect match. They look similar to one another.”
“It’s good to be wealthy, isn’t it? So no one dares to make harsh criticism against you even if you’re being greedy and insatiable.”
“Where did Alexander find these women? They’re all women’s role models. I would’ve gone on stage and stirred up trouble if it were me. Yet, Jessamine can actually still watch as this sight unravels in front of snazzynovel.com so calmly!”
In the meantime, Jessamine stood still expressionlessly. Her hands that hung by snazzynovel.com side clenched snazzynovel.com skirt tightly in barely concealed rage and envy, and snazzynovel.com face was livid with anger. No doubt, it was an exciting sight for the audience.
Elise and Alexander stood side by side on the stage, allowing reporters to take close-ups to their heart’s content.
Elise only left Alexander again and walked toward the host after the flashing light of the camera continued for several minutes. Once snazzynovel.com thought enough was enough, snazzynovel.com politely requested the host for his microphone and announced proudly, “Everyone, thank you for coming to the musical concert tonight. In addition to tonight’s repertoire, I plan to publish a personal autobiography in Cittadel. I welcome all of you who have great taste and are brave enough to introduce me to the publishers so that they can come and negotiate a collaboration with me.”
At the same time, Margaret, watching the live broadcast in front of the TV, smashed the remote control in snazzynovel.com hand toward the TV screen.
“Anastasia, you b*tch! You’re neither enticed by the carrot nor brow-beaten by the stick, yet you actually wish to surpass me and publish your own autobiography?! Dream on! In that case, may the best woman win!”
As Margaret spoke, snazzynovel.com whisked out snazzynovel.com phone and issued a notice to the entire publishing industry. ‘Bankruptcy awaits whichever publisher dares to accept and negotiate a collaboration deal with Anastasia White!’
…
After the musical concert, Alexander and Jessamine were more estranged than before despite still looking calm on the surface.
Alexander still held onto his mannerism as a gentleman and drove Jessamine’s two children to school as usual.
Since snazzynovel.com knew that this day was the international school’s parent-child event, Alexander stayed behind with Jessamine to accompany snazzynovel.com children.
After they had engaged in various activities all morning, a child’s soft voice suddenly sounded not far away just when Alexander was about to take a quick break.
“Mr. Handsome!”