'Right,' Kelly thought, 'how did I not think of that?'Sharon kept circling back to "First Love". Maybe she'd chosen that one piece and practiced it obsessively, copying it note for note.It made sense now. How could a woman who had been a housewife for five years possess such impressive musical talent? And as for Ginny and the others, claiming Sharon was some Hall of Fame member at Bell University?Kelly let out a soft, dismissive laugh. Most likely, they had said it out of respect for Uriah. Who would dare go against him once he'd spoken?She had really believed Sharon might have some real talent. But now… it seemed Sharon was nothing special after all.Kelly repeated this to herself like a quiet chant, refusing to admit Sharon might actually be better than her. She clung to this reasonable excuse, soothed herself with it, and felt her mood gradually lighten.She looked over at Thomas, only to find his expression thoughtful and distant. She couldn't tell how much he believed.
When he heard Kelly's words, Thomas raised his eyebrows slightly."Kelly, didn't you once say no when I offered to deal with her for you?"Kelly froze.He was right. He had suggested it before, and she had refused.All she wanted then was to win over Carter. She wasn't some cold-blooded monster who would kill without a second thought. There was no need to get blood on her hands.But things had changed.Now that Sharon had Uriah backing her, even Thomas would have a hard time going against the Malcolm family.So why not go all the way and erase Sharon?She parted her lips, instinctively searching for an excuse. But no words came out.Time had changed her. Her heart had grown darker.Seeing the shadow cross her face, Thomas didn't press her for an answer. He never really expected one. Whether she was kind or cruel made no difference to him.He said, "I can do this for you. But before I do, I want to ask you something."Kelly asked, "What is it?"Thomas looked at her. His eye
A wave of tightness gripped Kelly's chest. She had always thought Uriah was just a charlatan in elderly disguise. Never had she imagined his medical skills were the real deal.If that were true… then wouldn't he have already seen through her act of feigning illness?Even with her slow reaction, Kelly realized in that moment that Uriah had been playing her from the start.And Sharon… Sharon had probably known she wasn't actually sick all along.The reason Sharon hadn't exposed her, and even played along, was likely to ensure she could get that 100 million from Carter.If Uriah had been a powerless old man, Carter might have doubted his words. But Uriah was the founder of the Malcolm Group. Anything he said, Carter was very likely to believe.She… she was about to be exposed!From the corner of her eye, Kelly glanced at Carter and noticed the look of surprise on his face as well. Her heart pounded violently as panic coursed through her body.Suddenly, a name flashed in her mind—T
After the ensemble performance concluded, the four musicians took the stage for a curtain call. Just as they were about to leave, the host gestured for Sharon to stay behind.Though slightly puzzled, Sharon didn't question it and remained onstage.With a bright smile, the host announced, "Today is a special occasion… Uriah's 70th birthday! Now, please welcome the man of the hour!"At that moment, Uriah slowly made his way onto the stage, supported by Damien.Once onstage, Damien gave Sharon a brief, unreadable glance before quickly looking away.Uriah wore a sharp, tailored suit, and his demeanor radiated energy and vitality. He offered Sharon a small nod and a reassuring smile before taking the microphone."Thank you all for coming," he said graciously. "I know you're all very busy, so I'm honored by your presence at my birthday celebration."After a few polite pleasantries, his tone shifted."I'm sure everyone here has just seen this young lady perform," he said, gesturing to
Sharon's natural talent rivaled—even surpassed—that of her mother, Shayla."First Love" was a notoriously difficult piece, often featured in high-level competitions. While many could perform it well, few could truly touch the audience's soul.Over the years, countless musicians had attempted to interpret "First Love", but no matter how skilled, their renditions always seemed to lack the original's essence.And yet, Sharon's performance had come astonishingly close to recapturing that elusive spirit.This discovery left Maestro Warner quietly stunned.Uriah, oblivious to the flicker of surprise in Warner's eyes, chuckled as he leaned over and asked, "Warner, I'm no music expert. Help me judge. What do you think of the girl's violin playing?"Maestro Warner returned to his senses. "Impressive. She has both skill and innate talent."Uriah arched an eyebrow, his smile dripping with playful provocation. "So tell me, how does she stack up against your golden pupil, Kelly?"Maestro Wa
Abby looked at her father with a flicker of surprise in her gaze. "You want to adopt Sharon as your foster daughter?"Kenneth nodded. "She and John grew up together and share a sibling-like bond. The Westin family has very few heirs. Taking in a foster daughter is hardly an issue."When Sharon was brought back into the Kalen family, she had still been in school and had never appeared in any public setting. Aside from those very close to the Kalen family, few had actually seen her in person. Most people simply assumed she was just an ordinary girl.Although Abby and Victoria were on good terms, Abby had been studying abroad during that period. And Victoria, always guarded, had never once mentioned Sharon to her. And, of course, Victoria had no intention of letting others know she was an illegitimate daughter.Abby scoffed. "You're just worried John might want to marry Sharon, so you're adopting her to cut off that possibility, aren't you?"Kenneth didn't deny it. "Sharon is Carte