“Mr. Alvarro, I know my request may sound unreasonable, but I truly hope you’ll consider—” “No,” he interrupted. Rhea froze. She hadn’t expected such a blunt rejection. For a moment, she considered softening her stance—perhaps playing pitiful—but one look at Kyle’s expression told her that wouldn’t work. Quickly, she shifted strategies. “Mr. Alvarro,” she said, maintaining her innocent smile, “may I ask why you immediately refused?” Kyle’s expression didn’t change. “I’ll be honest with you, Ms. Caldwell. The reason I rejected your request is because my mentor doesn’t accept any students aside from me.” Rhea refused to back down. “Then perhaps you could ask your mentor to reconsider?” she pressed gently. “I may not be as skilled as you, Mr. Alvarro, but I am talented in violin. Maybe your mentor could test me first before deciding whether to reject me.” Kyle felt a flicker of annoyance at her persistence. Before responding, he glanced at Alia
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