All Chapters of A Piano for Her Life: Chapter 1 - Chapter 10

10 Chapters

Chapter 1

When the final piece ended, the concert hall erupted in applause.Audrey McMillan, seated in the front row, was the first to rise. She walked onto the stage and presented August Hart with a bouquet.The crowd immediately began buzzing."That's the CEO of McMillan Group. She actually went up there herself to give him flowers? That's unbelievable!""What's so unbelievable about it? Mr. Hart was Ms. McMillan's first love. Back then, he went abroad to study without so much as a word to her, and she didn't even hold it against him. Every year, she poured millions into the orchestra he worked for just to make sure he kept his position as principal.""Now that he's finally back, of course our devoted Ms. McMillan can't wait to stick by his side."Ms. McMillan.So that was how people addressed my wife in a world I could never hope to be part of.I crushed the ticket in my hand.Two thousand dollars. Enough to cover a day's hospital expenses, yet it had only bought me the chance to see

Chapter 2

The day Annie was buried was bright and sunny.Cemetery plots in my hometown were cheaper, so I chose one with a view of the sunset. More than anything, she'd wanted to go to the beach and watch the sun set.I always told her, "Next time. We'll go next time, once Daddy's earned enough to cover your tuition."Now I'd finally fulfilled her wish, but she would never get to see it.The five years Audrey and I had been married hadn't been easy, but we'd supported each other, so life had never felt particularly hard. She knew how exhausting it was for me to work three jobs a day, so every night, she'd have dinner ready when I got home.Once, I was injured at a construction site when a steel bar fell on me.Audrey had always been proud, yet the night I nearly died, she'd dropped to her knees before the doctor and begged him to save me.That was why I couldn't understand what reason she could possibly have had to lie to me.I had nothing. What was there for her to deceive me for?Afte

Chapter 3

The sound of the shower stopped.Without giving anything away, I put the phone back where it had been.A minute later, Audrey wrapped her arms around my waist from behind. Her damp hair brushed against my back as she pressed herself against me like a cat seeking affection."Sam, did you miss me?"Still holding my waist, she slipped around me and nestled into my arms. Her warm breath fell against my neck, leaving my skin damp.She looked up. Desire now colored her clear eyes, their outer corners faintly red.When I didn't respond, she gave my chin an irritated little nip.I braced my hands against her shoulders. My voice was completely flat. "How much are you planning to pay me each time?"She froze. Her delicate brows drew together as she pulled away from me. "What are you talking about? Sam, how can you degrade yourself like that?"I straightened my pajamas and slowly sat up against the bed, my expression calm. "Isn't that what you're planning? Ms. McMillan, we do have a chil

Chapter 4

No one had a hand around my throat, yet somehow I felt like I couldn't breathe.She'd prepared everything so thoroughly that the agreement I'd brought with me was useless.I took a deep breath and signed the agreement for five million dollars."Someone from a family like Mr. Hart's really is a more suitable father for your kid. I'll take the money and leave. I promise I'll never bother you again."My voice was so calm, as though I'd truly made up my mind, that Audrey laughed in fury. To her, I simply didn't know what was good for me."Fine, Samuel. I'll go get Annie from the hospital right now and take her back to the family estate. You'll never see her again!"You're right. My child can't have a father like you, someone I could never bring into my world. August is refined and gentle. He's far more suitable to be Annie's father!"She slammed the door behind her.I sat in the living room and stared at the family portrait on the wall for a long time. We'd taken it for Annie's thi

Chapter 5

By the time the car stopped outside the hospital, Audrey's face had gone completely ashen. For the first time in her life, she was afraid to walk into a hospital."Ms. McMillan, this is Dr. Aaron Sanford. He was the doctor who treated Miss Annie."Audrey nodded numbly. "What exactly happened? Annie was perfectly fine. How could she suddenly be gone?"Remembering what had happened that day, Dr. Sanford sighed with regret. "It was acute leukemia."Several of us took turns trying to resuscitate her for a long time before we barely managed to stabilize her. She underwent four emergency procedures in just one week. Her father didn't sleep for days."Compared with adult patients, children with acute leukemia generally have a relatively high cure rate. As long as they respond well to treatment, there's a good chance of recovery.""But the cost of treatment can still be substantial. During those few days, her father borrowed money from everywhere he could. He asked everyone he knew and w

Chapter 6

"Ms. McMillan, do you think... we should move Miss Annie's grave to the McMillan family cemetery? She is a McMillan, after all. If your grandparents find out, I'm sure they'll want her moved there too."Kevin had been Audrey's assistant for five years. He knew everything she'd done during that time.He couldn't understand her behavior, but some wealthy people did have strange tastes, treating the lives of ordinary people as entertainment whenever they got bored.He'd assumed Audrey felt the same way about Sam.But seeing her now, looking as though her entire world had collapsed, Kevin began to wonder if perhaps he'd been wrong.At his words, Audrey looked up, and a faint glimmer appeared in her eyes. She immediately pulled herself together and was about to leave to find Samuel when August arrived.His polished dress shoes clicked sharply against the gleaming tile floor. He stopped in front of Audrey. There was a vulnerability in his eyes."Where are you going?"Beneath his dete

Chapter 7

"Wasting the effort?" Audrey grabbed one of the bodyguards by the collar and demanded, "A human life wasn't worth the effort to you? Did I hire you people just so you could collect a paycheck for doing nothing?"By the time she'd heard the full story, Audrey was almost beyond rage."You don't take care of your own family's business, but you think you have the right to interfere in mine? August, have I been far too lenient with you?"She knew.Without August's instructions, these people would never have gone that far.People in elite circles survived by knowing which way the wind was blowing. Those beneath them merely carried out what they believed their employers wanted.But what August had done had crossed Audrey's bottom line."You said life can't be perfect. You're right. What we had ended five years ago, too."August, starting today, you won't receive any more support from me. And I'm taking back everything I've given you."August's face alternated between red and white, a

Chapter 8

When Audrey knocked on the door of the old house, I'd just finished clearing the overgrown patch of land in the backyard.When Mom was still alive, she'd always grown vegetables there. Now that I was back, I naturally wanted to keep up her old habit."Ms. McMillan."I wasn't surprised to see her. She was bound to find out about Annie's death eventually.The furniture in the old house was worn with age. Audrey sat awkwardly on a creaking bamboo chair, seemingly at a loss for how to begin."How have you been?"My expression didn't change. "Very well, since leaving you. I imagine you're doing well too. You can finally give Mr. Hart his place back."Audrey's expression stiffened. "I'm not with him."That did surprise me."So?"For a moment, Audrey had no answer.The atmosphere turned awkward.The huge banyan tree outside the old house was full of cicadas, their relentless chirping adding to the oppressive heat.I watched the collar of Audrey's shirt gradually darken with sweat

Chapter 9

I thought telling her to leave would work.She was so proud. Surely she wouldn't tolerate me embarrassing her like that.But she remained seated in the bamboo chair without moving. She even picked up the tea in front of her and took a long drink."Sam, there's a children's cemetery in Ashbourne. Isn't that where you wanted to bury Annie before? I can help you."I frowned, unsure what she was trying to do.That cemetery really had been my first choice. Every grave was decorated according to the child's personality and what they had loved.More importantly, the lights were never turned off at night. A bright light shone in front of every headstone.Annie had been terrified of the dark. That was also why I'd buried her at the top of the mountain."What do you want in return?"There was no way she'd suddenly offered this without expecting something from me.Pain flashed through Audrey's eyes. My distant tone had hurt her."Nothing. I just want you to come back to Ashbourne with

Chapter 10

"I'll go back. But whatever exists between us will be purely transactional."Without realizing it, the leash that had once bound Audrey was now in my hands. I'd only taken half a step toward her, and it was enough to satisfy her.She nodded immediately. "Fine. As long as you're willing to come back with me. Sam, we can take everything else slowly."I had no intention of taking anything slowly with her. I only wanted to use her money and influence to get my health taken care of.As the saying goes, you can hold a grudge against anyone, but there's no sense holding one against money.Annie could have a better resting place. My greatest regret was that I'd never been able to give her a good life. Now that I had the chance to do something better for her, of course I wasn't going to pass it up.As soon as we returned to Ashbourne, Audrey had someone give me a complete physical. According to the results, I wasn't in particularly good shape and would need long-term treatment and care.

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