Chapter 426
She was just watching.
Her phone suddenly buzzed.
She glanced down and saw Nicholas’s name on the screen.
Lifting her head, she looked toward the main stage.
The man sitting next to Old Mr. Blackwood met her gaze, his charming, almond- shaped eyes crinkling into a smile that cut through the crowd and landed precisely on her.
Their eyes met.
The smile in the man’s captivating eyes deepened as he gently tapped his phone. Serena unlocked her screen and opened the message from Nicholas.
Nicholas: [Enjoying the music p>
Serena casually typed back: [Mr. Blackwood is certainly the man of the hour. This is Brianna’s debutante ball, but all these socialites from the top families are pulling out all the stops to perform for you p>
Nicholas read the long string of text on his screen.
Honestly, it was quite a mouthful.
That last sentence, in particular, seemed laced with a faint hint of sarcasm.
Nicholas’s thin lips curled. [Jealous p>
That single word made Serena’s fingers freeze over the screen.
She narrowed her bright, almond-shaped eyes.
Jealous?
How could she possibly be jealous?
Without a second thought, Serena denied it. [No p>
Nicholas’s smile widened. [But I can see that sour look on your face from here p>
He followed that up with another message: [Besides, your words are dripping with jealousy p>
Serena’s slender fingers tightened around her phone. She shot a glare at the man on the main stage.
After sending the messages, his gaze had remained fixed on her.
And now, their eyes met again.
The man didn’t seem the least bit flustered by her glare. Instead, he lifted his handsome, sensual lips into a grin aimed directly at her.
With that smile, he looked every bit the devilishly handsome charmer.
Serena clutched her phone, her fingers flying across the screen. [What are you looking at me for p>
The man’s lips curved upward, bit by bit.
His captivating eyes seemed to shimmer.
Serena’s brow twitched.
Why did she feel like p>
This man was about to start showing off, regardless of the occasion?
Sure enough.
The next second, while still smiling at her, his fingers were already typing.
[Maybe it’s because you’re shining p>
[When you’re here, my eyes can only focus on you p>
Serena was speechless.
The man was still typing: [Especially when a certain little girl is obviously jealous but trying to act like she doesn’t care p>
[Even when she’s pouting, she glows p>
Serena was at a loss for words.
Her brow twitched uncontrollably.
Her lips trembled.
Her hand, gripping the phone, had to fight the urge not to hurl it at the man’s face.
She took a deep breath, pounded on the screen, and sent a reply: [Not jealous. Don’t flatter yourself p>
Then, she shoved the phone into her purse.
Her gaze returned to Elara Hale playing the piano, as if she couldn’t be bothered with him anymore.
Nicholas’s smile deepened. With a regal air, he typed a few more words and sent them.
Serena’s phone buzzed.
She ignored it.
Didn’t even spare it a glance.
Who had time for that preening peacock?
Seeing that the girl had no intention of checking her phone, Nicholas’s thin lips curved upward.
He put his phone away and sent no more messages.
Beside him, Old Mr. Blackwood cast a sidelong glance. “Useless. You’ve made Serena angry again, haven’t you p>
Nicholas shot him a lazy look. “Grandpa, you’re old. You don’t understand the fun little games young people play p>
“Fun games?” Old Mr. Blackwood scoffed. “You can talk about ‘fun games’ when I can finally call Serena my granddaughter-in-law p>
On the main stage.
The piece ended, and thunderous applause erupted.
Even Mr. Kessler, the vice president of the International Music Association, stood
up, clapping lightly and offering a few words of high praise.
Elara Hale maintained an elegant smile, accepting all the compliments with an air of unshakable grace.
“Hey, I remember that Miss
Lancaster’s major is also piano, right? I heard she won a gold medal at the International Youth Music
Competition. The
assoc
president himself even praised her p>
“Well, well, both heiresses are piano masters. This is getting interesting p>
“I wonder who’s better p>
“Just listening to Miss Hale’s performance was stunning enough. I wonder if Miss Lancaster will also go on stage to play p>
The sight of Elara Hale naturally led people to think of Isabella.
ele
One was the daughter of Marivelle Port’s wealthiest man, the other the daughter of Vaelion City’s wealthiest. Both had their sights on Nicholas.
It was only natural that they would be compared.
Listening to the crowd’s chatter, Elara Hale’s red lips curved up as her gaze met
Isabella’s slightly pale, unpleasant face.
Her smile widened, and her gaze, now burning with intensity, shifted unabashedly
toward the man sitting with regal posture.
She said nothing.
But her intention and unwavering confidence were crystal clear.
“Ooooh p>
Someone in the crowd let out a teasing catcall.
Although many of the young women present had their eyes on Nicholas, Elara Hale’s public, passionate, and
unambiguous declaration of
affection was definitely a first for the evening.
However p>
The man at the center of everyone’s attention didn’t even lift an eyelid. His gaze was
lowered, fixed lazily on his phone.
His long, elegant fingers tapped lightly on the screen, as if he were chatting with
someone.
And there was a smile on his lips.
A rather pleased smile, at that.