Chapter 159
“Maeve, seriously, where are you p>
“Did you get lost p>
“Do you need me to come outside and physically drag you in p>
Maeve rubbed her temples, fighting off a headache.
“I’m coming, I’m coming! I’m on my way right now p>
Hanging up, she grabbed her evening clutch and turned to Yvette.
“Sasha is losing her mind. I really have to go p>
“With the way she’s rapid-firing these calls, you’d think someone paid her to harass you,” Yvette teased with an eye roll.
Maeve laughed softly. “She probably just misses me. It’s been a long time p>
Yvette shooed her toward the door. “Go, go, go p>
Maeve gave a little wave as she stepped out, Yvette’s voice trailing after her.
“Be careful on the road p>
“I will p>
When Maeve finally arrived at the entrance of The Sovereign Hotel, Sasha was already pacing the lobby. The moment she spotted Maeve, she latched onto her arm with overwhelming affection.
“Finally! I was starting to think you ghosted us p>
Sasha had a round, friendly face and a perpetually warm energy. Maeve smiled.
“You could have waited inside, you know p>
Sasha shook her head vigorously. “Absolutely not p>
Maeve blinked. “Why p>
Instead of answering, Sasha seamlessly changed the subject.
“Oh, right! Remember how we talked about having some live piano music to set the mood tonight? The girl who was supposed to play got terrible food poisoning and couldn’t make it. Everyone’s pretty bummed. You used to play, right? Do you want to give it a shot p>
Maeve hesitated. “I haven’t practiced in years p>
“It’s fine, it’s just for background ambiance! We’re not music critics; as long as it sounds pretty, we’re happy,” Sasha encouraged, taking in Maeve’s breathtaking appearance with sheer admiration.
“Besides, you look like an absolute goddess tonight. You deserve a grand entrance p>
Before Maeve could protest further, Sasha physically ushered her across the room and pushed her down onto the piano bench.
“You’ve got this! Rooting for you p>
At that exact moment, a spotlight swept across the room and locked onto Maeve. A wave of excited murmurs rippled through the crowd.
“Oh my god, is that Maeve Sinclair? The campus queen p>
“She looks even more gorgeous now than she did in college. Unreal p>
“Maeve! Maeve p>
The cheering grew louder.
Left with no choice, Maeve adjusted her posture and rested her slender fingers on the keys.
She had played for over a decade. Even if she was out of practice, muscle memory was a powerful thing.
Back in university, she had performed at countless galas and events; a crowd this size didn’t intimidate her in the slightest.
She straightened her spine, took a breath, and let her fingers dance across the ivory. The melody flowed effortlessly, clear and resonant.
Bathed in the warm spotlight, she looked ethereally beautiful, like a delicate butterfly preparing to take flight.
The loud, chaotic chatter of the banquet hall instantly hushed into reverent silence.
Maeve lost herself in the music, completely intoxicated by the freedom of her fingers flying across the keys.
During her three year marriage to Frederick, she had sacrificed so much of herself just to learn how to be the perfect, invisible Mrs Fairchild p>
Suddenly, a tall shadow fell across her side.
Her fingers didn’t stop, but she instinctively glanced over.
She was met with a strikingly handsome face. High cheekbones and deep set eyes gave him a sharply sculpted profile, perfectly balancing a youthful charm with a commanding, mature edge.
Spencer Shaw.
What was he doing here?
Before Maeve could process his presence, Spencer smoothly took a seat on the second piano bench beside her A warm brush of his fingers grazed hers as he adjusted his position.
“You missed a note, Campus Queen p>