Chapter 85
Philip clearly wasn’t surprised by her question. Calm and composed, he replied, “I saw your debut performance at the university event-really impressive. I admire your talent, Miss Cavendish. I just think someone like you shouldn’t miss the Piano Summit p>
Lisette chuckled softly, turned to Tobias and asked, “Do you buy that p>
Tobias smirked. “No doubt you’re brilliant with the piano. That’s obvious. But as for Mr. Clemens’ reasoning… I’m not so sure p>
Lisette shrugged and turned back. “See? Even my husband doesn’t find it all that believable p>
She held up a finger, starting to count. “First, your son Dorian sent me an email invite. That didn’t work, so he came all the way to my school. That’s kinda overkill for a talent scout p>
“Second, when I turned him down, you showed up at my place personally p>
“I really do appreciate the apology, but let’s be honest-there are way more gifted and hardworking pianists out there than me. So your whole ’reluctant to waste talent’ thing? I can’t help but find it too far-fetched p>
Silence.
A kind of weird, heavy silence.
It hung for a while. Then Philip let out a soft chuckle.
He slowly raised his left hand-
“Father p>
Dorian suddenly stepped in, voice sharp and urgent.
The interruption made both Lisette and Tobias snap their heads toward him.
Philip and Dorian locked eyes. The tension crackled between them like an invisible tug-of-war, layered with undertones Lisette couldn’t read.
They were definitely… at odds.
Eventually, Dorian lost whatever invisible battle they were having.
He abruptly got up and walked off.
His steps were fast, almost storming out. On the glass balcony, Wendy, the little pup, flinched and bristled right up, fur all puffed and nervous, letting out a low whimper as it watched him go.
Bang!
He yanked open the door and stepped out.
A gust of chilly wind plastered his bangs to his forehead. Under the light, his pale skin looked even starker.
Lisette stared as a tiny flame sparked up in the darkness outside-followed quickly by a deep red glow.
It flared bigger.
He was smoking.
Lisette: p>
Dorian? That super refined, always-perfect gentleman type? Lighting up a cigarette? It felt as unreal as watching a comet slam into Earth.
She turned sharply back to Philip. For Dorian to get that thrown off-what was his father hiding?
Under her fixed gaze, Philip gave her a faint smile, then calmly raised his left hand.
With his right, he slowly began removing the black leather glove that covered it p>
The living room lights were bright, casting everything in harsh clarity.
Right there, on the famously elegant fingers of the master pianist, was a twisted, ugly scar-
It looked like some horrific insect frozen in place, completely ruining the beauty of that hand.
Lisette gasped. “Is that p>
“Five years ago, someone tried to kill me. I escaped mostly unharmed, but my left hand got shot. The bullet hit bone. Even after five years of rehab, while I can do most things now, my fingers just don’t work the same way anymore p>
It had been five years. Telling the story again, so casually, felt surreal. The pain alone made Lisette shudder, but Philip’s tone was calm-like he was talking about the weather.
No bitterness. No emotion. It was like he’d stepped out of his own story.
She stared at the scar that had all but ended the legendary career of a pianist, body slightly stiff, brows faintly furrowed. “So… you went into hiding to recover p>
“Yes p>
Lisette felt her heart twist a little.
She stared at the black leather glove covering the old injury and asked with confusion, “Even after that… you’re still coming to the summit p>
Philip replied calmly, “The proceeds from the concert after the summit will all go to a global charity organization-specifically to help find missing children. Before I officially retire, I just want to do what I can p>
Then he looked at her and gently asked, “Would you be willing to perform a duet with me, Ms. Cavendish p>
“I’d be honored!” The words left Lisette’s mouth before she could even think.
Philip still hadn’t explained why he had singled her out, or why he had confided in her something so private. But honestly? That didn’t even matter anymore.
She promised earnestly, “Mr. Clemens, don’t worry. I’ll keep your left hand a secret. I really hope that one day, with advanced medicine, you’ll be fully healed and play the piano again like you used to p>
“No matter what, to me, you’ll always be the most respected pianist out there p>
“You’re the one person who truly deserves the title of world-renowned artist p>
“And you’ll always be my idol p>
Philip listened quietly, then gave her a soft smile.
They quickly agreed on their piece and went to try it out.
The piece they chose was Lisette’s personal favorite-Philip’s original composition, Neon Melody.
She’d practiced it countless times before; it was second nature now. The moment her fingers touched the keys, the music flowed out naturally-clear and smooth-as the melody of Neon Melody filled the entire room.
She played the left-hand parts, Philip handled the right. It only took one try for them to sync effortlessly.
Philip was caught a little off guard, pleasantly surprised by how well she played. His gaze toward her was filled with warmth and admiration.
There was no need for a second run-they knew this was it.
Meanwhile, Tobias, seated not too far away, listened to the beautiful music as his gaze shifted past the glass to land on Dorian outside. His expression deepened.
That father and son… they were hiding something. Something big.
But what? Why Lisette? Why her of all people?
Their motives were still a mystery, and Tobias’ light-colored eyes grew colder.
No matter what, he would keep her safe.
The next day, at Veridia Hall.
At exactly 2 PM, the venue officially opened.
Security had been on high alert since early morning, with the main road completely blocked off.
A bold red carpet extended from the road straight up the grand staircase, all the way to the huge revolving doors at the top.
Reporters lined both sides of the carpet, cameras in hand, watching intently, lenses locked on the entrance.
This wasn’t just some regular music event-this was massive, not just for the piano world, but for all of Veridia.
Top-tier pianists from across the globe had gathered here. After the summit, every participant would play one piece for the evening concert, with the funds going to charity. The initiative had earned support across the board from local Veridia officials.
Departments of Transportation, Public Safety, Media-everyone was on board. From security down to press relations, everything was handled with maximum formality.
Without a doubt, this was the most talked-about event of the year.
Lisette stepped onto the carpet in an elegant black gown that gave off an air of mystery, her hair swept up neatly, and a crown made entirely of real diamonds glittered on her head.
Camera shutters went off like a drum riff, all focused on her.
Gasps spread through the crowd.
“Who’s that p>
“No idea Someone started flipping through the guest list.
“I could’ve sworn there wasn’t a girl that young or gorgeous on the summit roster p>
Just as the murmurs of curiosity spread through the crowd, a sudden sharp cry pierced the air-