Chapter 2 · The Wife He Never Met, The Artist He Can't Forget

The night I arrived in Kingsford, I moved into a modest house in Northgate.

This was my place. I bought it five years ago, and fewer than ten people knew the address. In the courtyard stood an old maple tree, and in the main hall, a piano sat there, thinly dusted.

I washed my hands and sat down at the piano.

The moment my fingers touched the keys, the rustiness of three years away flashed by. But as soon as I played the second note, it all came back to me.

The piece was called Siege.

I wrote it myself when I was nineteen. It was fierce and relentless, like a cavalry charge thundering through my fingertips.

Three years ago, I performed it for the first time at William's birthday party at the Stone residence. The recording had circulated in the piano world ever since, and the performance was hailed as the most electrifying of the past decade.

And it was right after that performance that I vanished.

I married Ethan, moved out to Riverside, and spent my days feeding chickens, tending a vegetable patch, and fishing.

No one knew that Reed was actually a twenty-four-year-old woman. In the piano world, everyone assumed I was some reclusive middle-aged pianist who was eccentric, antisocial, and never showed up anywhere.

After I finished playing the last note, I got up and went to the kitchen to cook some soup.

My phone screen lit up.

It was a transfer notification. The full 10 million dollars had hit my account.

I slurped my soup and dismissed the notification.

*****

William's birthday party was held at the Stone residence in the western suburbs of Kingsford.

The Stone family's status in Kingsford was legendary. William had built his empire from scratch when he was young, and now the Stone Group had spanned real estate and energy.

For his seventieth birthday, half of Kingsford's elite would be there to kiss the ring.

I arrived early. I was the only one in the backstage dressing room. I changed into a simple long dress, pulled my hair up, and didn't wear any jewelry.

The Stone family's butler knocked on the door. "Reed, Mr. Stone would like you to perform at the opening of the second round of the party, around 8:40."

I replied, "Alright."

He added, "Also, there are quite a few young guests tonight, and several of them came for you. Mr. Stone says you don't have to make an appearance after your performance. You can slip out the back door if you want."

"No need," I said, "I'll hang around for a while after the performance."

The butler looked a little surprised, but didn't ask any more questions. He nodded and left.

I waited in the dressing room.

Through the wall, I could hear the front hall growing noisier by the minute. Kingsford's elite were arriving one after another. Their greetings, laughter, and the clinking of glasses all blended together.

At 8:20 PM, my phone buzzed.

It was a message from Emily Stone.

Emily was William's granddaughter, and she was the only person outside the family who knew the real identity of Reed.

Her message was short. It read: [Ethan's here.]

A voice message followed. I tapped to play it.

Emily whispered, "Evelyn, he's so tall. All black, and he looks like someone pissed in his cereal. There's a gorgeous woman with him, total first-love energy. I snuck a photo for you."

The photo popped up.

Ethan stood at the entrance to the front hall, his profile cold and sharp, jawline sharp as a blade. Next to him was a woman in a white evening gown, with fine features and an elegant posture, her hand resting lightly on his arm.

I recognized her.

It was Sophia Lane, the girl Ethan had grown up with, the one everyone expected Ethan to marry.

Three years ago, Ethan's grandfather, Alex Blackwood, made me marry Ethan, and Sophia was sent abroad. Rumor had it she spent the whole night crying in front of Ethan before she left.

Now Ethan was back, and so was she. And she was on his arm at the most important birthday party in Kingsford.

I put my phone down.

At 8:35PM, the Stone family's butler came to get me. "Reed, it's time."

I stood up and brushed away a small crease from my dress.

As I pushed the door open, I caught sight of a big full-length mirror in the hallway.

The woman in the mirror looked like a completely different person from the one who was out in the yard feeding chickens two weeks ago.

I stared at my reflection for a couple of seconds, then turned and headed for the stage entrance.

Chapter 2

The night I arrived in Kingsford, I moved into a modest house in Northgate.

This was my place. I bought it five years ago, and fewer than ten people knew the address. In the courtyard stood an old maple tree, and in the main hall, a piano sat there, thinly dusted.

I washed my hands and sat down at the piano.

The moment my fingers touched the keys, the rustiness of three years away flashed by. But as soon as I played the second note, it all came back to me.

The piece was called Siege.

I wrote it myself when I was nineteen. It was fierce and relentless, like a cavalry charge thundering through my fingertips.

And it was right after that performance that I vanished.

I married Ethan, moved out to Riverside, and spent my days feeding chickens, tending a vegetable patch, and fishing.

After I finished playing the last note, I got up and went to the kitchen to cook some soup.

My phone screen lit up.

It was a transfer notification. The full 10 million dollars had hit my account.

I slurped my soup and dismissed the notification.

*****

William's birthday party was held at the Stone residence in the western suburbs of Kingsford.

The Stone family's status in Kingsford was legendary. William had built his empire from scratch when he was young, and now the Stone Group had spanned real estate and energy.

For his seventieth birthday, half of Kingsford's elite would be there to kiss the ring.

I arrived early. I was the only one in the backstage dressing room. I changed into a simple long dress, pulled my hair up, and didn't wear any jewelry.

The Stone family's butler knocked on the door. "Reed, Mr. Stone would like you to perform at the opening of the second round of the party, around 8:40."

I replied, "Alright."

"No need," I said, "I'll hang around for a while after the performance."

The butler looked a little surprised, but didn't ask any more questions. He nodded and left.

I waited in the dressing room.

At 8:20 PM, my phone buzzed.

It was a message from Emily Stone.

Emily was William's granddaughter, and she was the only person outside the family who knew the real identity of Reed.

Her message was short. It read: [Ethan's here.]

A voice message followed. I tapped to play it.

Emily whispered, "Evelyn, he's so tall. All black, and he looks like someone pissed in his cereal. There's a gorgeous woman with him, total first-love energy. I snuck a photo for you."

The photo popped up.

I recognized her.

It was Sophia Lane, the girl Ethan had grown up with, the one everyone expected Ethan to marry.

Three years ago, Ethan's grandfather, Alex Blackwood, made me marry Ethan, and Sophia was sent abroad. Rumor had it she spent the whole night crying in front of Ethan before she left.

Now Ethan was back, and so was she. And she was on his arm at the most important birthday party in Kingsford.

I put my phone down.

At 8:35PM, the Stone family's butler came to get me. "Reed, it's time."

I stood up and brushed away a small crease from my dress.

As I pushed the door open, I caught sight of a big full-length mirror in the hallway.

The woman in the mirror looked like a completely different person from the one who was out in the yard feeding chickens two weeks ago.

I stared at my reflection for a couple of seconds, then turned and headed for the stage entrance.