Chapter 4

Emily blocked my way backstage.

She was eighteen, rocking a ponytail, and squeezed into a dress that barely fit. As soon as she spotted me, she rushed over and grabbed my arms. "Evelyn! Did you see Ethan chase after you? The way he looked at you, oh my god."

I tapped her hand so she'd let go. "Yeah, I saw."

Emily added, "He doesn't recognize you, right? He has no clue you're the wife he recently divorced."

I replied, "He's never seen me before."

Emily's face shifted from excitement to anger, then settled into a complicated sympathy. "Evelyn, aren't you pissed? You were married to him for three years, and he never bothered to visit you once.

"You spent all that time out in Riverside taking care of his grandma, and as soon as he comes back, he sends you a divorce agreement.

"And now, right here in front of everyone, he's going after some other girl; oh wait, it's actually you, and he doesn't even realize it."

I sat down at the makeup table and started taking off my earrings. "What's there to be mad about?"

"How can you not be mad?" Emily stomped her foot. "Do you know what people are saying out there? Ethan showed up with Sophia, and everyone's gossiping that they're about to get engaged.

"Hardly anyone even knows you two are divorced, and he's already parading his new girl around."

I set my earrings down on the table and glanced at Emily's flushed, angry face in the mirror. "Emily, do you think Sophia's prettier than me?"

Emily's eyes went wide. "How can you ask that? You're a hundred times prettier than her!"

I replied, "That's all that matters."

Emily looked confused, clearly not getting what I meant, and was about to say something more, but before she could, there was a knock at the door.

The butler called from outside, "Reed, Mr. Blackwood is inviting you to the front hall. Mr. Stone said he'd like to introduce you both."

Emily shot me a nervous look.

I stood up and smoothed my hair back. "Let's go."

The vibe in the front hall was totally different from when I left.

It was supposed to be William's birthday party, with him as the star. But after I played that piece, everyone was talking about Reed.

As I followed the butler in, I caught snippets of conversation from a few tables.

"So Reed is actually this young? I always thought he was some old piano master in his fifties or sixties."

"Young? He looks like he's in his early twenties. How does someone that age pull off a performance like that?"

"Does she look familiar to you?"

"Familiar? I know pretty much all the socialites in the capital, and I've never seen her before."

I ignored the whispers and walked straight up to William's table.

William grabbed my hand and told everyone nearby, "This is Reed. But don't call her Mr.; she's actually a young woman. She's my friend from another generation, and honestly, the most talented pianist I've ever seen."

Everyone at the table stood up.

Ethan was at the table, too. When he stood up, his eyes locked onto me, and his gaze never wavered.

Sophia, sitting right next to him, noticed how quickly and abruptly he stood up, and her smile faltered for a second.

William went around the table introducing everyone. When he got to Ethan, he said, "This is Ethan, the Blackwood family's grandson. He recently got back from overseas and will be taking over the Blackwood Group. He's one of the sharpest young guys around."

Ethan gave me a slight nod. "Nice to see you again, Ms. Hart."

I nodded, keeping quiet.

William must've noticed something. He chuckled and said, "You two know each other? Even better. Come, sit down and join us for a drink."

They put me right next to William, with Ethan one seat over and Sophia sitting between us.

The way they arranged the seats definitely said a lot.

Sophia turned toward me and offered her hand. "Hi, I'm Sophia Lane. You played beautifully earlier."

I took her hand for a brief shake.

Her hand was cool to the touch, her handshake perfectly balanced, not too soft, not too strong.

"Thank you," I replied.

Sophia pulled her hand back and turned to Ethan. "Ethan, Ms. Hart is such a talented pianist. Didn't you say you were looking for someone to play at Mr. Blackwood's birthday party?"

Ethan glanced at me. "I already asked. Ms. Hart doesn't do private gigs."

Sophia smiled. "That's a shame."

She said it casually, but there was an undertone, as if she wanted everyone to know she'd made the suggestion and that if it didn't work out, it was all on me, not her.

Emily, sitting on my other side, nudged me with her elbow.

I didn't react.