Chapter 29
Batalle couldn’t help but chowkle, both amned and exasperated by his words. Tobias had that are thrill oerking vile-playful, a little whievous, and absolutely irresistible. She teaved that thrill too, otherwise, they wouldn’t have clicked so well over the years.
If the lights came back on now and Elle saw him he’d be totally embarrassed. ‘Hmph! At this rate. Elle will eventually figure out his true colors. Natalie thought.
When the one-handed piano segment ended, the lights flickered back on, flooding the room with light. A playful nibble on her car jolted her back as Tobias returned to his spot.
His expression was calm, and his fingers glided over the keys as if nothing had happened. He was breathing just as steadily as before. One’d never guess what he had ju done in the dark.
Natalie looked away and continued playing the piano coolly. She thought she was a decent actress”, but it turned out Tobias was just as good. If he weren’t so into sleeping with her right now, they could have easily been friends who understood each other perfectly.
As the final notes faded away, the other guests started talking about the power outage.
“That was strange. What happened to the lights? They just went out and then came back on like nothing.”
“The waiter said it was a small glitch in the lights. But wow, Mr. Reese and Ms. Guzman really handled it well. Not a single mistake during the blackout.”
Rex added, “Yeah, their timing was spot on. Tobias’s piano skills are still amazing, and this lady held her own too.”
Others looked at Natalie with a mix of envy and jealousy, while she quickly stood up and moved to the fa**st corner of the room, creating space between herself and Tobias.
Tobias had always been a piano prodigy, famous in school for his competition wins. People even called him the “Piano Prince.” He usually avoided playing duets, claiming no one else measured up to his talent. But here he was, sharing the stage with her, but Natalie had zero interest in joining him. Besides, they had just shared a… rather reckless moment.
Elle’s eyes darted toward Natalie. Spotting Tobias, she rushed over, her voice dripping with sweetness. “Tobias, can we play together too?”
“Sure, just pick a song you want to play,” he replied quickly.
“I knew it! You’re the best, Tobias!” Elle beamed, eagerly flipping through the sheet music.
Natalie chuckled, rolling her eyes at how he hadn’t missed a chance to flirt with both of them. Then she spotted her friend Maddie staring at her with wide, shocked eyes, as if she had a million questions.
A chill ran through Natalie. ‘Has Maddie heard our earlier conversation?’ she thought and recalled how loud she’d been when talking to Tobias out of frustration.
“Wow, Natalie! Your piano skills are incredible! You should’ve told me sooner,” Maddie said, a pout on her lips. “I want to play with you too, but Mr. Reese got to you first.”
Natalie cautiously asked, “Is that why you’re sulking?”
“This is a big deal!” Maddie insisted.
Natalie felt a wave of relief and smiled, “Just a moment ago, you were pushing me to play with him. Now you’re the one upset?”
“I thought you’d get famous with a performance like that, but I’m jealous of Mr. Reese,” Maddie admitted, her tone shifting. “You’re mine, and I don’t want anyone else to get you.”
Natalie couldn’t help but chuckle internally, ‘But he already got me 6 years… no, 16 years ago.”
As they were chatting quietly, a waiter walked by with a tray full of drinks. Suddenly, he stumbled, causing a splash of colorful beverages to drench Natalie, who was dressed in white.
In an instant, her pristine outfit turned into a rainbow of stains.
“I’m so sorry! I didn’t mean to!” the waiter exclaimed.
“It’s okay,” Natalie replied, shaking her head to reassure him.
“You’ve got to be more careful,” Elle said, setting down her sheet music and walking over. “Good thing they have spare clothes here. You should go change.”
This venue was popular among the rich ladies, so a dressing room was available for such accidents. With little choice, Natalie knew changing was a must; facing everyone like this would be too embarrassing.
Elle’s eyes were filled with something unreadable. When the performance ended, Rex applauded, saying, “Great job! Ms. Lightman, your piano skills have really improved!”
Elle smiled at the compliment, but before she could fully enjoy it, Rex added, “Just a bit behind the performance of the earlier young lady.”
Elle’s smile instantly faded.
Maddie, catching this, burst into laughter. “That’s right. Natalie plays the piano the best!”
Elle felt a pang of jealousy as her hands balled into fists. Karen quickly chimed in. “Who are you to judge? Do you even play better than Elle?
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Maddir enrered Cwme on Dont you know the answer?” Maddie’s skill at the piano was definitely wanted among the girls present.
Karen’s repredon darkened. She glanced at Elle, who looked increasingly tense.
“Well, let’s see how this bold young lady performs Rex said with an encouraging smile.
Maddie’s face burned bright red. Elle clenched her jaw. Feeling the pressure of the situation, she couldn’t stop Maddie from playing. She glanced over at Tobias, feeling relieved that he wasn’t going to play with her. He simply sat there, calmly sipping his tea.
For now, Maddie wasn’t the main concern. Elle was keeping an eye on the time, knowing Howard should have finished his task by now.
“Strange, why hasn’t Ms. Guzman come back yet?” Elle wondered aloud after Maddie finished playing.
“Look who’s watching Natalie!” Maddie shot back with a smirk.
Elle feigned innocence. “Well, she’s my guest, so of course I should keep track of her.”
“Elle is just kindhearted; that’s why some jealous people pick on her,” Karen said, giving Maddie a fierce look.
“I think I should go check on her,” Elle said, a hint of worry in her voice. “Tobias, are you coming with me?”
“Not really,” Tobias replied casually, showing no interest.
Elle’s lips lifted slightly, while Karen added, “Come on, Mr. Reese wouldn’t care about that kind of girl anyway. He’s not going to bother with her.”
Tobias stayed quiet, casually sipping his tea as though nothing was happening around him.
Elle and her friends arrived at the door of the dressing room, but strange, breathy sounds floated out from inside, making them blush.
They exchanged awkward glances, and then Maddie sensed something was off. Pushing her way to the front, she tried to open the door, but it was locked tight.
“Is anyone in there? Can you hear me? Open up!” Maddie shouted, her urgency growing.
The sounds from inside kept going, and Elle frowned with suspicion. “It sounds like there’s more than one person in there. It seems like they’re… being intimate.”
Karen rolled her eyes. “Isn’t it obvious? It’s definitely Natalie with some guy in there, getting all lovey-dovey. Someone get the key! We need to open this door!”
A waiter rushed over, keys jangling in his hand. But before he could unlock the door. Maddie snat**ed the keys, putting herself firmly in front of the door a taking a deep breath.
Laddie, do you really think you can hold this door shut alone? There are too many of us for you to stop,” Karen teased, a smirk dancing on her lips. “This kind of excitement is more fun with everyone around.”