Chapter 443
Evelyn Carter stood frozen, her breath catching in her throat. That familiar lullaby - the one from her childhood - was being played before her very eyes.
Had she imagined it?
How was this possible?
Her porcelain skin turned ghostly pale as realization dawned upon her.
She remembered hearing those same notes weeks ago, chasing the melody through empty hallways until she found Victoria Sinclair practicing in the music room.
At the time, Evelyn had dismissed it as coincidence.
But now... Now everything made terrifying sense.
Victoria was adopted. An orphan, just like...
Evelyn's hands trembled violently. If Victoria turned out to be the real Montgomery heiress she'd been searching for all these years...
Her gaze darted to Nathaniel Whitmore. If the Montgomery family discovered Victoria's true identity, would Evelyn lose her chance to become Mrs. Whitmore?
Never. She wouldn't allow it.
Evelyn's eyes darkened as she watched Victoria perform, venom dripping into her thoughts. "You were supposed to stay gone. Why won't you disappear?"
On stage, Victoria's fingers faltered momentarily. The pressure was overwhelming.
She had woven the childhood melody into her performance seamlessly, blending two complex pieces together in one breathtaking composition. What began as a daunting challenge had transformed into her most triumphant moment.
As the final note faded, complete silence engulfed the auditorium.
Nathaniel's eyebrows shot up in surprise. He'd never heard his wife play like this before.
Just as he raised his hands to applaud, Christopher Montgomery leapt to his feet first. "Magnificent!" he cheered, his proud grin stretching ear to ear. "I always knew you had this in you, Victoria."
Nathaniel's smile tightened.
Meanwhile, Evelyn's stomach churned with dread. Each clue clicked into place with terrifying clarity.
The way Christopher, Julian, and Daniel treated Victoria. How Andrew Montgomery's legal team had immediately defended her during that scandal.
It all pointed to one horrifying truth.
Her designer clutch nearly slipped from her numb fingers.
Had the Montgomerys known all along? Had they been playing her for a fool this entire time?
That explained everything!
No one would show such favoritism without reason. Not even for someone as charming as Victoria.
Cold fear gripped Evelyn's heart. If Victoria was the true heiress... what did that make her?
And why hadn't they taken Victoria home if they knew?
The pieces didn't fit. Not completely.
On stage, Victoria finally exhaled, relief washing over her. She hadn't embarrassed herself or the university.
The host approached with sparkling eyes. "An extraordinary performance, Miss Sinclair! Tell us, how many years have you studied piano? Are you perhaps a music major?"