Elise was in a dilemma. She didn’t want to dance with Matthew, but she couldn’t find any reasons to
refuse. Luckily for her, Alexander stood before her. “According to the rules, everyone’s dance partner is
decided by the draw.” In other words, there was no changing of partners once it was set.
Finally finding an excuse, Elise said, “Sorry, Matthew. We got the same number, so I can’t dance with
you.” Perfect. Nobody can refute me.
Matthew smiled and slowly pulled his hand back. “It’s fine. Let’s leave it until next time then.”
Elise nodded. It was then the hall went dark, and everyone gasped. About a minute later, everyone
heard the sound of wheels creaking, and someone was singing Happy Birthday
“Happy birthday to you… Happy birthday to you…”
The crowd parted and made way for Danny and Jack. They were pushing a big cake on a cart, heading
toward Alexander. Everyone around them also started singing as well.
Once they were done singing Happy Birthday, someone shouted, “Make a wish, birthday boy!”
Everyone looked at Alexander. He put his hands together, closed his eyes, and made a wish.
“Together, everyone. Three, two, one… Blow.”
Everyone blew out the candles, and the guests clapped.
At the same time, the lights came back on again. Alexander picked up the knife and cut out a slice
before handing it to Elise. “Have a taste.”
She took it from him and thanked him before popping a small chunk into her mouth. The cream melted
in her mouth at once.
“How is it?” Alexander asked.
Elise nodded. “Not bad.”
Alexander cut a slice of cake and popped a small chunk into his mouth as well. Immediately, his taste
buds were assailed by the sweet scent of the cake, and a handsome smile appeared on his face.
Jonah was delighted to see the both of them standing together.
“Sir, I think Mr. Jonah likes Miss Elise.”
Jonah answered cryptically, “Perhaps, but honestly, they do make a good couple. I just hope he’ll
realize that soon. You did a great job, but something is still missing.”
“Sir, you’re saying we should—”
Jonah stopped him. “Let’s stop while we’re ahead. This is a big project, and I want to take it slow. I just
hope they’ll start going out eventually.”
“Don’t worry, sir. They’ll get it eventually,” the butler said. A smile broke out on Jonah’s lips, and he
went back upstairs. Apparently, he was in a good mood.
The banquet went on until eleven at night. Once the guests made their departure, the villa fell into its
usual silence.
Elise’s stomach was acting up after she had too much to eat. Even after she had washed it down with
water, she still felt bloated, so she went out to have a walk. The night was beautiful, with the moon
covering everything in a silvery sheen, and the stars twinkled down upon the earth. Elise sat on the
yard’s swing alone, enjoying the scenery. But then a while later, she heard the sound of the piano in the
distance.
“Who’s playing at this hour?” She was surprised, but she listened to it silently. The music was delightful
and sad at the same time, as if these two opposites were getting merged together. Curious, she went in
the direction of the sound.
It wasn’t until she got to the top floor did she realize where the sound was coming
from. The piano room. She went over and noticed that the door was ajar. Once she stepped in, what
she saw was a man sitting before the piano with his back turned to her. His fingers flew across the
piano keys, playing the same tune Elise heard earlier. “Not bad,” she praised genuinely.
The moment she talked, Alexander stopped and turned around. “It’s late. Why are you still here?”
Elise snickered and went closer to him. “Because I heard the music. It’s great.”
“It’s just something I played on a whim. Not anything great,” he answered.
Elise didn’t think so. “You must have trained for years. That’s gotta be around grade
eight.”
He arched his eyebrow. “You play too?”
Elise rubbed her nose, slightly nervous. “Not a lot though.”
But that intrigued Alexander. “Wanna play a song together?”
Elise didn’t refuse his invitation. “Sure,” she answered.
Alexander was surprised she agreed so readily, but he freed up half of the bench for her, and she went
to sit by his side. Elise put her hands on the keys, and they started playing a tune together. They
worked harmoniously and grasped every beat to perfection. Alexander was surprised that Elise was so
talented at piano as well. Elise thought the same about him too. Oh, I found a kindred soul.
They hastened their tempo a moment later, then they slowed down. The tune was never out of sync for
even a single beat. Once they were done playing, Alexander smiled. “Looks like I’ve underestimated
you, Elise. You’re a good pianist.” He was genuine about that praise.
Elise praised him as well. “You’re better than I am. You moved really fluidly. You play this song a lot,
don’t you?”
It was the truth, but Alexander didn’t feel awkward about it. “Not bad. You saw through me.”
Elise pulled her hands back from the keys and got up. “Thanks. It’s late, so I’ll retire for the night.”
However, Alexander stopped her. “You know, I like playing the piano with you. Can we have another
session together if it’s fine with you?”
Elise smiled. “Sure.”
Then, she left the room while Alexander saw her off. Once she turned the corner, he looked back at the
piano keys and closed his eyes as he recalled how they played the piano together earlier. It was the
first time anyone could match his speed and sync up with him so perfectly.
A moment later, he opened his eyes, and for some reason, he got curious about
Elise. How many more secrets does she have?
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