Chapter 264: Show Off

Once I got home, the unease didn’t leave me.It sat on my shoulders like a wet coat. No matter how warm the house was, I still felt cold inside. Every time I blinked, I saw Whitney’s face again those eyes full of panic, like she was living beside something that could snap at any moment.

She didn’t look like a woman in love.

She looked like someone trying to survive.

Something about that whole house felt off. Too quiet. Too controlled. Like everyone inside was trained to move only when permitted.

"Still thinking about Whitney?" Lewis asked.

He waved a hand in front of my face, gentle but firm, pulling me back. I turned and met his eyes.

"Yeah," I admitted.

Lewis’s expression stayed calm, but the air around him shifted subtle, like a warning that didn’t need words.

"Whitney has nothing to do with you," he said. "And in circles like theirs, it’s common for powerful men to keep women in the shadows. If you try to fix every situation you see, it’ll swallow you."

"I know you’re trying to protect me," I replied softly. "But every time I see her, I feel... sorry for her. I don’t think she’s choosing that life. I get the sense she wants to run, but she doesn’t know how."

Lewis studied me for a long moment, like he was reading the truth under my words.

"So you still want to help her," he said.

I nodded. "I’ll start by looking into Yael. He might be the safest way in."

Then I remembered something and added, "Whitney looks like she’s had heart surgery. I’m not sure, but it might be a clue."

Lewis’s fingers tightened around mine. It wasn’t painful. It was grounding.

"Understood," he said. "I’ll look into surgery records local and international. If you’re truly worried about her, I’ll dig into her background properly."

"Alright."

It was strange how intuition worked.

The first time I saw Whitney in that car, something in me tugged hard, like a silent plea. I didn’t even know her, but my body reacted like I did. Like I’d seen that kind of fear before.

Maybe that was why it bothered me so much.

I couldn’t save Esmee. I had watched her disappear into that so-called "accident" and lived with the helplessness like a scar.

But now... I had Lewis. I had power. I had people who listened when I spoke.

And I wanted to use it for something that mattered.

Whitney reminded me of a stray cat I once rescued skin and bones, all sharp edges and mistrust. Even when you offered warmth, it flinched first.

If only I had more chances to speak to her.

Lewis brushed his knuckles along my cheek. "Stop spiraling. Get some rest."

I tried.

But in bed, my mind kept walking through the Blackwell residence. The main villa. The long halls. The dim lights. The silence upstairs. The small building behind the house where the servants "stayed."

It didn’t feel like a home.

It felt like territory.

And the one who ruled it didn’t like strangers wandering too close to his secrets.

I went to school early the next morning, already guessing what would happen.

After arriving at the Blackwell residence in a luxury car, my classmates would have opinions. People like them always did.

Sure enough, the moment I stepped into the music building, eyes followed me.

"Riley, you actually made it to school," Yael said with a bright smile, warm like sunlight.

Someone immediately teased, loud enough for everyone to hear, "Yael, you’re so nice to Riley. Don’t tell me you like her."

The joke spread fast. A few people laughed. A few watched Yael’s face closely, waiting for his reaction.

Yael didn’t even flinch. "Don’t joke around," he said calmly. "Riley already has a partner."

I didn’t hesitate either.

"Yes," I confirmed. "I’m married."

Silence.

Then a wave of shock hit the room.

"What? You’re so young!"

"Married already?"

I kept my tone casual, because that was the easiest way to keep it simple. "When you love someone, it just feels right."

I didn’t want rumors to start. I didn’t want anyone thinking they could orbit around me freely. And I definitely didn’t want to give Lewis even a small reason to feel uneasy.

The bond between us was quiet, but it was real. It didn’t need shouting to be strong.

Yael clapped his hands like a cheerful coordinator. "Alright. Everyone’s here. Let’s start rehearsal."

He turned to me. "Riley, are you better at singing or playing an instrument?"

Lincy’s voice cut in immediately, sharp and smug. "She’s pretty useless. She can’t do anything. Put her in the choir. With enough people singing, nobody will notice if she’s off-key."

A few people laughed awkwardly, not sure if they should.

I smiled, because Lincy always expected me to shrink.

"I’ll do the violin," I said.

That got their attention.

"Riley, you’re picking the same as Lincy?"

"Why not?" I asked.

"It’s not that you can’t," someone said carefully, "but Lincy is really good. She’s our lead violinist."

I shrugged like it didn’t matter.

Truth was, I wasn’t trying to prove I was better than Lincy.

I was trying to prove Riley wasn’t weak.

Riley had played the violin in her quiet moments, when she felt unwanted, when the world felt too loud. Over time, her fingers learned the strings the way lungs learned air. Even if people didn’t see it, it was part of her.

And today, I wanted her to shine.

Yael handed me sheet music. "Here. Take a look."

This charity concert was a big deal for the department. Influential donors would attend. Each class needed a performance strong enough to draw attention and open wallets for the cause.

Our class was doing a classical piece, mixed with vocals and acting.

Lincy walked past me, leaning close enough for her words to slide into my ear like a threat.

"Riley," she whispered, "competing with me on violin? You’re overestimating yourself."

I turned slightly, meeting her eyes.

"Is that so?" I asked.

Her smile was tight. "I know your abilities."

"Things have changed," I said quietly. "I’m taking back everything that belongs to Riley."

Lincy’s expression twitched.

"Fine," she said, voice cold. "Pick your piece."

I didn’t even blink. "Let’s do Dance of the Goblins."

Her face changed so fast it almost made me laugh.

"You must be out of your mind," she snapped.

Everyone nearby reacted. Even people who didn’t know music well had heard of the piece. Fast. Demanding. A performance that didn’t forgive mistakes.

But I wasn’t guessing. I wasn’t gambling.

I lifted the violin and let my body remember.

Yael, still innocent to the rivalry, grinned. "I’ll accompany you on piano."

"Thanks, Yael," I said.

The moment his fingers hit the keys, the room sharpened.

Lincy and I weren’t just playing anymore.

We were clashing.

The music surged wild, quick, almost feral in the way it demanded control. Lincy tried to match me, but she wasn’t prepared for the pace. Her confidence started to slip. Her bow got tense. Her breathing turned uneven.

And the more she lost her rhythm, the calmer I became.

My hands stayed steady. My timing locked with Yael’s like we’d practiced together for years. It felt like a heartbeat syncing with another heartbeat smooth, certain, inevitable.

Then

Snap.

Lincy’s string broke mid-performance.

A sharp, ugly sound.

She froze for half a second.

But Yael didn’t stop.

And I didn’t either.

We carried the piece to the end like nothing happened, like the music itself refused to bow to her pride.

When the last note landed, the room exploded.

Applause. Shouts. Even the instructors stood up, surprised and impressed.

"What an extraordinary collaboration!"

I didn’t look at them.

I looked at Lincy.

My voice was calm when I asked, "So... does that mean I can take first chair now?"

Lincy’s eyes dropped to the floor, her jaw tight. Her pride fought hard, but the loss was clear.

She had been defeated.

And she hated that it happened in front of everyone.

Watching her struggle not to explode, a thought slid into my mind like honey.

What if Grant attended the concert?

Lincy loved the title she wore like a crown. She loved pretending she was still the Ashbournes’ chosen one.

So let the man who once cherished her rip the truth away in front of our classmates.

In front of Yenick.

Let the mask fall where everyone could see it.

Just imagining it sent a quiet thrill through my chest.

Then my phone buzzed.

Lewis.

I stepped into the hallway immediately.

"Lewis," I said, keeping my voice low, "what’s going on?"

He wouldn’t call during class unless it mattered.

His voice came through, hushed and serious. "Elena. I dug into Whitney’s background."

My spine straightened.

"What did you find?" I asked.

"She’s Alice White," he said. "The illegitimate daughter of the Whites from Zorya."

My mind raced. "Were you able to find any records of her surgery?"

"That’s the strange part," Lewis replied. "There are no surgical records. Not domestically. Not internationally."

I frowned. "Could it have been done privately? At home?"

Lewis paused. "She’s considered unimportant in that family. They wouldn’t go that far for her."

I swallowed. "What about the Blackwells?"

"That’s exactly what I was getting to," he said, voice tightening. "I found it suspicious and dug deeper. Someone from the Whites reported their daughter went missing... over ten years ago."

My breath caught.

Ten years.

Missing.

No hospital records.

A girl trapped in a mansion that felt like territory.