Chapter 163:
Their heartbeats seemed to fall into the same gentle rhythm, and for a while, the cold faded away. He placed a gentle kiss on her forehead and whispered, “We’re going to make it through this.”
Soft words spilled from her lips, soothing his worries.
At the live show, Adriana’s eyes shimmered with unshed tears. Jayceon had already started sniffling, dabbing at his face. Adriana gave him a light smack.
“Would you quit whining already?” she muttered to herself.
Jayceon’s voice wobbled as he protested, “I can’t help it! It’s just so moving. Please don’t hit me!”
Adriana shot him a look. “I only tapped your shoulder.”
“Oh… I thought you were actually hitting me,” Jayceon murmured, his voice still shaky with tears. “I heard every contestant tonight is singing something they wrote themselves. Their mentors step in to help, but this show really depends on the performers’ own music.”
He lowered his voice and asked, “What must she have gone through to write a song like that?”
Brandon caught Jayceon’s words. His eyes stayed fixed on the woman singing under the stage lights. The memory of her debut performance in the show flashed through his mind, along with their confrontation at the charity gala.
Truly, how many battles must a woman face before she could rise to this kind of strength? She presented herself as strong and completely self-reliant, never showing a need for help, always handling everything alone. For some reason, that independence only made people care about her even more.
The gentle rock elements of her music took away some of the sorrow. Maybe, like her, the music reflected a calm acceptance after a lifetime of struggle. Her voice never rose into dramatic cries, but her song could keep listeners awake long into the night.
Brandon turned his attention to Charles, who stood near the edge of the stage. Had Charles been the one to guide Serena this far?
The room stayed dim, the lighting cool and subdued. While the audience was caught up in the music, Vivian quietly slipped away from the cameras, heading out to the hall to send messages as “V.”
She sent a message, saying, “Didn’t you say Serena couldn’t stand up to Napier? How is she still showing up here?”
Blade Joker replied, “Who knows what she said to him at the villa that night! When we got back home, the old man didn’t really address me, but he did say he was done interfering in our affairs.”
V’s response was quick and sharp. “So what do we do now? I can’t let go of what happened at that charity auction!”
Blade Joker responded, “Charles hasn’t completely shut me out yet. I’ll see if I can convince my oldest brother to step in.”
V asked, “And you honestly think he’ll take your side?”
Blade Joker answered, “I’ll give it a shot. Out of the three of us, he’s always been the sharpest, staying out of my fights with Charles and watching from the sidelines. He isn’t stupid. If things change, he’ll make the choice that benefits him. Just trust me, I’m with you.”
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