My playing stopped dead.
I froze where I stood.
I couldn't see, but I could feel it: every gaze turned toward me, and none of them was friendly.
So that was why Brent had married me.
That night.
Brent took another beating.
His father cursed at him, hard. "You worthless son. That's your wife, not some hired performer. Making her play in front of everyone at your own wedding. What do you take her for? A toy?"
Brent answered like none of it mattered.
"Enough, Dad. Nadia herself doesn't think anything of it. She did as she was told. Dad, why are you so worked up? I brought home the daughter-in-law you wanted. I'm going out."
That night, they beat Brent until the small hours, until he passed out cold.
After I went to him.
That smell of blood, I remember it to this day.
Just like now.
I breathed in hard.
No. It was the smell of blood.
What was on my hands wasn't water.
It was blood.
I clutched my stomach and called for Brent.
"Brent, come look. Am I bleeding? Am I... am I losing the baby?"
I was panicking, badly.
The only answer was a simpering woman's voice.
"Brent, I think your wife's calling you."
And Brent's voice, saying to her.
"Focus."
When you can't see.
Your hearing turns unbearably sharp.
I heard every single thing between him and that woman, clear as day.
I pressed my hands over my ears.
The tears wouldn't stop, hammering down.
My heart ached.
And the pain in my body faded next to it.
Numb, I felt my way back to the music room.
I picked up the phone beside my violin, meaning to call 911.
But then a ringtone sounded.
【Mr. Salazar Calling.】
I answered.
Mr. Salazar's voice came through.
"Nadia, I've thought it over. For lead violinist of the overseas orchestra, it has to be you. Your playing may have lost a little of the spark it had in your early years, but you're still the strongest of them all. I hope you'll consider it."
I couldn't stay on my feet. I was going down.
One hand slammed onto the violin strings.
A note rang out.
The people in the room seemed to hear it.
Brent called my name.
"Nadia, Gillian wants to hear you play the violin. Play something."
I laughed coldly.
The violin was the last clean thing I had left.
And Brent still wanted to defile it.
He really was far worse than I'd imagined.
I drew a deep breath.
And spoke to Mr. Salazar.
"Mr. Salazar, I accept your offer. I'll go abroad."
Mr. Salazar asked, concerned.
"Are you alright? You don't sound well."
My voice came out thread-thin. "I'm fine, Mr. Salazar."
The pain in my belly was almost enough to make me faint.
"Good. If you're alright, then play something on the violin. The overseas director is right here beside me now. He needs to make his own assessment too."
"Right now?"
I really wasn't in any state for it.
And I had no wish to play accompaniment for the two people in that room.
"Now would be best, though a few days from now is fine too. But if you play now, you'll just make the earliest round of approvals, and reach the orchestra abroad as fast as possible."
In my ear.
Brent started pressing me again.
"Why won't you play, Nadia?"
I asked Mr. Salazar.
"When does the earliest group leave?"
"Three days from now."
When I heard that, I stopped hesitating.
I made up my mind.
And I began to play.
I hated Brent.
I wanted to be far away from him, and soon.
The music carried to Brent's ears.
For no reason he could name, it set him on edge.
It was beautiful.
