The following afternoon, with less than twenty-four hours until the company's banquet, Huxley called to remind me to have a good rest at home so that I could prepare myself to announce my engagement to Jayden at the event.
After hanging up, I went alone to the music room on the third floor, where my mother's only keepsake, a cello, was kept.
As I gently polished its surface, I could almost feel her warmth lingering on it.
Suddenly, the door swung open with a loud bang.
The three guys entered, along with Cailey.
It was rare for them to come home early from work.
Rodger said in a natural tone, "Father insists we showcase Cailey at the banquet tomorrow. You help her pick an instrument for her performance."
I sneered inwardly. The banquet was meant to announce my engagement. Why should she have a chance to showcase?
Yet, with the event so near, I didn't want to start a conflict with them.
I replied coldly, "That's your business, not mine."
Then I was about to leave with the cello.
However, Cailey's gaze swept the room and was finally fixed on the cello in my arms.
Her eyes were filled with undisguised admiration and desire. "Wow, this cello is beautiful! It looks so much better than those in the storage!"
She turned to Rodger and said, "Rodger, if I could use this cello for my performance tomorrow, wouldn't it make you all proud?"
The next moment, Ethan reached out to me. "Cailey's performance is important tomorrow. Since you've been recovering, you're probably not up to playing. Let her borrow it for tomorrow."
I was stunned, not expecting his partiality towards Cailey to go that far.
They knew that the cello was my mother's gift to me, my only connection to her.
I clutched it tightly. "No. This is what my mom left me. No one else can touch it."
Rodger frowned immediately and said with disappointment and impatience, "Lorna, why are you being so mean? It's just a cello, and Cailey plays better than you. You're just jealous she'll outshine you at the gala!"
Was I jealous of her?
I looked at Rodger's indifferent face and felt my heart grow cold.
Cailey stepped forward, and her expression shifted to be pitiful and innocent. "Lorna, I'm sorry. It's my fault... I'm just the servant's daughter, unworthy of such a fine cello. I'll choose another one..."
She spoke while approaching me. Then she seemed to trip over something and lunged toward me!
In that instant, her elbow precisely struck the cello in my arms.
I felt a great force, and suddenly, my arms were empty.
A loud crash followed as my cherished cello hit the floor.
It was broken instantly.
I stared blankly at the broken cello on the floor, and my mind went blank.
Cailey sat beside the fragments, clutched her ankle, and wailed loudly. "Lorna, I'm sorry. I didn't mean to. Please don't blame me..."
I was furious with anger and wanted to slap her.
However, my wrist was seized mid-air by a strong grip.
Ethan shoved me aside and shielded Cailey behind him.
His eyes blazed as he glared at me. "Lorna, have you no conscience? Can't you see Cailey fell? And you're worried about your broken cello? It was an accident. Do you have to be so harsh?"
Larry crouched beside Cailey and looked anxious as he checked her ankle. "Cailey, are you injured? Does it hurt?"
Once he was sure that she was fine, he rose and shot me a fierce look.
Then, he took out a checkbook from his jacket and scribbled a number before tossing it at me. "Enough. It's just a broken cello. Why are you making such a fuss? This old, second-hand cello is worth at most a hundred thousand. Here's a million. You can buy ten more with that!"
I looked calmly at the cello on the floor, which couldn't be repaired. I said softly, "That's right. It's broken. Some things can't be fixed, no matter the cost."
