The Jilted Heiress' Return to the High Life - Chapter 454

Chapter 454:

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Rita hesitated, but found herself nodding. Leah’s reasoning made sense.

Before she could think twice, Leah had already stepped onto the stage.

“Distinguished guests,” Leah’s voice carried across the hall.

“On this special evening, celebrating Mr. and Mrs. Archer’s wedding anniversary, Miss Ashton and I would like to present ‘Nocturne’—a tribute to their enduring love.”

Enthusiastic applause forced Rita’s hand, compelling her to abandon her handbag and join Leah onstage.

As they positioned themselves to perform, Leah’s gaze flickered toward Corrine in the resting area, a calculated gleam in her eyes.

The melodious strains of their duet soon filled the grand hall, earning appreciative expressions from the assembled guests.

Karina, however, observed the performers with knowing skepticism.

“What scheme do you suppose they’re orchestrating?”

Corrine’s eyes narrowed as she drained her wine glass.

“We’ll discover their intentions soon enough.”

She recognized the performance’s ulterior motive—one that would inevitably draw her in.

Nate leaned close, his deep voice resonating against her ear.

“Perhaps we’ll have the privilege of hearing Miss Holland perform tonight?” His warm breath sent an inexplicable flutter through her heart.

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Corrine met his gaze, her eyes dancing.

“Care to venture a guess?” Their intimate exchange was interrupted by thunderous applause as the performance concluded. Praise flowed freely from the audience.

“Such emotional depth—truly magnificent!”

“A minute on stage reflects ten years of dedication behind the scenes. These ladies must have invested tremendous effort.”

“Their masterful interpretation suggests years of rigorous practice, doesn’t it?”

Rita seized the moment with practiced modesty.

“Merely ten years of dedication.”

Gasps of admiration swept through the room, whispers of astonishment spreading like ripples in a pond. The admiration fed Rita’s vanity, filling her with a sense of long-awaited triumph. Tonight, she had finally reclaimed some dignity.

Her triumphant moment shattered when she stole a glance at Nate, only to find his attention wholly consumed by Corrine, as if no other presence registered. Rita’s smile crumbled, her heart constricting with bitter resentment.

A voice from the crowd suddenly cut through the applause.

“Isn’t Miss Holland present tonight? Might we be graced with her performance as well?”

The request carried loaded implications. Many present understood the complex dynamics between Bruce, Leah, and Corrine through their business connections. While Leah commanded respect even in diminished circumstances due to her privileged background, Corrine, lacking such advantages, often faced dismissal.

“You mean the woman who relentlessly pursued Mr. Ashton?”

“Indeed—though she seems to have swiftly found consolation elsewhere.”

The barbed comments reached Bruce clearly, yet he remained silent, deriving malicious satisfaction from the speculation. In his mind, the gossip served to reinforce his perceived claim over Corrine’s past.

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