Leah turned her head and saw Diana leaning against the edge of the bed, her expression gradually becoming indescribable.
Seemingly... sympathetic.
Leah: ...
Leah:"Do you think I'm a little pitiful?"
Diana nodded.
Leah: "...I kind of am too, but I'm okay with it."
The potato chips in her hand didn't taste as good anymore.
Leah pulled the blanket over her head.
Time for sleep.
...
In the middle of the night, Diana was in a drowsy slumber when she was abruptly awakened by the chill.
She reached out and, sure enough, her blanket had been kicked to the side.
Sitting up, she pulled the displaced blanket back to the bed's edge.
"Ah, it's so much better sleeping with John," she thought groggily to herself. "He not only covers me with warmth but also a sense of security."
Lost in these sleepy thoughts, she lay back down.
Suddenly, something felt off.
Diana sat up ab
[Diana: But we met some of Leah's former classmates here, and they said some things that might have upset her. Could that be related?] [Colin: It's possible. The doctor's hypothesis is that long-term traumatic experiences from her past have left a significant psychological scar, and she's trapped in those memories, unable to move on, resulting in an alter ego.] Diana couldn't help but feel concerned. [Diana: What if it continues to deteriorate? Could there be any long-term consequences?] [Colin: There's a possibility she might remain stuck in her alter ego, unable to emerge.] Diana's fingertips paused for a moment. She remembered Leah's innocent and adorable appearance from the night before and instinctively glanced over at Leah. Leah was sitting on the couch in a pristine June-style white outfit, engrossed in her game. Sensing Diana's gaze, Leah looked up. "Why are you staring at me like that? Did something happen afte
After the others had left, Diana turned to Aunt Jones with a somewhat probing question. "Aunt Jones, do you... have any reservations about John?" She had been pondering this since yesterday. Aunt Jones calmly denied, "Not at all." "Really?" Diana was surprised. "John can come off a bit aloof sometimes, and I thought you might not like that..." "That's not aloof at all. I think he's quite charming. Diana, you have good taste; a guy who looks that good must have an impressive personality." Diana looked at her, puzzled. "But, didn't you say yesterday that inner qualities matter the most?" "That's right. As the saying goes, 'beauty is only skin deep.' Look at how good he looks; he can't possibly have a lackluster personality." Aunt Jones gave an expression that seemed to see through everything. "To be honest, since he brought over that gown yesterday, I had a feeling this young man must be exceptional." "Well, if you don't
Amy sat in the corner, her eyes wide open. Too... powerful! Diana's skill far exceeded her expectations. After a moment of shock, she snapped back to reality. Her livestream was still on! Amy lowered her head and saw that the barrage of comments had filled the screen. "OMG! I'm blown away! This is more amazing than the Freshmen Welcome Ceremony!" "I unilaterally declare Diana as my forever goddess!" "Amazing! Amazing! I'm uneducated, so all I can say is amazing!" "I didn't pay attention to the music; I was too busy licking my screen..." ... Amy was furious and abruptly ended her livestream, feeling utterly lost. Is this what Scarlett referred to as 'elementary school level'? Was she being fooled? She had no desire to stay in this place for even a second longer. Amy gritted her teeth, pushed through the crowd, and made her way out. On the stage, Ms. Jones, a
He lowered his gaze to Diana. "What did he say to you?" For some reason, Yosef's gaze had made him feel uneasy. Was he trying to take something from him? Could it be... At the thought of that possibility, a fierce storm of anger swirled in his eyes, revealing his murderous intent. "John." Diana reached out and placed her hand on his back, giving it a gentle squeeze. She astutely sensed John's thoughts. Diana forced a casual smile. "He didn't say much, just asked me for some sapphires and wanted my ruby necklace!" "The necklace?" "Yes." Diana's eyes held genuine sincerity. "Thank goodness you came, though. It scared me to death!" John's deep eyes flickered and then fell into silence. "I'm fine, but Mitbahl, your injuries haven't healed yet, have they? Did he hurt you just now?" Diana changed the subject, turning her attention to Mitbahl. "Madam, I'm alright," Mitbah
And then she replied, "He was out racing with his new girlfriend, got into a conflict with some people, and they went so far as to harm him like this." "Is that so?" Yosef raised his gaze and gave her a casual once-over. He had received word that Nisbet had provocatively engaged with a woman from the other side, and it had backfired. The specifics didn't interest him much, but he knew that whoever Nisbet had crossed paths with was likely connected to the Matthews family. Kipling noticed Yosef's subtle unease. "Yosef, Nisbet is a Nelson, and if word gets out about what happened, it'll tarnish the Nelson family's reputation." She continued, "Furthermore, the uncles and aunts from the Nelson family won't tolerate anyone mistreating Nisbet, don't you think?" Kipling added with a slight smirk. A barely perceptible, cold curve tugged at the corner of Yosef's lips. Trying to pressure him with the older folks from the Nelson family? Sh
"Cut it out! Aren't we about to compete in the Schumann Piano Competition soon? We're partners, and we need to build rapport." Diana pulled the covers up to her chest. "Let's start with sleeping together." Leah: "If you're craving me, just say it." "You wish!" Leah closed her laptop and leaned back on the bed. "Are you sure you want to sleep with me? Will your ice-cold man boss at home approve?" "Oh, come on, you're thinking too low of my sweetheart," Diana said sincerely. "John heard I wanted to build rapport with you and he's all for it. He said the competition comes first, and he understands." Leah: ... Is this for real? With Mr. Jealous John? If his face doesn't turn to ice, it's already a stretch to say he understands. Meanwhile, lying all alone in a king-sized bed, John, hugging a pillow that still smelled like Diana, suddenly sneezed. He furrowed his brows. What, has he been infected by the little girl?
Clearly, Scarlett was up to something. Unfortunately, her control over her expressions wasn't up to par, and she was seen through with just one look. In a moment of restlessness, it was Scarlett's turn to take the stage. She managed to calm her nerves and entered alongside Chris. The vast auditorium held two grand pianos on the stage, both sitting in silence. Five judges, all renowned pianists within the industry, were seated below. Among them was her professor, Emily. Upon seeing Scarlett, a smile crept across Emily's face. A nearby judge also recognized Scarlett. "Emily, is this your student?" he inquired. "Yes, indeed. Scarlett is one of my most outstanding students. She's participated in numerous international competitions and won several awards. I have high hopes for her in this competition," Emily replied. "I've looked at the list of contestants for this competition. Barring any surprises,
Emily withdrew her astonished gaze, picked up a pen, and, after a while, amidst the puzzled looks of others, marked an 'S' on the evaluation card. Instructors rated performances with grades ranging from 'S,' 'A,' 'B,' 'C,' to 'D.' Achieving an 'A' was rare because Emily was typically very critical. The 'S' grade was exceedingly rare, almost never awarded. Yet today, Emily had surprisingly given an 'S.' She wasn't alone. Other judges also independently marked 'S' on their cards. It was an exceptionally high evaluation. This meant that the gold medal for this competition was practically a foregone conclusion. Levin's eyes flickered with surprise. "I was too hasty," Emily began, her voice calm. "I used to think that Scarlett was the most gifted student I'd ever seen. But now I realize what true genius is!" She gazed at the two young women on the stage, her eyes sparkling. Then, she turned to Levin. "But don't get too smug,