Mission: Revenge – The Heiress's Second Life novel Chapter 32

She closed her eyes, letting her fingers fly gracefully across the keys.

Once again, she was amazed by her own enhanced memory. After just one glance, she had memorized the complex sheet music perfectly.

A fluid, flawless melody poured from her fingertips.

[System Notification: Mission Accomplished!]

[Reward: An outstanding socialite must master at least one instrument. Rewarding host with Piano Level: Intermediate!]

Clara's fingers stilled.

Back in the day, she had given up playing after passing her level three piano exam. She wasn't entirely sure what 'Intermediate' corresponded to in the modern grading system.

[System Notification: Entry-level covers grades one through three. Intermediate covers grades four through six. Please keep pushing yourself to break past the intermediate tier.]

"Wow! Clara, that was amazing!" Chelsea praised her with genuine delight. "How are you so good at this?"

[System Notification: Host has received genuine praise. Reward: Elegance +1.]

Clara laughed softly. "Thanks for the compliment. Honestly, I haven't played in years, so my hands felt a bit rusty."

"I could hear a little hesitation, but the emotion behind it was so rich," Chelsea critiqued thoughtfully. "It's supposed to be a happy, simple nursery rhyme, but you played it with a hint of melancholy. Were you thinking about something sad?"

Clara lowered her gaze.

She was thinking about her mother.

Her mother, who had died in a tragic car crash in her early thirties.

At that exact moment.

A piano melody was also echoing through the Lambert estate.

Serena Lambert sat at the grand piano, her eyes closed as she hammered out a complicated piece.

As she struck the final chord, a smug smile spread across her face. She had practiced this piece relentlessly for six months, and her execution was becoming more polished every day.

Her fingers curled into tight fists, a surge of resentment boiling in her chest.

She felt like Aunt Beatrice was deliberately tormenting her.

Noticing Serena's clenched fists, Beatrice sighed and shook her head.

She didn't have a daughter of her own, and her two sons had absolutely zero interest in the piano. That was the only reason she had agreed to mentor a child from the main branch of the family.

Fortunately, Serena was naturally gifted and picked up techniques quickly.

Her only flaw was a severe, fundamental lack of empathy.

When you were just starting out, a lack of empathy didn't matter much.

But once you passed grade ten and entered the elite tiers of the music world, emotional resonance became everything.

High-stakes national competitions were no longer about technical battles—they were about connecting with the soul of the audience...