Chapter 573

Evelyn had no clue she'd deeply offended Cassandra.

What shocked her more was Isabella stepping in to defend her earlier.

Isabella had never shown any fondness for her before.

"Could it be because of that dress I sent her last night?" Evelyn wondered. "Did that small gesture really change her opinion of me?"

During the orchestra's rehearsal, the conductor announced an upcoming performance scheduled in a month.

This prestigious event, held every three years, required selecting a soloist from the cello section.

Traditionally, this honor automatically went to the principal cellist, with others providing accompaniment.

But this year, the rules changed dramatically. The soloist would be chosen through an internal competition involving all orchestra members.

The winner would represent the orchestra in a grueling 48-hour composition challenge, testing not just musical skill but creative versatility.

Evelyn didn't consider participating at first, being new and inexperienced in composition.

When Leonard heard about the competition, his gaze turned stern. "You're seriously not entering?" Evelyn shook her head.

"You're my protégé. If my own student won't even compete, people will say I can't produce worthy successors."

Evelyn paused, considering his words. "Professor Herty has a point."

His reputation was impeccable. If she, his student, lacked the courage to enter an internal competition, wouldn't that reflect poorly on him?

Embarrassing herself was one thing, but tarnishing Leonard's name was unacceptable.

Still, Evelyn remained realistic about her abilities.

"But my skills aren't at that level yet. Wouldn't it be worse if I entered and got eliminated immediately?"

Leonard frowned. "Who said you're not good enough? There's still a month until selections. With my personal coaching, you think you can't surpass the others?"

Evelyn realized then how fiercely competitive Leonard was. Of course - anyone who reached his legendary status had to be.

He continued, "Unless you don't want to improve, a month with me is worth five years of regular lessons!"

Evelyn nodded. A month of private instruction from Leonard was an opportunity too precious to refuse.

"But what if I actually win? The orchestra would send me to the composition competition afterward," she pointed out.

For the internal selection, she'd only need to perfect one piece through repetition.

But composing was different - you couldn't fake inspiration. Without experience, she might struggle to produce even a simple score in 48 hours.

"Don't worry about that," Leonard assured. "I'll guide you through every step. Inspiration strikes unexpectedly - some create masterpieces in mere minutes."

His confidence was absolute. Leonard didn't see her concerns as obstacles at all.

Not wanting to dampen his enthusiasm, Evelyn agreed to try.

To accelerate her progress, Leonard arranged for Evelyn to skip all group rehearsals, focusing solely on their daily one-on-one sessions.

With Evelyn practicing diligently under Leonard's expert guidance, the days passed swiftly.

One afternoon, Evelyn took time off to collect Claire and her newborn from the hospital.

As she waited, a breaking news report flashed across the hospital television.

The Whitmore Manor had burned to the ground the previous night.

The Whitmores were Cresthaven's premier real estate dynasty, responsible for developing one-fifth of the city's properties.

For such an affluent family, their manor boasted a cutting-edge fire suppression system designed to activate at the slightest threat.

Yet the entire estate had been consumed by flames - an inexplicably eerie catastrophe.

Julian went to complete Claire's discharge paperwork while Evelyn and Claire waited by the hospital bed, both deeply unsettled by the disturbing news...