Filed to story: Seventeen Heartbreaks: When Love Has No Voice
Nobody dared to stand up to her. Rola wasn’t bothered by being labeled a bully. Instead, a smug grin spread across her face, expecting Sophie to cower in fear. But to Rola’s surprise, Sophie remained unfazed. She simply looked back at her with a calm, cool expression, a hint of a sneer playing on her lips.
“Is that all you’ve got?” Sophie scoffed, her tone dripping with disdain.
Sophie’s dismissive words were like a slap in the face. Rola’s composure crumbled, and fury surged through her veins. She felt a strong urge to lash out at Sophie and wipe that smirk off her face. But Sophie was surrounded by a wall of imposing bodyguards, their presence a stark reminder of the danger a physical confrontation could bring.
Rola forced herself to take a deep breath and regain control. Attacking Sophie wouldn’t be easy, especially without any financial leverage. She needed a new strategy, a more cunning approach.
A mischievous glint flickered in Rola’s eyes as a devious plan began to form in her mind. Slowly, she lifted her gaze to meet Sophie’s, a sly, provocative smile spreading across her lips.
“Let’s have a competition if you want me to leave this practice room to that loser,” Rola declared.
Sophie’s brows furrowed, momentarily caught off guard by how simple the proposal sounded. Sophie was about to agree when Rola smirked and added, “But on one condition. Since you’re asking me to leave this room for that pathetic participant, I get to set the rules. I’ll play on my piano while you use that beat-up one. How about that?”
Sophie’s expression darkened. “That’s just stacking the odds against me.”
Anyone who understood pianos knew the difference in sound quality between cheaper and more expensive ones. Personal instruments were fine for practice, but competitions always provided high-grade pianos. Competing on different pianos was clearly unfair. It was clear Rola was making things difficult for Sophie on purpose.
Rola’s smirk widened. “Afraid you’ll lose? If you don’t want to compete, that’s fine. I’ll just inform that poor girl’s sponsor to stop sponsoring her. You shouldn’t have intervened just to show off your kindness. Let’s be clear-if you lose to me, she loses everything, including the sponsorship. Consider this a lesson for you.”
Leila, who had initially believed this was just a children’s quarrel and didn’t need her involvement, couldn’t stand by any longer. Hearing such cruelty from someone so young was shocking. Stepping forward, she placed a hand on Sophie’s shoulder.
“Don’t worry. Go ahead and compete with her. If the girl’s sponsor pulls out, I’ll make sure to sponsor her myself.”
Sophie’s face lit up with newfound confidence. She mimicked Rola’s arrogant stance and met her gaze. “I’m not afraid of you. Let’s have a competition. You’re wealthy, but there are a lot of powerful people out there. If you do this, you’ll only make more enemies.”
Rola’s expression twisted in anger. Leila had never seen such a fierce expression on a child’s face before. Suddenly, Clayton’s warnings about the dangers of the local gangs seemed all too real and well-founded. But Leila shrugged off the concerns. Faced with challenges, she would confront them head-on instead of cowering.
Shortly, two pianos were brought in. One was the rickety instrument belonging to the timid girl, and the other, a gleaming million-dollar Steinway, proudly owned by Rola. Rola raised her chin, letting her fingers dance across the keys in a show of superiority. It sounded like a delicate ripple in the water. Even the most random notes came together in harmony. Rola even brought in judges.
The crowd gathered, and several people, recognizing Rola’s status, applauded her without hesitation. Rola exuded confidence, completely dismissing Sophie as a serious competitor.
But Sophie remained calm, staring at the piano in front of her. It wasn’t the brand she was used to, but her years of practice weren’t for nothing. She believed in herself.
Noticing Sophie’s calm demeanor, Rola sneered. “Let’s see how long you can keep up this little show of yours. I’ll go first so you can see how skilled I am. But if you’re scared, you can just drop out. I won’t be mad.”
Sophie remained composed, a serene smile on her face. “After you,” she said, gesturing for Rola to begin, making Rola appear even more unreasonable.
Rola scoffed, bumping Sophie’s shoulder as she strutted past.
With such a fine piano, unless Rola’s skills were truly lacking, the music would be delightful. And anyone competing here surely possessed some level of talent. Although Rola’s performance was certainly enjoyable, her technique remained average.
Still, the audience clapped loudly, more out of obligation than admiration.
Rola felt a surge of pride and cast Sophie a challenging look.
Leila glanced at Sophie. “No matter if you win or lose, you’ll always be the best to me.”
Leila’s words of comfort had the desired effect. Sophie’s nerves began to melt away. She beamed at Leila. “Thank you.”
The tenderness in their exchange only seemed to irritate Rola more, and with a huff, she slammed the lid of her piano shut. Her anger and frustration were met with a dismissive apathy.
Now it was Sophie’s turn. She approached the piano, taking a deep breath to steady herself.
Sophie sat up straight, her posture far more commanding than Rola’s. This wasn’t something Leila had pressured Sophie into training for. It was the result of Sophie’s self-discipline.
Sophie believed that before engaging in anything she loved, she needed to adopt the right mindset and present herself in the best possible light.
Sophie raised her hand and gently brushed the piano keys, producing a faint, monotonous tone at the start. Rola let out a loud, mocking laugh, but Sophie stayed focused.
Gradually, the rhythm picked up, and Sophie’s fingers danced effortlessly across the keys. The music flowed, filled with delicate tenderness and vibrant energy.
It wasn’t just a showcase of skill. Sophie’s music resonated with her emotions, captivating everyone in the room.
When Sophie finished playing, many in the audience hadn’t even reacted. Then, one person began to clap, and soon a wave of applause swept through the room, far more genuine and enthusiastic than the applause Rola had received.
It was just a piece of music performed on a mediocre piano. The performance would have been even more breathtaking had Sophie played on Rola’s piano. A formal judgment was unnecessary. It was clear who had won.
Rola stood frozen, her face flushed with disbelief. How had Sophie, with an inferior piano, played so beautifully? She could accept someone talented, but this level was another matter entirely. It felt like a personal insult, a mockery of all her years of practice.
Sophie stood up and, with a slight smirk, faced Rola. “So, who do you think won?”
Rola gritted her teeth, her face a mixture of fury and humiliation. She didn’t want to admit it, but with so many eyes on her, she relented. “You won. I won’t bother that girl anymore.”
Sophie glanced at Leila, and their shared smile was a beacon of victory. Their radiant smiles felt like daggers to Rola.
But just as they were about to walk away, Rola shouted in frustration, “She’s fine, but I’m going after you now! My dad’s the main investor, and I’ll make sure you’re disqualified from competing!”
Rola raised her hand and pointed accusatorily at Sophie. The smiles on Leila and Sophie’s faces instantly froze. Rola snapped at the competition staff, “Get these two out of here! I’m just saying she can’t compete. What’s so unreasonable about that? If you don’t, I’ll have my dad pull his funding!”
Once Rola finished speaking, she slipped back into her typical arrogant demeanor.
A staff member approached awkwardly, addressing Sophie and Leila, “Ladies, please… You need to leave.”
Noticing that Leila and Sophie remained defiantly in place, the staff exchanged uneasy glances before nudging them, gently but firmly, toward the exit. Just then, a team of towering bodyguards strode into the room, each exuding silent, menacing authority. Their eyes flicked toward Leila and Sophie with a cold, calculating look, as if sizing them up, ready to act at the slightest command.
Sophie instinctively clutched her mother’s hand tighter. “Mom, maybe we should just go,” she whispered, her voice trembling as her gaze darted toward the bodyguards.
Though Sophie enjoyed a bit of competition, even she knew to keep their safety in mind while abroad. Back home, she would have confidently called 911. But here, in unfamiliar territory, trust wasn’t a given. There was no guarantee the police would strive to bring justice.
Leila, however, didn’t waver. She knelt beside Sophie, brushing a reassuring hand over her daughter’s shoulder. “Don’t worry, sweetheart,” she murmured. “We’re not the ones who need to leave.”
Hearing this, Rola let out a laugh, her tone laced with derision. She crossed her arms, leaning back with a smirk. “If you’re so set on making this difficult, don’t blame me for what happens next. Throw them out!”
The staff shifted uncomfortably, their eyes darting between Rola and Leila as beads of sweat appeared on their brows. One of them leaned closer to Leila, his voice a strained murmur. “Please, ma’am, we’d rather not make a scene. If you’d just cooperate, this can all be handled quietly.”
Leila scoffed, an almost amused smile playing on her lips. “Rola’s quite bold, isn’t she? All because her father’s an investor here. But what if I told you I am also an investor?”
The room went silent, a ripple of uncertainty spreading through the crowd, followed by Rola’s shrill laughter. Her hands clenched into fists as she looked at Leila with disdain.
“Oh, sure,” Rola sneered. “You’re jealous of my father’s wealth, so you had to come up with some wild story?” One of the staff cleared his throat awkwardly. “Er… Our investors attend annual meetings,” he said, glancing uncertainly between Rola and Leila. “But we’ve never seen you before.”
Leila remained calm, unbothered by their words. She waited patiently for everyone’s murmurs to settle before speaking. “I did invest, but not under my name,” she explained smoothly. “The funds are under someone else’s name, so naturally, I wouldn’t be attending the meetings myself.”
Even Sophie looked taken aback, her eyes wide with surprise. Leila had never once mentioned this.
Leila gave her daughter a reassuring smile. “I didn’t mean to keep it from you. I know how much it means to you to compete fairly. You didn’t want any shortcuts, and I respect that. I planned to tell you once the competition was over.”
Rola’s face twisted in frustration as she clenched her jaw. “I don’t believe you. If you’re telling the truth, call this supposed person right now. Otherwise, get out!”
Leila nodded, unfazed. “I could, but he may be occupied.”
Rola snorted, crossing her arms in smug satisfaction. “As I thought. Just more lies.”
To everyone’s surprise, Leila turned to the staff. “You have access to the investors’ contact list, correct? Call the one with the last name Nixon. Right away.”
The staff’s faces paled. Their gazes shifted to Leila, now laced with uncertainty, and a flicker of apprehension. Among all the investors, there was indeed only one Nixon. And he happened to be the largest investor here. Leila’s composed expression left little room for anyone to doubt her. High-profile families like the Nixons weren’t the sort to be impersonated lightly.
Yet, Rola, oblivious to the gravity of Leila’s words, dismissed it as a bluff. She reasoned that even if Leila’s claims were true, it wouldn’t matter. Her father was still a major investor here, perhaps the most powerful of them all.
“Go ahead and make the call now,” Rola stated, her voice echoing through the room.
A staff member glanced at Rola nervously, subtly signaling for her to stop, but she remained oblivious, intent on asserting her authority.
Frustrated that they hadn’t immediately obeyed, Rola stormed over, stomping down hard on one of the staff members’ feet. “Are you deaf?” she hissed. “Didn’t you hear what I told you to do?”