Chapter 261


    Those words cut through Heidi, leaving her with nowhere to hide her shame. Turning to Ian with a


    pitiful look, she pleaded, "Ian, I didn''t mean to embarrass ra. It''s perfectly normal not to have any


    special talents. Not everyone is gifted, you know. You don''t have to be so protective of her."


    Her words implied that ra was devoid of any talent and that any attempt would be a spectacle of


    embarrassment.


    Ian was about to speak up when ra''s delicate hand covered his mouth. With a twinkle in her eye,


    she reassured him, "As a proud attorney, do I really need Mr. Hayes to speak for me? Don''t worry,


    Ian, I won''t let you down."


    Turning her gaze to Heidi, ra asked confidently, "So, what would you like to challenge me to?"


    Heidi feigned embarrassment, "Oh, I was just speaking off the cuff. Don''t take it to heart. It''s okay if


    you can''t perform. I just thought Grandma Rose has been so good to you, and it would be a shame


    not to do a little something for her birthday, don''t you think?"


    ra nodded in apparent agreement. "Well, you have a point. But I only know a bit of piano, and I


    gave it up in high school because the coursework was just too demanding."


    Heidi''s heart swelled with glee at ra''s admission. "It''s all right, darling. Grandma Rose won''t


    mind. You must still remember ''Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star,'' right? Or even ''Happy Birthday'' would


    do."


    The thought of ra ying ''Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star'' in front of all the guests, as the future


    matriarch of the Hayes family, tickled Heidi. What aical scene that would be! ra would be


    out of her depth in no time.


    With a sly gleam in her eye, Heidi anticipated ra''s fall from grace.


    ra frowned slightly as if troubled. "Well then, I shall oblige. Let''s see what I can remember and


    improvise." With that, she approached the grand piano on stage.


    Whispers followed her, but ra seemed unaffected, taking her seat at the piano withposure.


    Indeed, she yed ''Happy Birthday'' to everyone''s surprise. The performance drew murmurs from


    the crowd. Such a simplistic piece was unheard of among the elite youth''s recitals. Heidi''s


    satisfaction bloomed at the corners of her eyes.


    However, as the final chords of ''Happy Birthday'' faded, and everyone anticipated ra''s awkward


    exit, the hall was filled once more with the intricate melodies of a piano.


    Heidi was stunned. This was ''Chasing Snow,'' the same piece she had yed earlier. The song was


    fast-paced, intensely rhythmic, and notoriously difficult to perform. Yet ra yed with ease and


    grace, her rendition devoid of the chill of snow but instead filled with joy and boundless passion.


    It was like watching two lovers frolic and chase each other through a snowyndscape, a blend of


    romance and the picturesque beauty of a winter wondend.


    The audience was entranced.


    Heidi''s fists clenched involuntarily.


    Impossible.


    Absolutely impossible.


    ra hadn''t yed the piano for years. How could she still be so good, even better than Heidi by


    leaps and bounds?


    The most unsettling thing was the resemnce of ra''s style to May''s. Heidi could barely contain


    herself, worried that someone might realize ra was May''s daughter, especially her grandmother,


    who had been reminiscing about her own daughtertely.


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    As ra''s performance came to an end, she bowed deeply to the crowd, which erupted into


    enthusiastic apuse and genuine praise, far warmer than what Heidi had received.


    At that moment, Marian, who had been watching from below, stood up and approached ra.


    Taking her hand with tears streaming down her face, she asked in an emotion-filled voice, "May, is


    that you?"