?<strong>Chapter 401:</strong>


    “That’s right. Just returned from overseas.”


    M extended her hand, and Joelle was briefly surprised when she shook it.


    M’s hand was just like hers, calloused from ying musical instruments.


    In that moment, a silent understanding passed between them, a recognition of shared artistic devotion.


    Dunn led Rnd and Aurora to explore his toy room.


    In the front hall, a group of adults were deep in conversation. Joelle was there to support Adrian, but neither of them wanted to draw attention, so they remained quietly in the background.


    Stephen turned to Joelle, curious, and asked, “What have you been up to these past few years?”


    He admired M’s sess and knew that without a tform, artists could easily fade into the background. Back when M’s career was at its peak, Joelle had faced her own challenges—an injury to her hand, marriage, divorce, and raising a child on her own.


    Thinking about it now, Joelle smiled faintly, while Adrian, sensing her emotions, gently held her right hand.


    Her wrist was wrapped in a brace designed to provide mild electric stimtion to revive the once-numb nerves.


    “Mr. Finch, I’ve opened my own studio, mostly focused on crafting and selling violins.”


    “That exins why we haven’t heard much from you thesest couple of years.”


    Their conversation was suddenly interrupted by the sound of beautiful piano music.


    It was M, her fingers dancing gracefully over the keys. The Finch Mansion had pianos scattered throughout, allowing M to y whenever inspiration struck.


    Everyone fell quiet, enchanted by the music.


    Joelle could feel the depth in M’s ying—sometimes soaring, sometimes gentle, but always filled with emotion. It was an auditory masterpiece.


    When M finished, she looked over at Joelle and asked, “Joelle, would you like to y something?”


    Joelle waved her hand, smiling politely. “No, the piano isn’t my strong suit.”


    M, of course, knew that Joelle’s true talenty with the violin.


    She wanted to use this public event to subtly remind Joelle of the gulf between them.


    That single loss to Joelle had been the only defeat she had ever truly struggled to ept.


    She had never suffered a defeat like that, and she couldn’t let it go.


    Since she couldn’t surpass Joelle in violin, M had changed directions entirely. M had always been seen as a prodigy—there was nothing she couldn’t master when she put her mind to it.


    How could Joelle everpare? She didn’t even belong in the samepetition.


    Joelle sighed. “Alright, I’ll give it a try.”


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