?<strong>Chapter 232:</strong>


    “Mr. Cody Tucker!” Elyse was taken aback. What was he doing here? Cody greeted her with a smile. “I haven’t seen you for a few days. Your skills have really improved. You’ve obviously been practicing hard.” Elyse scratched her head, feeling a bit shy. She had indeed been working hard ever since Cody encouraged her to dedicate more effort. “Let’s head out. The concert hall is about to close. If we don’t leave now, we might end up spending the night here,” Cody gestured to her warmly. Elyse nodded with enthusiasm, packed her violin into its case, and quickly followed Cody.


    As they left the building, Cody nced at his watch and suggested, “It’s still early. Would you like to join me for a coffee? We could chat for a bit.” Elyse smiled, thrilled by his invitation. She nodded without a second thought. Cody looked at her with a smile and led her to a nearby cafe.


    The cafe, located next to the river and usually bustling with people, offered a view of the water from the windows. They chose a quiet corner and sat down. Cody handed her the menu, saying, “Order whatever you like. It’s on me.” Elyse chose a carameltte and handed back the menu timidly. Noticing her choice, Cody’s usualposure wavered a bit. Elyse’s taste was exactly like his. He masked the emotion welling up inside him, ordered a cup of Americano, and asked, “How long have you been studying music?”


    Elyse replied, “I started when I was fourteen.” In fact, she had been enchanted by the violin for much longer. As a little girl, she would imitate violin yers and even try a few notes herself. She had once told Lanny she wanted to learn how to y the violin properly, but he dismissed her harshly every time it came up, discouraging herpletely.


    She didn’t understand why, but with her parents’ disapproval, she resorted to practicing secretly at school. She would tag along to friends’ violin sses and ask them for help with problems. This way, she learned to y the violin and even searched the inte for music manuscripts to practice different pieces. However, Mabel eventually discovered the truth and informed Lanny. Enraged, he smashed the violin that a friend had gifted her, subjected her to violent abuse, and then confined her in the basement. After being locked up in the basement for a few days, she almost starved to death.


    After that ordeal, Elyse was too frightened to touch the violin again. Butter, Mabel decided she wanted to pursue music and aimed to carve out a career in the entertainment industry. Lanny and Glenda then reversed their decision, allowing Elyse to openly reim her violin and resume her lessons.


    Cody’s brow creased slightly when he learned she started at fourteen. “That’s somewhatte, but you’re talented. With extra effort, you can still excel.” After a pause, Cody inquired, “How well can you y Erlk?nig?”


    Hearing the name of theposition made Elyse’s mind go nk momentarily. She shook her head and admitted, “I haven’t managed to y it smoothly yet.” Cody said, “After the first stop of the tour, you need to master this one in three days. You can pause but must not y incorrectly.”


    Elyse looked confused. “Do I have to y that particr one?” Cody affirmed with a nod. “Do you think you can’t manage it?” Though momentarily at a loss, Elyse chose to be honest. “I’m well aware of my limitations. I doubt I can master Erlk?nig within three days.”


    Cody smiled. “I appreciate your honesty.” Her honesty also reminded him of someone. Just then, a waiter approached with a tray and set two cups of coffee before them. Cody shifted the conversation. “Is your father still alive?” Elyse responded slightly bewildered, “Yes, he is still alive.”


    Cody asked again, “What’s his name?” Elyse confirmed with a nod. Her father’s surname was indeed Lloyd. Was there something amiss? Cody didn’t say anything. He crossed his arms, lost in thought. Elyse sipped her coffee, unsure of what to discuss next. A few minutes passed before Cody asked another question. “Does your father have a sister?”


    Elyse was even more baffled. She thought for a moment and replied, “No, he doesn’t have any siblings. He’s an only child.” After receiving her answer, Cody didn’t ask anything more. He simply said, “Three days from now,e show me your progress.”


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