Chapter 55
Mathieu let out a deep sigh and rubbed his face tiredly.
He had visited the Devonshire mansion several times trying to see Claire—
But not once had he actually met her.
She was either not home or, on one day, the Count of Devonshire himself came out and told him to leave.
Instead of getting angry, Mathieu found himself thinking the count had every right to treat him that way.
After all, hadn’t he treated Claire terribly before?
He used to go out of his way to do things she hated, and now he suddenly wanted to talk to her?
Even he thought he must be crazy.
Still, he couldn’t stop thinking about Claire’s bright smile on stage.
It was clear he had to meet her face to face and figure out what he was really feeling.
But Claire was avoiding him like he had the plague, and it was driving him insane.
Was she avoiding him because she was spending time with the Crown Prince instead?
That thought made him angry all over again.
Trying to calm down, he checked the letters on his desk.
Among them, one envelope stood out—it had no sender, but bore a fancy seal.
“Clina Salon?” he muttered.
He had never received an invitation from Clina Salon before.
It wasn’t hard for someone like him to get one if he wanted, but still—
Why were they sending him a VIP invite now, of all times?
He opened the envelope and found a ticket and a VIP room pass.
Even more surprising, the golden card had “Special Seat” written on it.
Was the salon’s madam up to something?
Then he remembered: Claire had performed on stage there recently, playing the guitar.
He never expected she had such talent.
She always found ways to surprise him.
Maybe… maybe she’d be on stage again.
This time, he had to see her. No matter what.
But what exactly did he want? To end things? Or start over?
One thing was sure—he had to meet her to find out what this burning feeling inside him really meant.
***
Meanwhile, I was backstage, peeking through the curtain to check the audience.
As expected, Mathieu and Michael were both sitting in the “special seats” I had arranged—
The best view in the house.
I smirked and turned to check on Edith and the band members.
Thanks to Lilianne’s careful styling, Edith looked more dazzling than ever.
But her expression was far from confident.
Sabrina stood nearby, confused.
I walked over to Edith and asked gently,
“Is something wrong?”
Edith jumped, then looked down nervously.
“Do you really think it’s okay for me to sing the way I practiced?”
“What do you mean?” I asked.
“What if the nobles don’t like it? They’re used to opera and elegant music…”
As she fidgeted with her fingernails, I gently held her hand.
“How you sing is not important. It’s what you express.”
She blinked in surprise at my words.
I smiled and gave her a reassuring pat.
“You have the perfect voice to share what we want to say. Be confident!”
We need that confidence—especially if she’s going to capture the hearts of the male lead and second lead!
Edith finally smiled and nodded.
“I’ll do my best! I won’t let you regret choosing me.”
I patted her shoulder again, pleased to see her cheerful side return.
Behind me, Lilianne and Sabrina gave us a thumbs-up.
I hadn’t planned to go on stage again after my surprise performance at the last party,
but Lilianne had insisted we perform together for now.
According to her, the “three goddesses of Clina Salon”—Athena, Aphrodite, and Hades—were the hottest topic in high society.
Wait. Hades? That’s supposed to be me?!
Ugh. Suddenly I really didn’t want to go up there…
Lilianne caught my eye and mouthed, “Fighting!” with a sweet smile.
If I say no now, she’ll definitely sulk…
Well, it’s only temporary.
Just then, the staff called us to the stage.
“Everyone, please take your positions!”
The stage went dark as we stepped into place.
Thankfully, there were small lights underfoot, so finding our spots wasn’t hard.
Edith nearly tripped but Sabrina caught her in time.
“Don’t be nervous,” Sabrina whispered.
Edith stood in the center of the dark stage, swallowing hard.
I took my place beside Samuel as silence filled the room.
The performance was about to begin.
At that moment, a single spotlight lit up the dark stage, shining on the piano and Lilianne.
The soft sound of the piano echoed through the hall, marking the start of the performance.
Soon, another light shone on Edith standing in the center of the stage.
She wore a pink mask, catching the curiosity of the audience.
Then, her clear and gentle voice began to sing along with the piano:
I ignored the spark in my heart,
Afraid I’d burn and fall apart.
There was no microphone, but the stage’s sound system carried her voice clearly to the audience.
Her singing began like a quiet conversation with the piano.
The nobles, used to opera and classical singing, seemed unfamiliar with this style and found it hard to focus.
Even if I try and try, it’s all just smoke,
Everything’s blurry—I can’t see a thing.
Edith’s voice trembled slightly as she noticed the audience’s uncertain reaction.
Just then, Samuel and I began playing the guitar, as if pushing her forward with our music.
She looked at us and gave a small, relieved smile.
I won’t believe your lies anymore,
Even if my hands get bruised and black, I’ll be okay.
The guitar joined the piano, making the song feel fuller and richer.
At the same time, Edith’s voice grew stronger and more confident.
I’ll jump into the fire to catch my dream.
This song was actually a famous pop song from the modern world.
It was a punk-pop, pop-rock style about a teenage girl growing stronger after heartbreak.
But really, it was a song anyone could relate to.
As the chorus neared, Edith’s soft voice gained more and more power.
And then—came the turning point between the quiet beginning and the explosive chorus:
I say the words: I can do this.
Yes, I can do anything.
With growing confidence, Edith smiled boldly at the audience.
At the same time, the entire stage lit up.
Sabrina’s drums kicked in, along with the rest of the band’s music, giving her vocals a powerful backing.
This is my goodbye kiss!
You’ll be left behind, watching me fly!
Edith’s bright smile and clear, strong voice filled the hall.
This is my hello!
Because I won’t hide from you anymore!
She shone like sunlight on stage.
With the upbeat music and her captivating presence, the audience was completely drawn in—mesmerized by her.
I couldn’t help but smile.
Perfect. This much is enough. It’s a success.
Now we just need Mathieu and Mikael to fall for her…
But when I turned to look at them, full of hope—
I froze.
They weren’t looking at Edith.
They were both staring straight at me.
