Chapter 258
Back when Sharon was pregnant, the symptoms hit her hard.
Everything she had going on-her work, her plans-had to be put on hold.
She had once intended to return to her career after giving birth. But Theo was born prematurely. In the end, she stayed home to care for him.
And just like that, five years passed. She’d missed more opportunities than she could count.
Sharon shook her head. “My mom once told me that Warner is strict-very strict. He hates favoritism, especially when people try to pull strings or sneak someone into his inner circle.
“Mom had a junior back in the day-extremely gifted-but she was expelled from the maestro’s tutelage because of something
like that.”
Wendy’s curiosity sparked. “Really? What happened? Tell me more.”
Sharon nodded. “You probably already know-Warner only takes students with real talent. The kind that’s one in a million, if
not rarer.
“They say the woman who got expelled played the cello. And she was good-so good that my mother said even her own gift didn’t compare to a tenth of hers.”
Wendy looked stunned. “That good? Seriously?”
Sharon sighed. “There’s always someone better out there. The reason Warner only accepts prodigies isn’t because they’re easier to train—it’s because he’s searching. He wants to know where the limits of human talent lie.”
She paused, then returned to the point.
“The cellist came from a family of musicians. Maybe it was pressure from home, but she ended up recommending her cousin to Warner. Warner listened to the cousin play and decided she didn’t meet his standard. So he turned her down.
“But then the cousin went around telling people she was Warner’s student. She used his name to bluff her way into events, to gain attention. It actually caused some damage to his reputation. Once Warner found out, he didn’t hesitate-he expelled that cellist immediately.
“And after that, he set a rule: no student of his is allowed to recommend family or friends. If they do, they’re out. He said, if someone truly has talent, he’ll recognize it himself. He doesn’t need anyone else to point it out. That’s about it.”
Wendy exhaled slowly, realization dawning. “I see. I always wondered-your talent’s incredible, and your mom was one of his students. Why didn’t she ever put in a word for you? Now I get it.”
There was a trace of regret in her voice, but she bounced back quickly.
“Well, it doesn’t matter. You’re so good-sooner or later, someone will notice. Oh, by the way-Sharon, our account’s follower count is almost at ten million. In a little while, we can start livestreaming. That’ll help boost your visibility even more.”
Lately, Wendy had been uploading videos of Sharon playing music-without showing her face.
There had been one video that revealed her, briefly. Just a side profile, the angle distant and unremarkable. Still, even from that glimpse-her silhouette, her face-there was no denying she was beautiful. The kind of beauty that stood apart from the online influencer crowd. Elegant. Striking
To preserve some mystery, Wendy made sure none of the new videos showed her face.
Now the fans were hooked. Every day, they waited for a reveal.
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Wendy had her sights set on building Sharon’s image. But she also knew the suspense couldn’t be dragged out forever. She’d decided it was almost time. Soon, Sharon would do a livestream.
In these things, Wendy had far more instinct than Sharon.
Hearing Wendy’s plan, Sharon simply nodded.
“Alright. I’ll leave all that to you.”
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