Chapter 295
“Carter said he’ll make it up to you with something even better. It’ll be at tonight’s auction. What do you think? Interested?” Nate asked
The mention of an auction immediately sparked Kelly’s curiosity. “What kind of auction?”
“It’s the annual auction here in Amstern City. Not like those monthly ones they don’t even compare. Think about it. A once-a- year event. Imagine how many rare treasures will be there. I heard there’ll be all kinds of strange, priceless items. Even I haven’t seen some of them before.
“This auction draws in half the elite of the entire country. Even if you’re not there to buy, it’s worth going just to see the show.” He paused for a beat, then said in a lower tone, “Kelly, your violin, Deep Sea-Carter bought it for you at this very auction.” Deep Sea. That violin was the last gift Carter had given Kelly when they parted in the past. It was a parting gift.
Over the years, she’d used that violin to enter countless international competitions, winning award after award. Her skill mattered, yes. But having a fine instrument let her talent shine at its fullest.
Remembering this, Kelly asked, “Nate, did you ever find anything about Sharon’s background before she got married? Did she compete? Or joined any kind of music association?”
Nate snorted. “Both Carter and I looked into it. She didn’t even finish high school. No diploma, nothing. Madeline wasn’t wrong about her-she really does only have a middle school education.”
He caught the thoughtful look on Kelly’s face and smirked.
“Kelly, don’t tell me you actually believed that woman-Wendy, or whatever her name is? Saying Sharon went to Bell University? I had someone ask around the whole music department. Not one person has ever heard of her. Sharon just didn’t want to embarrass herself in public, so she made it up.”
Kelly murmured, “Still… she does have some skill.”
The average person might not be able to tell. But Kelly wasn’t average-she could tell.
Nate dismissed the idea with a wave of his hand.
“So she played well once. Big deal. You’ve had moments where you were in top form too, haven’t you?
“Besides, her mom was Shayla McKinzie-the famous violinist. Just growing up around that, of course, she’d pick up something. It’s not exactly shocking that she can play.”
He raised an eyebrow. “And maybe she found out Carter likes to listen to the violin and secretly practiced like crazy. Who knows how long she’s been preparing? At the end of the day, it’s all to get Carter’s attention. Same with the whole divorce thing.”
Nate laid it all out like it was obvious.
“She thinks leaving him will make Carter cave. But he’s not falling for that. Just wait. She’ll be the one crawling back in tears, begging him to take her back.”
Kelly’s tightly drawn expression eased a little.
He was right. She’d had her moments of brilliance too.
She’d also asked around through friends in the music world-none of them had heard of Sharon either.
Maybe, just like Nate said, Sharon had been practicing in secret all along.
