Chapter 162
Stella turned her head and spotted Keen, Haynes, and Rachel standing not too
far off, with Jasper Wilkinson tagging along. He was carrying violins that belonged to Rachel and Keen.
Rachel looked up in surprise at Haynes. “Haynie, is it true Ms. Cameron can play the violin too? How come you and Keen never mentioned it?”
Jasper chuckled dismissively. “Oh please, she’s just copying Rachel. Probably saw how gorgeous Rachel looks when she plays and thought she could pull it off too. Let’s be real – Rachel was the golden girl of Neo-Vespera’s music program. No amount of practice will ever get Cameron to even 10% of Rachel’s level. And we all know the only reason Haynie noticed her in the first place was because she was doing her best Rachel impression…”
Rachel quickly interrupted, “That’s enough, Jasper. Keen is right here, don’t go on.”
Jasper huffed but kept quiet.
Keen’s eyes were red with jealousy as he watched his mom, dressed to the nines, standing next to Marvin. “No matter how much you copy Rachel, you’ll never be as good as her!” he blurted out.
A deep, magnetic voice emerged from behind the group. “Young man, you’ve got your dad’s eyesight-it needs some work.”
A tall, handsome man walked over, his lips curling into an easy smile. His eyes sparkled like the surface of a moonlit lake, drawing everyone in.
“Where were you, Dad?” Marvin asked.
“Ran into an old friend, had a quick chat.”
Neville crouched next to Keen, chuckling softly. “Boy, don’t you think your mom is way prettier than Ms. Pearce?”
Stella had always been too busy taking care of Keen to worry about her appearance. Since he was born, she rarely wore dresses or makeup. She was a full-time mom, juggling school runs, meals, and Keen’s special dietary needs, which included hours of brewing health tonics.
But today was different.
Stella had taken extra care with her appearance-her hair swept into an elegant updo, her makeup immaculate. The white dress she wore hugged her curves with effortless grace, its delicate fabric catching the light with every movement. And her skin-pale as fresh snowfall-seemed to glow.
Coincidentally, both Stella and Rachel wore white dresses that day. Rachel, with her delicate features and petite frame, exuded a gentle, almost fragile beauty that naturally evoked a sense of protection in others.
Rachel’s dress was a custom creation by Haynes for the performance, complementing her looks and figure perfectly. She knew how to play to her
strengths, opting for a soft, understated style.
However, standing next to Stella, Rachel seemed a bit overshadowed, particularly since they both wore white. The contrast was stark.
Hearing Neville’s comment, Rachel’s face turned an embarrassed shade of pink. She bit her lip, tears welling up in her eyes, looking like a damsel in distress.
Jasper, seeing her upset, felt his temper flare.