Ch. 881..890
Always Been Yours Chapter 881
You Should Go Back
Nicholas pulled Tessa toward the sofa. “I haven’t had a chance to hold you yet. No one is bothering us now, so I can finally take a good look at you.”
Then, he held Tessa and made her sit on his lap.
Feeling the softness in his arms, he felt that his heart, which had been empty all this time, was instantly filled.
He gently stroked Tessa’s belly, and his expression was gentle.
“How are you and the child lately?”
“We’re fine.”
There was a happy smile in Tessa’s eyes, and she snuggled in Nicholas’ arms obediently.
Meanwhile, he nodded and continued to hold her quietly.
The sun shone in from the outside and onto the two of them, making the scene indescribably warm and beautiful just like an oil painting.
After a while, the two got tired of it.
Tessa turned around, gripped Nicholas’ neck affectionately, and asked, “How long will you be staying here this time?”
“I can spend time with you until the end of the New Year, and then I will stay for a while longer.”
Nicholas raised his eyes and looked back at Tessa with a very peaceful expression.
Tessa’s eyes lit up at once. “There is still more than half a month until the New Year, so you can stay here during this time, right?”
She looked at Nicholas in delight.
Nicholas nodded lightly, tidied her hair scattered on her cheeks, and asked with a smile, “Are you happy?”
“Yes!” Tessa nodded vigorously.
This was her first time spending the New Year with Nicholas, and it was very meaningful to her.
However, she only felt thrilled for a moment before she became worried again. “Did your parents agree to you staying here for the New Year? Will they be unhappy?”
Seeing his wife’s worried expression, Nicholas couldn’t help but want to tease her.
“I want to accompany you here for the New Year. Whether they agree or not will not affect my decision.”
Hearing this, Tessa was anxious.
Of course, she hoped Nicholas could accompany her for the New Year, but she didn’t want to make his family unhappy because of her.
In the end, she reluctantly gave up the idea of celebrating the New Year with Nicholas and persuaded him, “You should go back to celebrate the New Year instead.”
Nicholas couldn’t help laughing when he saw that she was obviously very reluctant to part with him, but she pretended not to mind as she tried to persuade him.
Hearing the man’s deep and pleasant laughter, Tessa turned her head to look at him, puzzled.
“Why are you laughing?”
“You dummy—I was just teasing you.”
Nicholas hugged Tessa, his voice indescribably doting as he said, “Don’t worry. I’ve already told my parents about it, and they don’t mind.”
Tessa was taken aback for a moment, and she immediately stared at him in annoyance.
“Gregory is right! You’re too evil for teasing me about such things.”
She angrily hammered his chest.
Meanwhile, Nicholas let her hit him while he continued to laugh.
The two laughed for a while before Nicholas hugged Tessa again. He rubbed her neck gently with his chin and said warmly, “This time, I want to accompany you and watch our child grow up slowly.”
He had missed out once when Tessa was pregnant with Gregory, and this time, he didn’t want to miss anything again.
Naturally, Tessa knew nothing of this.
As she listened to the man’s words, she felt that her heart was blossoming with happiness.
“With you by my side, the baby will be very happy.” She snuggled into Nicholas’ arms and spoke softly.
When Nicholas heard this, his expression was extremely tender. “I will witness every moment of the baby’s growth with you.”
Tessa nodded lightly, feeling extremely joyful today.
…
The next day, Tessa got up early because she had to attend orchestra practice. After washing up, she and Nicholas went downstairs holding hands.
In the living room, Timothy and Gregory were already up.
“Good morning, Mommy and Daddy.”
When Gregory saw his parents, he greeted them in a soft voice.
Then, as if offering a treasure, he trotted to Tessa’s side and said excitedly, “Mommy, do you think my clothes look good? Uncle Timothy bought them for me.”
Always Been Yours Chapter 882
Don’t Let People Carp You
Tessa’s eyes filled with adoration at the sight of the little guy’s delight, and she nodded while praising, “It does look cute, but I still think you’re the cutest.”
Hearing so, Gregory smiled even brighter.
At that, the family of four went to the dining room merrily.
Right after breakfast, Tessa got ready to take Gregory to the orchestra.
“I’ll drive you and Gregory over,” offered Nicholas as he took Tessa’s violin case from her.
To that, Tessa smiled and accepted his offer.
PlayvolumeAdMeanwhile, Timothy tagged along as he wanted to check out his dear sister’s new orchestra.
Other than that, he also planned on following his brother-in-law to Sawyer Group’s sub-company to deal with work after dropping Tessa off.
While they were on the road, Gregory recounted the interesting events he experienced in the orchestra with great enthusiasm, and cheerful laughter could be heard coming from inside the car every now and then.
They arrived at the orchestra in no time, but Tessa and Gregory unexpectedly ran into Sofia as soon as they got out of the car.
“Miss Sofia,” Tessa and Gregory greeted.
Sofia nodded with a smile when she saw the two.
Then, she noticed the two men standing next to Tessa. She could tell they were certainly no average Joe and couldn’t help asking, “These two gentlemen are…”
“This is my husband, and this is my brother,” Tessa introduced at once, smiling blissfully.
While Tessa was introducing the two, Nicholas sized this new teacher up subtly before he went up and thanked her courteously, “Hello. Thank you for looking after Tessa and Gregory.”
Sofia nodded subtly as she looked at the gentlemen in front of her, having a great impression of Nicholas in their first encounter.
“You’re really good at picking out a husband for yourself.” She turned her head to Tessa and praised, causing the other woman to smile bashfully. “He really is great.”
Sofia nodded in agreement.
Seeing so, Timothy went up and greeted Sofia as well.
After a few exchanges of pleasantries, Tessa had Nicholas and Timothy head back while she and Gregory followed Sofia into the orchestra and began training for the day.
Time would always fly by when one got busy, and in the blink of an eye, the day had come to an end just like that.
Inside the practice room, Tessa was packing up and getting ready to leave after a day of practice when Sofia knocked on the door and entered.
“Miss Sofia,” Gregory greeted at once.
Sofia nodded in reply before shifting her gaze to Tessa, who then asked, “Is there something I can help you with, Miss Sofia?”
“I have something to tell you.” Sofia nodded and proceeded to explain her purpose for coming. “It’s almost Christmas, and we’ll be having a Christmas concert. By then, all of Group Five and Group Six will attend the concert. I plan on officially introducing you during the event. What do you say?” she asked.
“I’m good with that.” Tessa nodded after listening, thinking it wasn’t a big deal. She then asked, “What piece do you think I should perform during the concert?”
At that, Sofia pondered for a moment. “Haven’t you been learning to compose with Simon? I think you can try performing your own piece.”
“My own piece?” Sofia’s suggestion stumped Tessa for a split second before she felt somewhat bashful. “I don’t have any pieces that are performance-worthy yet, and I’ll only be embarrassing myself.”
“Don’t underestimate yourself. Simon told me that you’ve made immense progress lately.” Sofia tried to comfort her beloved, insecure protégé. “Besides, this isn’t a formal concert. It’ll just be all of us from the orchestra. Also, don’t you want to see how far you’ve come?”
Tessa thought Sofia was right. It was just a concert among their own people anyway, and it was a good time to see how much she had progressed.
“Of course, even if it’s just a concert for ourselves, I still expect you to be at your very best,” said Sofia upon seeing that Tessa had come around. “Don’t let people carp at you. Got it?”
Always Been Yours Chapter 883
It’s Thanks to That B*tch She’s Like This
“I got it.” Tessa nodded as the determination toward this challenge surged within her.
She would also like to find out how well she could do if she went all out after studying for so long.
Following that, Sofia gave Tessa a few more admonishes before letting the mother and son leave.
Outside, Nicholas had long been waiting by the street, and his model-looking appearance caught the attention of many passersby.
However, none dared to approach him due to the aloofness he exuded.
“Daddy!” Gregory waved his tiny hand merrily upon seeing his father.
Likewise, Tessa beamed when she saw the tall, handsome gentleman standing not far from her, and she couldn’t help quickening her pace while taking Gregory with her.
“How were things at work today?” she asked during their journey home.
“Pretty good.” Nicholas briefly told her about the situation in the company and changed the topic. “How was practice today? Are you tired?”
“No.” Tessa shook her head. Then, she remembered about the upcoming concert and thought she should share it with Nicholas. “Miss Sofia hopes that I can compose a piece to perform during the concert. I might not be able to spend a lot of time with you for a while.”
“No worries. What matters is that you’re by my side.” Nicholas held her hand, unbothered by it. However, he had his concerns. “Will you be able to handle the stress? I mean, you have practice during the day, and now you have to work on your piece after going home.”
Tessa shook her head and said with a smile, “Don’t worry. I know what I’m doing.”
Simultaneously, Susan found out about the Christmas concert during the team meeting.
“Although this concert is just between us, I hope everyone can treat it seriously. After all, this would be Group Six’s first performance ever since its formation.”
While Kellen relayed his expectations for the concert in front of everyone, Susan’s thoughts had already drifted far away.
She thought this was a good opportunity for her to show herself and let the whole orchestra see what she was made of during the upcoming concert.
Though the notion was good, she did not forget her biggest problem at the moment.
She kept Sofia’s remark toward her in mind, so she had been adjusting her performance style lately. However, the results were less than promising, and it troubled her to no end.
“Perhaps I should find an instructor,” Susan mused as her brows locked into a tight furrow. “Who should I look for, though?”
Now, she was just an average musician. With no connections, it would be nearly impossible for her to ask a notable instructor to teach her or even receive their help.
Also, she now realized the advantages of being under Hathaway’s wings.
Susan was given ample opportunities due to the woman’s connections, and she never had to worry about something like this.
Should I return to Hathaway?
Though it was inchoate, she overturned the thought at once.
Her new identity aside, the possibility of seeing Hathaway already posed itself to be a problem. More importantly, she didn’t want that woman to know she was still alive.
That woman is so partial toward Tessa; if she finds out that I’m still alive, the other woman will learn about it too. How will I carry out my vengeance by then?!
That night, Rorion noticed Susan was in a foul mood as soon as she returned home.
“What’s wrong, sugar? Why do you look so down? Has someone in the orchestra bullied you?”
“It’s not that. I’m troubled by something else.” Susan shook her head and slumped onto the couch irritably.
Seeing so, the man instantly went up to her. “What’s troubling you? Why don’t you tell me? Maybe I can help.”
“I’m just an average musician now. I can’t even get a good instructor without any connections.”
Susan’s tone grew exasperated at the mention of the topic, and she loathed Tessa even more so.
It was all thanks to that b*tch that she ended up in this situation.
Always Been Yours Chapter 884
Birthday Party
“That’s it? I’ll find you one,” said Rorion, reflexively comforting his angry daughter.
“You? Who are you going to look for? Hathaway?” Susan looked skeptically at her father. He was a mere businessman, and he barely knew any musicians.
To that, Rorion nodded in affirmation. “That’s right, we’ll go to her. She knows so many notable maestros anyway. Since she can be of help, it’ll be a waste not to use her.”
“No way!” Susan rejected the idea at once. “I don’t want her to know that I’m still alive!”
“Relax, I won’t do anything you don’t want to. We’ll find a way to have you appear before her without blowing your cover,” Rorion cajoled his daughter, leading her to sway.
After all, why look far and wide when there was a shortcut right in front of her?
PlayvolumeAd“What do you have in mind, Daddy?”
“My birthday is in two days, isn’t it? I’ll send your mom an invitation. Then, I’ll hire some musicians to perform at the party, and you can join them. We’ll let everyone see your outstanding performance. With how much your mother cherishes talent, she’ll definitely notice you.”
It was only then Susan remembered her father was indeed having his birthday party in two days, and her mood instantly lifted. After all, the plan did seem doable.
“What would I do without you, Daddy?”
Rorion held his birthday party in one of Vienna’s five-star hotels two days later.
Many guests had already arrived at the resplendent hall at this point, and everyone enjoyed themselves amidst the clinking of champagne flutes.
Meanwhile, Rorion had his gaze on the entrance as he entertained his guests, for Hathaway had yet to show up even though the party was about to begin.
Is this woman not going to show up? He furrowed his brows, displeased. If she’s not coming, I’d have planned all of this for nothing!
Just as he was wondering if he should contact Hathaway, someone came through the door—it was none other than the woman herself.
However, he frowned upon seeing the gaunt woman approaching his direction, for she was a totally different person from the ever noble and elegant woman in his memories.
Meanwhile, everyone who saw Hathaway was stumped by her presence.
“What is Hathaway doing here?”
“Strange, isn’t she at odds with Rorion? To think she’d attend his birthday party.”
“Say, don’t you guys think Hathaway’s condition lately is less-than-stellar?”
“She might still be dwelling on the loss of her daughter.”
Though all of them were whispering, many gossiped as well. Hathaway inadvertently caught a word or two, and when she heard someone mentioning Kathleen, her gaze dimmed while haunting sadness surged beneath her eyes.
But very quickly, she pulled herself together and walked up to Rorion.
“Happy birthday,” she said as she handed him a present.
She had come because she felt guilt-ridden, or at least she believed so. After all, she hadn’t done what a mother should have before Kathleen’s passing. On the contrary, Rorion did everything in his power for their girl, and it touched her. As such, she no longer felt much hatred for the man.
Rorion, on the other hand, didn’t embarrass her and accepted her gift.
Instead, it was the guests who were rendered flabbergasted as they all knew the former couple was like fire and water. They would surely start fighting after barely a few words, but now, it was rare to see the two behave this calmly.
Rorion and Hathaway naturally sensed the surrounding gazes, but they didn’t care, only going their separate ways after a nod.
The party officially began in a short while, and the emcee had Rorion come up to the stage to give a speech after livening up the atmosphere. “Thank you all for taking time off your busy schedule to come to my party. I’ve invited a few musicians to open the party with a performance, and I hope all of you will have a wonderful night.”
Always Been Yours Chapter 885
Take You in as Her Protégé
At that, Rorion welcomed the musicians up to the stage. Of course, Susan was part of the ensemble as well.
She immediately caught sight of Hathaway standing among the crowd, but what she saw stumped her for a moment, and her gaze turned somewhat complicated; Hathaway now looked bony and gaunt, and she almost couldn’t recognize the woman she once called her mother.
However, she suppressed the peculiar feeling in two shakes and dove into her performance.
Many noticed Susan mainly because she looked as stunning as a doll, and she stood out from the rest of the musicians. However, Hathaway noticed her because her music style was remarkably similar to Kathleen’s, so much so that she had the misperception that it was Kathleen onstage.
“Kathleen…” she mumbled her daughter’s name repeatedly while looking at Susan with shock.
As the music came to an end, the crowd applauded.
On stage, Susan looked subtly toward Hathaway as she bowed along with the other musicians. When she found her so-called mother looking at her with shock, she knew she and her father had won half the battle, and she went off stage with satisfaction.
By the time Hathaway came to herself, Susan was long gone from the stage, and she immediately searched for Rorion. That young woman on stage looked too much like their daughter.
A hint of glimmer flashed across Rorion’s eyes when Hathaway blocked his path. “What are you doing, Hathaway?”
“The musicians you invited just now—where are they from?” Emotion stirred beneath Hathaway’s eyes as she looked at her ex-husband.
Seeing the fish had taken the bait, he explained, “I’m not sure. A friend recommended them to me, saying they could liven up the party. I didn’t think it was necessary to invite a professional ensemble, but I couldn’t turn my friend’s goodwill down.”
He purposefully rambled before asking, “Why do you ask?”
“I…” Hathaway didn’t know how to answer him, so she just evaded it. “I noticed a really beautiful young lady among them. Do you know who she is? Can you introduce her to me?”
“A really beautiful young lady… Are you talking about Susan?”
“I don’t know her name, but she’s the one right in the middle. Can you introduce her to me?”
“It’s Susan, then. Why do you want to talk to her, though? She’s just a fresh graduate.” Rorion looked quizzically at Hathaway, who pursed her lips. “You don’t know much about music, but this young woman’s music style is very much like Kathleen’s. If she’s only a fresh graduate as you say, then she must be incredibly talented.”
“Do you want to take her in as your protégé?” Rorion played dumb, pretending to read her thoughts.
Hathaway didn’t refute his assumption. “Someone as talented as her should receive professional guidance.”
Elation surged within Rorion upon hearing so, but he pretended to be at a crossroads on the surface. “I’m not familiar with that girl myself. Tell you what, I’ll ask her about it. I’ll refer you to her if she’s up for it.”
“Sure, I’ll wait for your news.” Hathaway nodded and watched Rorion leave. But deep down, she was ruffled; she hadn’t just taken an interest in the young woman’s incredible talent. In fact, what she valued most was that she shared the same music style as Kathleen.
She had a feeling that the heavens must’ve brought Kathleen to her in a different way after seeing that she had lost her daughter.
Meanwhile, Susan had been waiting in the lounge, and she didn’t need to wait for long before Rorion found a chance to excuse himself from his guests, coming to his daughter.
“How did it go, Daddy? Did she approach you?”
“She did. Our plan is working very well.” Rorion smirked. He briefly recounted his conversation with Hathaway and concluded, “She appreciates your talent and probably wants to take you in as her protégé.”
“She takes anyone she deems talented as her protégé.”
At that, Rorion couldn’t help speaking up for his ex-wife. “Apart from taking an interest in your talent, I think she wants to take you in as her protégé because your music style is the same as Kathleen’s. After all, your mom is very picky.”
Always Been Yours Chapter 886
Something’s Missing
Susan snorted but said nothing after that, clearly not wanting to continue the subject.
Rorion naturally noticed it as well. He sighed under his breath and said no more, only taking Susan to Hathaway after some time had passed.
It had come time for the father and daughter to act in front of Hathaway.
“Hathaway, this is the young lady you’re looking for, Susan.” Rorion gestured to Susan.
Hathaway sized the young woman up and thought she looked even more stunning up close—she looked delicate and seemingly amiable.
While thinking, Hathaway nodded with approval in her head, having a pretty good first impression of Susan.
Then, Rorion gestured to Hathaway. “Susan, this is the famous violinist I was telling you about, Miss Hathaway of Hathaway Philharmonic,” he said.
“Hello, Miss Hathaway,” Susan greeted sweetly with top-notch acting.
Hathaway dipped her head in reply and asked, “Which conservatoire did you graduate from? Do you have a mentor?”
“I graduated from Vienna Conservatory, and I don’t have a mentor for now.” Susan relayed her newly-written background history.
Meanwhile, Rorion stood silently aside.
Of course, he wasn’t quite comfortable leaving Susan alone with Hathaway.
However, the latter knew none of it and diverted their topic to Susan’s earlier performance.
“I was watching your performance just now and noticed how similar your style is to my daughter’s. Were you a fan of Kathleen?”
“Indeed, I really liked Kathleen. I idolized her so much that I even copied her style.” Susan pretended to fangirl and sighed pitifully. “What a shame, though.”
In actuality, she deliberately said so to stir Hathaway’s mood, and the woman was indeed affected. However, she didn’t let it show.
She took a deep breath to suppress her somewhat ruffled emotions and went straight to the point. “Miss Susan, I can see that you’re very talented. Would you like to join my ensemble? I can personally guide you by then.”
“Well…” Susan pretended to be at a crossroads.
“What’s wrong? Is there a problem?” Hathaway looked at her with bewilderment.
“Not exactly. It’s just that I might have to disappoint you. You see, I’m currently in Sophia Symphony,” answered Susan with a half-hearted smile, which Hathaway didn’t notice because of her disappointment.
However, she could understand Susan’s choice.
After all, Hathaway Philharmonic was still a league below Sofia Symphony.
“Don’t worry about it. Being in Sofia Symphony will be even better for your career development.”
Susan nodded sweetly, then actively asked Hathaway some questions about music.
Hathaway adored a studious junior, and she answered all the questions with patience.
As time passed, the two got familiar.
“Miss Hathaway, can I come to you for any more questions I have after tonight?” Susan asked, thinking it was about the right time.
“Of course.” Hathaway was more than happy to do so, and she spoke with a soft gaze. “Feel free to come to me about anything you’re not sure of.”
“Awesome!” Susan feigned delight and praised against her will. “You’re very kind, Miss Hathaway.”
The two chatted for quite some time that night, and by the end of the party, they even exchanged their contact information.
After putting her phone away, Susan bid Hathaway goodbye sweetly.
Hathaway watched her walk off, and it wasn’t until Susan had gone far away that she retrieved her gaze. The smile on her face faded away as well, and dejection crept up to her countenance.
Meanwhile, ever since promising Sofia that she would take part in the Christmas concert, Tessa became super busy.
After practicing in the orchestra during the day, she would return home to compose her piece in the study while referring to some materials.
Tessa held herself to high standards, and she still couldn’t come up with a piece that she was happy with even a few days later. She couldn’t shake off the feeling that something was missing from the piece.
Always Been Yours Chapter 887
Desperate
"Just what the heck is missing?” Tessa stared at her manuscript, baffled.
She didn't think there was any problem with the allegro melody at the beginning, or the trill to lento at the end. Even so, she trusted her musicality more. After all, she had an acute sense of musicality. If she thought something wasn't right, there was definitely something she had overlooked or was unaware of.
Because of this, the time she spent in the study would drag longer by the day.
Fortunately, Nicholas would punctually enter the study every night to urge her to bed.
However, Tessa only grew more irritable as the concert date drew closer, for she still didn't have a piece she could present.
Of course, these changes didn't go unnoticed by Nicholas and Timothy, and they were naturally distressed by it.
That night, Timothy locked his brows into a deep furrow when he saw his sister locking herself in the study again right after dinner.
"Nicholas, are you not going to do something about this? If Tess keeps this up, she'll get sick eventually." He fixed his gaze at his brother-in-law sitting across from him, displeased.
"Who said I’m not going to do anything?" Nicholas retorted plainly with an indifferent glance.
At midnight, Nicholas brought a glass of milk to the study. Before he could knock on the door, he heard Tessa's somewhat infuriating bellow. “Damn it! What the heck is the problem?!”
He pushed the door open gently to find a disarranged study; rejected sheet music and materials were strewn all over the floor, and his frustrated wife sat behind the large desk, grabbing her head with both hands.
At that, he walked over lightly and handed her the glass of milk while dissuading, "Don't force yourself if you can't figure out what's wrong."
"When did you come in, Nicholas?" Tessa looked up in surprise.
"I came in while you were pulling on your hair," he answered with a smile.
Tessa's face flushed crimson upon hearing so. Doesn't that mean he saw me freaking out?! Sh*t, my image is ruined!
Nicholas chuckled at the sight of his dear wife's constantly-changing expression and pulled her into his arms. "You're stunning to me no matter when," he cooed while riveting his gaze at her.
His words were like honey doused on her heart, making her feel loved. It even alleviated the frustration she had been feeling because of the piece.
"You're such a smooth-talker. Alright, enough talking. I still haven't gotten my piece down. You should go ahead and get to bed." She tried to leave Nicholas' embrace as she spoke, but the man had no intention of letting his wife go.
"What is it?” Tessa looked up at him quizzically.
"Let's call it a day and get some rest."
"But my piece—"
"I know you're anxious about getting your piece done. However, pushing yourself like this will only backfire." Nicholas cut her off and advised, "I think you should take some time off and relax. Tomorrow happens to be the weekend. Since you don't have to go to the orchestra, I’ll take you out for some fresh air. Who knows, you might get inspired by the end of the day."
Tessa hesitated for a moment but agreed in the end.
Nicholas wasn't wrong, for she had been pushing herself too much. It was time she took a breather.
Besides, she had been so preoccupied with work that she hadn't taken time off to spend with her family since they came.
Meanwhile, inside the suburb mansion, Rorion was chatting with Susan. "Aren't you in desperate need of an instructor? Why haven't you contacted Hathaway yet?"
"Can't you see, Daddy? Approaching her eagerly will only make me look desperate, and her impression of me will not improve. On the contrary, it will be different if I ignore her for a few days."
When it came to Hathaway, Susan knew her like the back of her hand.
"Alright, as long as you know what you're doing." Rorion nodded at that.
The following day, Susan gave Hathaway a call as soon as she stirred.
Always Been Yours Chapter 888
Finally Know What's Missing
"Miss Hathaway, do you happen to be free today? I have a dire issue I don’t know how to fix. Can you please help me with it?"
"Of course. How about this? Why don't we meet at a cafe?" With that, Hathaway told Susan the address before hanging up.
Half an hour later, the two arrived at their rendezvous point.
"I'm really sorry for bothering you on the weekend." Once again, Susan put on her acting cap and looked apologetically at Hathaway, who suspected nothing at all. In fact, she thought this young woman was well-bred. "No trouble at all. Have you had your breakfast?" she asked with a smile.
"Yes, I have."
After an exchange of pleasantries, Hathaway went straight to the point. "Well, what is it that you're having trouble with?”
"Here's the thing—my ensemble will be having a Christmas concert. I want to do my best on stage, but because my music style stands out too much, it doesn't blend well with the rest of the group, and this has affected my performance very much. I’ve been trying to do something about it lately, but the results are less than promising," Susan explained her issue. "Do you have any advice you can give me?"
"From what I saw during your last performance, your style is practically developed at this point. You'll need to put in a lot of effort if you want to readjust it." Hathaway looked at Susan with a frown.
"It's okay." Susan nodded. "As long as there's a way to change it, I'll do it no matter what it takes."
Hathaway ultimately agreed to help after seeing how determined the young woman was, coupled with her appreciation for talent. "Why don't you come over to my place? I'll need a better picture of your music style before I can present you with a specific plan."
Susan agreed and followed her out of the cafe.
After returning to the place she once called home, emotions stirred within Susan as she looked at the familiar setting.
When she followed Hathaway into the living room, she noticed it was now very different from how she remembered it to be. At the same time, nothing had changed.
Gradually, she realized what was up; what used to be hers was now gone from the living room, and the revelation left a bad taste in her mouth.
Hathaway, however, didn't notice the change in Susan’s mood. She sat on the couch and asked Susan to play the violin.
At that, the latter collected herself and began playing.
Very quickly, melodious music resounded through the living room, but Hathaway fell into a trance, for Susan's performance was identical to Kathleen's.
She fell into deep thought for a moment, and tears began pooling in her eyes.
A few minutes later, Susan finished her performance and felt truly pleased to see Hathway in tears.
She had deliberately pulled her old music style out. Judging from her missing belongings in the living room, she believed Hathaway had forgotten about her daughter named Kathleen. How could she allow Hathaway to forget about her?!
As the thought crossed her mind, she went up to Hathaway grimly and handed her a tissue. She then asked worriedly, "Are you okay, Miss Hathaway?"
After coming back to herself, Hathaway hurriedly wiped her tears away. "Sorry, your piece reminded me of my daughter."
On the other side of Vienna, Nicholas took Tessa out for a road trip while Timothy stayed to babysit Gregory after breakfast.
On the road, Tessa asked, "Where are we going?"
"Someone sent me an invitation to an art gallery a couple of days ago. Since it's also about art, I thought it might help you." Nicholas smiled at Tessa as he disclosed their destination.
Tessa was touched, for she knew Nicholas was trying to help her.
When the couple arrived, many were already silently admiring the artwork, if not whispering to one another.
The couple very quickly joined the rest, taking their time to admire the pieces on the wall.
The artworks were split into two exhibitions—scenery and portrait—and every piece of artwork was exquisite, conveying different stories from one another.
After a morning of looking around, Tessa was inspired by some of these artworks.
"I've figured out what's missing!" She looked toward Nicholas with joy and eagerly dragged him home.
At last, she finally came up with a piece that she was pleased with.
Always Been Yours Chapter 889
A Commendable Piece
"Guess what, guys? It's done!" Elated, Tessa took her manuscript and shared the news with her husband and brother.
Nicholas' gaze was filled with nothing but adoration as he looked at his beloved, elated wife.
Likewise, Timothy congratulated his sister with a smile. "It looks like you don't have to stress about it anymore."
Tessa smiled. "Do you guys want to hear it?"
Naturally, they said yes.
Melodious music very quickly resounded through the living room, and Nicholas and
Timothy were fascinated by it.
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Sometime later, Tessa brought her completed piece to Simon's.
As pleased as she was with it, she still wanted him to take a look at it.
"Mr. Simon, can you please take a look at this piece and tell me what you think about it?" Tessa handed her new piece to him.
"Let's see it." Simon put on his reading glasses and checked them out.
As time ticked by, Tessa turned from confident to nervous. Is there still something wrong with my piece?
Just as she was about to ask, Simon's praise traveled to her ears.
"It's pretty good. I'd give this piece a nine out of ten.” The man looked at Tessa with acknowledgment. "This one is far better than any of the others you have composed in the past. You still need to work hard even if you have reached the threshold, though."
Tessa was elated, for Simon had never given her such high praise.
"I’ll continue to do my best." She nodded with delight, leading Simon to smile. At that, he briefed her on the flaws of the piece.
Naturally, Tessa took his words seriously.
Later that night, Sofia came to Simon's place for dinner. "How well is Tessa doing while learning from you?" she asked while eating.
"You won't believe her improvement. She has already reached the point where she's able to compose." Simon praised Tessa with such generosity that shocked Sofia.
"Already?!"
"Absolutely. Let me show you what she brought over earlier." With that, he headed into his study and returned with the manuscript in two shakes. Take a look at this."
Sofia took the manuscript from him, becoming more amazed the more she read it.
Who'd have thought Tessa would grow so immensely in such a short time? This girl is far more talented than her six other seniors!
"Looks like I've made the right choice to take her under my wings. I wonder what other surprises she'll bring me next." Sofia put the manuscript down, very pleased with Tessa.
The following day, Tessa went to the orchestra for practice.
However, she hadn't practiced for long before Sofia walked up to her.
"How's your practice coming along? Are you facing any issues?" Sofia looked at Tessa with concern.
Tessa shook her head after greeting Sofia. "None at the moment."
Sofia nodded in acknowledgment, then changed the topic. "I went to Simon's for dinner last night, and he showed me the piece you've prepared for the concert. You've improved immensely. Keep up the good work."
After a split-second stump, Tessa beamed as this was very much her teacher's acknowledgment of her learning outcome.
Because of this, she was in seventh heaven the whole day.
When Tessa returned home, Nicholas smiled as well, seemingly infected by his beloved wife's delight.
"Did something good happen? Why are you smiling so brightly?" he asked, curious.
"Miss Sofia said the piece I composed yesterday was very good, and I should keep up the good work," she answered joyfully.
"She's right. That piece is indeed excellent." Nicholas smiled at Tessa, his raven eyes filled with pride.
Gregory echoed the sentiment with a nod. "You're awesome, Mommy."
Similarly, Timothy was happy for his sister.
Over the next few days, Tessa trained and practiced her piece diligently.
Always Been Yours Chapter 890
Merry Christmas
In the blink of an eye, it was already Christmas eve. After greeting the guests, Tessa got them to gather in the living room to discuss how they should spend Christmas. Since they were overseas, this year would be a meaningful celebration that should be planned well.
This is the first time we’d be spending the festive season together. Fingers crossed that it'd turn out amazing.
"Let's have the family lunch in advance, seeing that your concert will be held tomorrow night. That way, I can accompany you to the concert," Nicholas suggested as he held on to Tessa’s hand.
"Sounds like a good plan." Tessa nodded. Both Timothy and Gregory had no objections to the arrangements.
The next morning, Tessa woke up early as she planned to personally prepare the family lunch.
Just when she was about to get out of bed, Nicholas grabbed her waist and pulled her into his arms before greeting her in a deep voice, "Merry Christmas."
"Merry Christmas." Tessa looked up and smiled at him.
Both of them cuddled for a while before washing up. At the same time, Timothy and Gregory were already up and hanging out in the living room. Both of them beamed from ear to ear when they saw Tessa and Nicholas coming down.
"Tessa, Nicholas, Merry Christmas."
"Daddy, Mommy, Merry Christmas."
"Merry Christmas," Tessa replied with a smile. Nicholas, who was in a good mood, was all smiles too.
Just then, the cheeky Timothy stretched his hands out. "Tessa, where's my gift?"
"You're asking for presents from me even though you're already an adult?" Tessa teased him with a smile on her face.
"Even if I'm an old man next time, I’ll still ask for presents from you since you're the best sister in the whole wide world," Timothy responded confidently.
Seeing that, Gregory went over and looked at Tessa, "Mommy, do I get presents too?"
Tessa smiled when she saw how adorable he was. "Yes, all of you will get presents, but before that, you’ll have to complete the task that I assign to you."
At noon, she had prepared a feast with the help of the chef, and the dining room was filled with the aroma of the dishes.
"Lunch is ready," she called out happily and invited everyone over for lunch when the last dish was served.
Everyone immediately stopped what they were doing and headed to the dining room. The manor had a festive feel as the Christmas decorations had been put up.
"It smells so good." Nicholas smiled when he smelled the aroma after walking into the dining room.
"Mommy, what have you cooked for us?" Gregory dashed over toward her and asked with anticipation.
"A lot of yummy dishes. Would you like to try them?" She bent over and lightly pinched the tip of his nose.
"Yes, I'd love to." He nodded.
"Let's start eating after you give Grandpa and Grandma a call to wish them Merry Christmas, alright?" She told him patiently. "You have been spending Christmas with your grandparents every year, but now that we are overseas, they will miss you a lot.
You've promised to be a good boy, am I right?"
"Mommy's right. I want to be a good boy. I will give them a call right away." He immediately turned around and went to get the phone.
Soon, Stefania received a phone call from Gregory and was elated. "Gregory, you're finally giving Grandma a call after you've been gone for so long."
"Grandma, don't be angry. I'll be giving you calls more often in the future."
Gregory humored them before wishing them, "Merry Christmas, Grandma, Merry Christmas, Grandpa."
"Merry Christmas to you, Gregory." Both of them laughed as they watched him from the phone screen.
After chatting with Gregory for a while, they realized it was Tessa who had taught him to give them a call, and Tessa had earned some brownie points from them because of that.