“Mel, don’t you like Barbie dolls either?” Harold looked troubled as he frowned. Guessing Melody’s
thoughts was even harder than solving a mathematics question. He sighed. “Let’s sneak out and play.
We can’t let Dad find out.” Melody obediently went downstairs with him. Harold held her hand and
passed by the bottom of the stairs. Just as they took a few steps, Melody stopped moving. Compared
with playing the slides, she preferred playing the piano. Mr. Albert had given her new homework
yesterday, and she had yet to practice.
Therefore, the little girl swung Harold’s hand away and sat in front of the piano. The elegant sound of
the piano echoed. Harold’s eyes lit up. “Wow! Mel, you can play the piano. It sounds awesome! I’ve
never heard such a melodious song.” The sound of the piano finally broke the awkwardness in the
living room.
Duke turned around.
A girl in a pink dress was sitting at the piano next to the staircase. She sat up straight, and her long, fair
fingers pressed the piano keys. She played a happy nursery rhyme, which delighted those who listened
to it. Duke was slightly surprised. Melody was just four years old, but her piano skills were actually
great. She had to be very gifted in music. Just as he was about to say something to Adina, she
suddenly got up and walked over. “Mel, you played the wrong key just now.” Adina stood beside the
piano and guided Melody patiently. Melody tilted her head and listened to Adina’s suggestion seriously
before she played again. “It’s weird.” Adina frowned. “The tune’s accurate, but it feels wrong. Follow
me, Mel.”
She then sat on the other end of the long bench. The two of them played the piano together as if
nobody else was there.
Harold did not like music. Whenever Dew played piano, he would find it noisy.
Yet, at that moment, he felt as if the song had magic. He was intoxicated and relaxed.
Duke looked at Adina’s back.
He found her posture of playing the piano familiar for some reason. He once again recalled his memory
of meeting the girl in Sea City High School many years ago. Why did he find the view of Adina’s back
similar to that teen girl’s?
Perhaps his stare was too intense, because Adina could feel someone staring at her from the back
She suddenly stopped playing, and the music instantly stopped. Melody turned to the side, and her
eyes were filled with confusion. “You better ask your teacher when we go back at night. I don’t
understand what’s wrong either.”
Adina stood up and acted nonchalantly as she turned around. Coincidentally, she met Duke’s dark,
profound, and curious gaze. Why was this man staring at her like that? Adina’s heart pounded quickly
all of a sudden. She pursed her lips before she calmed down and said, “It’s getting late now. I’ll go and
cook some pasta for Harold.”
She turned around and went to the kitchen. Duke looked down.
He did not know why, but this woman was clearly avoiding him. He pursed his lips, got up, and went to
his study upstairs. He also had a few questions about Project A-F to ask her. Only Harold and Melody
were left in the living room. Melody was stubborn. She insisted on understanding things that she was
not clear about, so she kept playing the same song again and again. Outside the villa…
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