A day had passed since they had returned from the tomb. After an hour-long conversation, Katrien had gone back to her villa. She hadn't come out since. Ronan knew that Katrien was struggling to accept certain facts.
He had shared everything he believed she needed to know. However, he was deliberately withholding certain details that could potentially affect her mental health. Katrien had Dissociative Identity Disorder, and even the slightest trigger could lead to severe mental instability. If that happened, he would have to confine her in her villa until she regained stability. The cause of this condition remained a mystery to him. He had witnessed her switch between different personalities multiple times, even during her debut. It had taken her a few episodes of feeling disconnected from her actions to realize her condition.
Ronan knew he had to choose the right time to disclose certain information, which was why he was keeping it from her for now.
Leaving Katrien in this state wasn't an option. Moreover, she had a performance scheduled for today. She was supposed to deliver the welcoming performance at the annual musical awards organized by the Musical Association of Princeton University. Ronan headed to her villa, which was just a few yards away from his own house in the same community.
Upon reaching her villa, he noticed that Katrien had already left. Ronan immediately tried to call Manager Quincy, who also served as Katrien's assistant. Quincy answered the call.
"Ms. Jon, this is Ronan. May I ask where Kat is?" Ronan inquired.
"Sir, Madam is at Mr. Edward's place. She is getting ready," Quincy replied.
"Is everything normal? I mean, she's not upset?" Ronan needed reassurance that Katrien was alright.
"No, sir, she is perfectly fine. Did something happen at the company? Should I inform her?" Quincy inquired.
"No, nothing major. She was upset with me last night. You all proceed with the preparations, and remember, don't leave her alone even if she insists," Ronan instructed before ending the call.
Katrien emerged from the dressing room, adorned in an Alexander McQueen black dress with satin trim, twist detailing, V-neck, rear zip fastening, sleeveless design, and slit detailing. She had pinned a small Saint Laurent oxidized silver metal orchid brooch to it. Her look was completed with black Saint Laurent Uptown crocodile-embossed pouch and black Gianvito Rossi Elle 85 tip heels. She wore a Gucci Flora 18k white gold necklace with diamonds around her neck, paired with Gucci white gold Flower and Double G earrings also adorned with diamonds. Her left wrist featured a Gucci Icon 18k white gold bracelet, while her right wrist sported the Plume de Chanel jewelry watch engraved with a feather motif in 18K white gold and diamonds. She finished her look with the fragrance of Miss Dior Eau de Toilette. Her makeup, done by Edward, a renowned artist from City J, transformed her into a living work of art.
Although it was an award ceremony organized by Princeton University, the venue was the Grandeur Auditorium.
The ceremony began, and when Katrien took the stage, she shone like a diva, despite her usual black attire. She mesmerized every soul in the auditorium with her newly composed piano ballet, "The Blossom," which lasted for 15 minutes and was a melancholic piece in A minor.
The spell cast by this angelic performance lingered in the hearts of the audience until the ceremony's conclusion, which was roughly four hours later. They couldn't shake the emotions stirred by her music. Her performance had taken them on an emotional roller coaster, leaving everyone reminiscing about their special moments with their loved ones.
After the ceremony ended, the organizers invited Katrien to stay for the after-party, even though they were aware she rarely attended such events.
To everyone's surprise, Katrien agreed to attend the after-party. Quincy couldn't fathom why she had agreed, and neither could the others.
The organizers led her to the party hall, set up at the Azure Dune, one of the most luxurious hotels in City J.