Chereads / The Villainess Wins / Chapter 31 - Chapter 30

Chapter 31 - Chapter 30

"… Action!"

Veronica caressed the ivory keys in front of her. 

Music had always been a form of respite for her. Though it started as a mandatory part of her education and a part of her was resentful for having one class after another as preparation to be the heiress of the family. But she knew this was part of her duty as a member of their family so she did them to the best of her ability.

But her music teacher was a woman who loved the art and she showed Veronica how to love it as well. She had shown Veronica how music can be an outlet of her emotions. 

And Veronica sorely needed a way to vent. Being someone on top of the hierarchy, she knew, even as a child, that any sign of weakness will be used to bring her down. There were a million piranhas circling their family at any given time and any sign of blood and they will pounce and tear her family to shreds.

And she will never be that weakness. She held her feelings close to her chest and not even her closest friends knew exactly what she felt.

But feelings were never supposed to be kept inside you for too long. If left to fester it could come out at inopportune times.

Music was a way for her to let it all out and now she sought it counsel once again.

A month ago, her father had nonchalantly announced at dinner that he planned to divorce her mother and that he will be making an honest woman out of his mistress and he planned to introduce his eldest daughter to society as well. A daughter 5 months older than Veronica.

Her mother had been livid and refused to leave the house even until her father brought his other woman and daughter home.

Elizabeth Dunphy.

She hated that woman and her mother with a passion.

In disgust her mother left their home and returned to her maternal family, but she insisted for Veronica to stay. 

"You are the legal daughter and you need to fight for what is yours, Veronica." Her mother whispered to her as she left.

Now, what was previously a home, a place of refuge and respite became a distasteful place, a battleground she had to face every time she woke up.

She took a deep breath and let her hand flow through the ivory keys.

The first notes were haunting and for once, in the private confines of this room she let the burden bow her back.

She let the anguish of seeing her once happy family break in front of her eyes, flow through the notes. She let her despair of losing everything; her father, the company and her place in society. Her fear of the new daughter replacing her and now she was lost and adrift.

She let those emotions come to the surface and fill her, then she let those out through the ivory keys.

It reached a first crescendo and she let the anger seep out.

Anger at her father, for putting them through all this. An irresponsible man who had played all of them in the palm of his hands.

She let it all out.

She took a breath and let herself flow through the notes.

She let herself remember happier times and what ifs.

She went through the softer notes, the false end of the nocturne.

She wished to end it with a peace of mind.

It was then that she looked up and looked outside the window and she saw them. Her sister with Veronica's very own fiancé in an embrace.

The notes became erratic under her fingers, the anger and despair seemed more pronounced.

She kept playing as she watched them. Her fingers dancing over the keys on autopilot. There would be no calm now.

As she ended the song she hurriedly stood up and got closer to the window.

And there was her half-sister smiling up to her fiancé all fragile and vulnerable. When that man cupped her face, Veronica's control slipped and she fisted the curtains in her hands.

She gritted her teeth and slowly let go of the fabric. If she wanted to steal what was Veronica's then Veronica would make sure she suffered.

She sneered at the two outside and turned to leave the room.

---

"... Action!"

The screen showed a close-up of the actress, then to her hands as they caressed the keys. They shifted back to camera 1 and focused back to her face. Her jaw was clenched and she sat with so much tension you could feel it even through the camera.

Nathan leaned closer to the screen. 

The first few notes rang from the grand piano and Nathan frowned. That was not the musical piece the previous actress played and which they've incorporated into the script.

"I'm pretty sure that's a different piece, boss." Nathan recognized his sound engineer from his voice.

"It's an audition, everyone kindly focus!" He hissed into his mic.

The first notes were light and haunting. Then the pressure of despair started to burst forth from the notes. The woman on screen slowly bent her back as if to show the amount of pressure and despair she was in.

The anguish seemed to build up with every note. There was a sense of desolation from the piece.

Then there was the first crescendo and then they felt a burning anger.

The notes turned lighter again as if exhaling that anger and the despair remained.

There was so much loneliness in the music that Nathan felt his the hair on her arms standing on end.

Then the song seemed to fade. And she looked out to the window and the camera directed at her changed.

That's when Nathan realized that as she played the weight in her posture seemed to have lightened and she sat a bit straighter as the final eerie notes sounded, she looked more accepting and more at peace. But whatever she saw out that window has ignited an anger in her.

Then while looking out, she continued to play before the sound of that last note faded out. This time it was far less smooth and more erratic.

There was a bite of anger once again with the notes. It felt like another person was playing. It was just now raw emotion.

What Nathan supposed was meant to be a smooth ending and meant to be as haunting as it started, it now became abrupt and frantic. 

She stood up and unlike the elegant way she took a seat before this time the chair made a protesting noise as it moved back by her sudden standing.

She made her way to the window and it was as if she was looking at people below. Her eyes now filled with derision and anger. Her hand was now clutching the curtains. A moment passed and her entire body was so taut it felt like she was going to break at any second. Another moment passed and it was as if she regained control of her emotions.

She let go of the curtains and gave the people outside a scathing look. She then turned and walked out of the room.

"Cut!"