From Ashes of Scandal to His Embrace (Laurinda) novel Chapter 172

Laurinda and York spent the whole afternoon holed up in the study, only coming out when dinner was ready.

As Laurinda stepped into the living room, she saw the butler setting out tea, snacks, and all sorts of fresh fruit.

“Are we expecting guests?” she asked, a little confused by all the fuss. They hardly ever had visitors.

The butler shook his head. “No guests, Laurinda. Jasper called earlier. He said his piano performance is being live-streamed tonight and asked us to watch. I thought I’d set up some treats for you to enjoy while you watch.”

“Oh? Jasper’s already got a performance lined up? That’s impressive. His last competition went viral online. With all that buzz, he could debut anytime he wanted.”

Laurinda smiled, genuinely happy for him.

“Well, that’s up to him,” York replied. “If he wants, we can set up an entertainment company so he can debut whenever he likes.”

They started chatting excitedly about Jasper’s future. Only the butler seemed a little downcast. Laurinda noticed and turned to him. “Is something wrong? You don’t look very happy.”

The butler sighed. “I just feel for you, Laurinda. If you hadn’t given up piano and violin back then, you’d be shining even brighter now.”

His words made York fall silent, too. He knew Laurinda’s talent. Even Jasper might not be able to match her. But that was all in the past.

Laurinda shrugged. “There’s nothing to feel bad about. Everyone has their own path. I’m happy with where I am now. Music isn’t the only thing that matters to me.”

She really meant it. She was truly happy these days, especially with the plans she had in mind. The Gates family wanted to mess with her? She’d make sure Finn paid the price and learned his lesson.

After dinner, Laurinda and the butler settled down in front of the TV. York had things to handle, so he left the estate.

The butler sat beside Laurinda, gently cracking open sunflower seeds for her. She’d told him not to so many times, but he always insisted. He said he liked looking after her and hoped he could keep doing it for as long as possible.

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