Chapter 42
"Are you sure?" Sophia could practically taste the arrogance in the air. James's voice dripped with disdain. If both Matilda and James thought so little of her, she was ready to put on a show.
Normally, she'd worry about making a fool of herself on stage, but with James and Matilda itching to see her fail, she was all in.
Sometimes, a little crazy was just what you needed.
"Absolutely. Since Mrs. Smith is so keen to see my performance, I wouldn't dream of disappointing her." With that, Sophia strutted confidently toward the stage. James had already signaled David to fetch a violin.
James narrowed his eyes, watching Sophia's youthful confidence with a mix of curiosity and concern. He had asked David to dig into Sophia's background earlier.
He knew better than anyone if Sophia had any real talent.
David approached James, offering a gentle reminder, "Mr. Smith, our investigation shows Ms. Brown has never studied any artistic skills. If she goes up there unprepared, she'll just embarrass herself."
David was subtly suggesting that James step in to save Sophia from herself.
James did feel a pang of worry, but seeing Sophia's defiant stance, he had a hunch she might pull off something unexpected.
"Let's just see how it plays out." Despite James's calm, David couldn't shake his concern for Sophia.
Sophia reached the stage, took the violin from the staff, and looked down at the crowd with a hint of disdain.
She called out loudly, "Alright, everyone, listen up. I'm about to perform. If you like what you hear, feel free to tip me. No amount is too small or too big."
James blinked in surprise. He hadn't seen that coming.
The guests, all high society elites, had seen James bring Sophia in. Now, she was acting like a street performer asking for tips. It was beyond embarrassing for James.
David's eyes widened, and he instinctively glanced at James.
This was bad. James would be livid for sure.
David's face went pale, fearing Sophia had just crossed a line she couldn't uncross, unsure how this would end.
But to David's astonishment, James wasn't angry. Instead, there was a flicker of amusement in his eyes.
David was stunned. What was happening? Didn't James find this humiliating?
Meanwhile, Matilda stood nearby, scoffing at Sophia's stunt. She had thought maybe Sophia had some hidden talent to justify her boldness, but it seemed she was just there to make a fool of herself and James.
After this, Matilda was confident Sophia would never marry into the Smith family. Neither James nor Chase would want her now.
A prestigious family like the Smiths would never accept a woman who brought such disgrace.
As soon as Sophia finished speaking, the crowd erupted in murmurs and whispers.
"What the heck? Isn't she supposed to perform? Why's she asking for tips?"
"Yeah, I saw her with Mr. Smith earlier. Is she his date?"
"If she is, this is super embarrassing. Mr. Smith's woman shouldn't be begging for money. What's she thinking?"
Listening to the crowd's chatter, Sophia's eyes provocatively landed on Matilda.
"Mrs. Smith, you love a good show, don't you? Hope I won't let you down." With that, Sophia began to play the violin haphazardly, producing ear-piercing sounds that made everyone cover their ears.
The more they covered their ears, the louder Sophia played.
Matilda's face fell, and she yelled at the staff nearby, "What are you standing around for? Stop her! This is ridiculous!"
The staff hurried to intervene, but James stopped them. "I dare anyone to stop her."
James's words were calm but carried undeniable authority.
The staff knew who held power in the Smith family. With James present, they wouldn't dare follow Matilda's orders.
Matilda was taken aback and approached James, speaking softly, "James, I'm not trying to oppose you. Sophia is deliberately embarrassing you. I'm just trying to minimize the damage."
James listened, seemingly as if Matilda was looking out for him, but he couldn't help but chuckle coldly, "Sorry, Matilda. My woman can do whatever she wants. What do you mean by embarrassing? What has she done that's so embarrassing?"
Matilda's face turned pale, unsure how to respond.
She had never seen James with a woman before, so she assumed Sophia was just a temporary date. But now it was clear that Sophia held significant importance to James, which explained why James had been angry with Chase earlier.
The chaotic violin sounds gradually ceased, replaced by beautiful, melodious music.
Sophia stood gracefully on the stage, her smooth hair flowing, effortlessly playing a captivating violin piece.
The entire banquet fell silent, with only the enchanting music filling the room.
The guests who had been annoyed moments ago were now soothed by Sophia's performance.
James's expression softened with the music, a smile forming on his lips.
After finishing the piece, Sophia confidently walked off the stage and stood before Matilda.
"Sorry, Mrs. Smith. Did I disappoint you? You were hoping to see me make a fool of myself, but it turns out I can play quite well."