Chapter 185 The Show Can Begin
Isabella's fingers flew across the keys so fast that all five seemed to leave afterimages.
The sonata's charm was fully displayed at this moment.
It felt like everyone was pulled into that war, seeing the fighting armies and the fleeing refugees.
It could easily draw the audience into the story behind the music.
As the performance neared its end, the piano music calmed down once again. At the cost of countless soldiers and civilians, the small nation's forces had repelled the enemy army, and after the darkness, dawn would finally come.
The last note stopped. The fifteen-minute performance was complete.
The guests at the venue were stunned.
"What I just heard - was that really not a world-class piano performance?"
"This is absolutely incredible!"
Everyone looked at Isabella with eyes full of amazement and admiration.
Especially the piano enthusiasts present - they were practically losing their minds.
"What kind of piano performance was that? It was so stunning!"
"Now I finally understand why Mira's debut shocked all of Novaria back then! The person who composed this piece is a genius! And anyone who can perform it completely is also a genius!"
"..."
Hayden and Olivia were both stunned.
Chase and Tobias were stunned too.
Was this really their sister?
This was completely different from the Isabella they remembered.
Today's Isabella was beyond their imagination and completely overturned their previous understanding of her.
They still remembered when Isabella first returned to the Taylor Villa - she dressed old-fashioned, had a boring personality, was timid and submissive, like someone who just accepted whatever came her way.
But today's Isabella was confident and composed. Just standing there, she seemed like a noble princess, and also like a queen looking down from above.
The surrounding guests finally snapped out of it and raised their hands in enthusiastic applause.
"That was absolutely amazing!"
"Ms. Taylor's piano playing is the best I've ever heard!"
"Being able to hear Ms. Taylor play was worth the trip!"
"..."
Thunderous applause filled the venue, while Bianca stood frozen in the crowd, her eyes full of disbelief.
How was this possible?
Not only did Isabella perform this complete piece, but she played it so well!
Where did Isabella learn piano?
How could a place like Stratford-upon-Avon possibly have excellent piano teachers to teach her?
Bianca felt like she couldn't even stand steady, her legs going weak.
Isabella calmly rose from the piano and left the stage.
Eris Thompson immediately walked quickly toward her. "Ms. Taylor, I have a question I'd like to ask you, if that's convenient?"
"What do you want to know?"
Eris was also a pianist, just not very famous. He hadn't expected to hear Mira's complete piece at a birthday party - his heart was racing with excitement!
But he had noticed that many parts of the "Midnight Solitude" Isabella had just played were different from the currently popular version, so he was very curious.
"Ms. Taylor, as everyone knows, because Mira never made this piano score public, the sheet music that's circulating now was written down from memory years ago by an old artist who heard Mira's concert in Novaria. Some parts weren't even completely written down."
"But when I listened to your performance just now, I found that the entire piece had no gaps or discordant parts at all. How did you do it? How did you handle those missing sections?"
After hearing this, Isabella looked somewhat puzzled. "You're saying this piece isn't complete? But ever since I learned it, it's always been a complete score."
This piece was originally taught to her by her master. She'd been playing it since childhood for over ten years - it came naturally to her.
Hearing this, Eris was surprised. "How is that possible?"
Could the version of the sheet music Isabella learned be different from what's currently circulating?
"Show me that version of the sheet music you mentioned," Isabella said.
Eris quickly took out his phone and pulled up the electronic version of the score to show her. "You didn't play according to this?"
Isabella glanced at it and said thoughtfully, "It's mostly the same, but some parts of your sheet music are wrong, and some parts are missing..."
Hearing this, Eris's eyes immediately lit up. "Ms. Taylor! Could you let me see the version of the score you played? I'm willing to pay a lot of money just to look at it! Any amount is fine."
Isabella smiled lightly. "You don't need to be so formal."
"I lost the sheet music, but I remember it. I can write it out and post it on my Facebook account online, so anyone who needs it can use it to learn."
Eris was extremely grateful. "Thank you, Ms. Taylor!"
Isabella answered a few more of Eris's questions, then watched the man leave, touching her chin in deep thought.
Eris had just said that Mira never made this sheet music public.
But what her master taught her was clearly the true original version of this piece.
So, how did her master get sheet music that no one else in Lumaria had?
Could it be that her master knew Mira, the famous pianist from Novaria? To have Mira's sheet music, what was their relationship exactly?
Isabella was thinking about this when suddenly a server carrying a tray walked up to her.
"Miss, this specially mixed drink - you should like it."
The familiar voice instantly pulled Isabella back from her thoughts.
She looked at the server's face.
Sure enough.
In her past life, it was also after drinking this specially mixed drink from this server that her consciousness became scattered.
That's when Bianca came over and helped her up to a room upstairs.
She lay on the bed in a daze and saw a completely naked man walk out of the bathroom...
Starting with this drink was Bianca's scheme.
"Thank you."
Isabella took the drink without showing any sign of suspicion and took a sip.
Seeing this, the server smiled and withdrew, then walked toward Bianca standing in the corner and said quietly, "She drank it."
Bianca looked at Isabella's figure in the distance. She saw Isabella with her back turned, holding onto a nearby pillar, looking like she was about to collapse.
The drug was working fast.
The show could begin.
Bianca smiled and walked toward Isabella.