The woman on stage shifted seamlessly into her next act—now it was the fifth country, Granthia.
She stood beneath the lights in a flowing white dress, her movements light as air. Raising a silver flute to her lips, she played a melody so clear and gentle it seemed to wash over the audience like a soft breeze.
When she set the flute aside and began to sing, her voice low and tender, the entire auditorium was swept into the heart of an extraordinary journey.
Five nations unfolded before their eyes—each with its own language, instruments, and musical style. None of it felt jarring, not even as the mood and rhythm changed again and again. The performance was a journey in itself—a whirlwind of civilizations, vivid fragments interwoven until time and space seemed to blur.
As the Masked Woman played her final notes, Tyler sat in the audience, his face hidden in shadow.
He and Emilia had visited all those countries. More than once.
Back in the early days, when the Erickson Group was reinventing itself, Emilia had traveled everywhere by his side. With her there, the world never felt lonely. She was always so full of life, brimming with hope and energy, as if nothing could ever dim her light.
“Tye, we’ll make it,” she used to whisper in his ear. “I’ll be here with you, every step of the way. We’ll reach the top together.”
She’d smile and add, “I believe in you—so promise me you’ll believe in me, too.”
Now, Tyler’s fists clenched in his lap. But what he saw wasn’t her radiant smile—it was the memory of that night at Lunar Manor: Emilia, thin and exhausted, her eyes red from crying, her spirit faded and wilted.
His hands trembled as the Masked Woman lowered her instrument and bowed to the audience. Tyler closed his eyes.
Thunderous applause erupted all around.
Everyone in the hall was on their feet, clapping for her.
Five and a half minutes on stage, including a lightning-fast costume change—she’d stitched together every skill she had and woven it into a single, flawless story.
But it wasn’t just about the technique. It was her storytelling that left the crowd spellbound.
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The readers' comments on the novel: Farewell to Love: The CEO's Desperate Chase
Theodore is the right man....
Completely hooked on this!...