The Ex-Wife's Burning Elegance

Rena understood what Colby was getting at.

Disappointment flickered across her face. "So you're saying... all that skill she shows in her videos is nothing but clever editing?"

Colby gave a lopsided grin. "Exactly. Her so-called talent is just internet hype. People online love to inflate things."

Johnny frowned, clearly reluctant to accept it.

The three of them kept talking about Stella as they continued on their way.

None of them specialized in the violin, but as top musicians in the field, they were all competent with multiple instruments. Many of Mr. Walden's students were musical polymaths, and Stella was no exception-she'd passed her Grade 8 piano exam with ease. She hadn't kept up with advanced studies, but if she hadn't gotten married, reaching the top level would have been just a matter of time.

Rena and her friends were all skilled violinists. Their current status was partly due to talent, but also to genuine passion for music. Now that they had come to Neo- Vespera, they were eager to meet and exchange ideas with other accomplished violinists.noveldrama

"But I've watched her videos," Rena protested. "She doesn't seem like someone who's just been hyped up by the internet."

Johnny nodded. "I follow her on social media. I've seen every video she's posted -she's seriously talented."

Colby scoffed. "You two really believe what you see online? With today's technology, even live performances can be tweaked by professionals. As for videos? Who knows if the audio's been fixed in post-production? Maybe it's all just dubbed over afterward."

He paused, his expression turning scornful.

"Besides, this Stella barely finished middle school before spending five years as a housewife. Do you really believe someone who hasn't touched an instrument in five years could suddenly play at that level? And if she's really so impressive, why didn't the teacher ever take her on as a student?"

Rena, Johnny, and the others turned to Mr. Walden.

"Is that true, sir?" Rena asked.

Mr. Walden's face shifted ever so slightly.

He'd seen Stella perform. She was genuinely talented-perhaps even on par with Rachel. But in his mind, no matter how strong a person's ability, if their character was lacking, it was all for nothing. Someone like that would shine brightly for a moment, then burn out just as quickly.

Still... Colby's words gave him pause. Could Stella have cheated? It was hard to fake a live performance, if everything was carefully orchestrated in advance, it wasn't impossible. She could easily pretend to play with passion while a

pre recorded track played in the background. Her ex-husband was Haynes, and she had Mr. Burton's backing. With connections like that, rigging a performance would be child's play.

He'd never considered it before, but given Stella's questionable character, the possibility felt uncomfortably real.

Even so, Mr. Walden never made accusations without proof.

After a moment, he said, "I have met her, yes. It's hard to judge her true abilities at this point, but her temperament is far too arrogant and reckless. Her character leaves much to be desired. No matter how tatented she may be, I would never take someone like that as a student."

Colby jumped in, “Stella is Nora's daughter, you know. She parades around with her mother's old violin, using it to make a name for herself. If she's willing to exploit her late mother's memory for attention, what does that say about her as a person?"

Johnny stared in disbelief. "Wait-Stella is Nora's daughter?"

Rena's eyes widened. "She's our mentor's daughter? How have I never heard of this before?"

Colby shrugged. "She hasn't made a splash overseas yet. But in Novaris, pretty much everyone in the music scene knows about it."