The Princess and the Pauper

Chapter 1920

Cornelia beckoned with a warm smile as she entered the garden and spotted her granddaughters,

"Bella, Alma, you're both here. Perfect, come over, my dears."

Arabella had only wandered off a short distance when she heard her grandma call. She quickly

returned to Cornelia's side.

"Grandma Cornelia, you needed to see both of us?" Alma's face broke into a smile as if nothing had

happened earlier.

"Well, my dears, I have a friend who's a violin maestro, and she’s been on the lookout for a protege.

She messaged me to ask if I knew anyone who might fit the bill. She's looking for real talent."

Cornelia still held her smartphone, the chat window open, "Bella's already a master in her own right,

way beyond my friend's skill level, so it got me thinking about you."

She patted Alma's head affectionately, "You've loved the violin since you were a little girl, and you even

took lessons from Oswald, but he never truly passed on the torch. My friend, she's more skilled than

Oswald, and I think you could really flourish under her tutelage. Given some time, you could do great

things."

"Me?" Alma was caught in a bind. She couldn’t admit that she could no longer play the violin.

"Bella here is Jamie Noelle. Since she's around, why don't you play something for her? Let’s see where

you stand. My friend has very high standards, and even if you're talented and skilled, she might not be

convinced."

Cornelia was about to fetch a violin when Alma quickly interjected, “Grandma Cornelia, I’ve decided not

to pursue the violin professionally."

"Why ever not?" Cornelia was clearly surprised.NôvelDrama.Org holds text © rights.

"I've set my sights high, you see. I had even thought about studying under Jamie Noelle." Alma

revealed with a playful grin as she spoke, "But I've realized that’s not really my calling. So I've made up

my mind. Music and arts will remain hobbies, and I plan to focus on building a different career. But

thank you, Grandma Cornelia, for always thinking of me when opportunities come up."

Seeing Alma had other plans, Cornelia nodded, "You've always been decisive, my child. If that's what

you want, I won't push. Whatever you both choose to do in the future, I'm behind you all the way."

Relieved, Alma offered a smile.

"Well, then, I'll let my friend know I don't have a suitable candidate at the moment." Cornelia was about

to leave when something else occurred to her, "If you're ever in need of advice, you can always turn to

Bella. When it comes to chess, she's a Queen, a master of all sorts. For music, she’s both Melody and

Jamie Noelle; and in medicine, she's Dr. Bell. Whatever path you choose, Bella can surely give you a

few pointers."

Alma, not to be outdone but resigned to the situation, replied, "Of course, Grandma Cornelia."

"But I'll say this upfront: just a few pointers. Don't bother her too much. Bella's a busy girl," Cornelia

chuckled as she tapped her screen, replying to her old friend's message, and walked back toward the

house.

Feeling a bit awkward, Alma looked up to find that Arabella had slipped away at some point.

What was with Arabella, not even wanting to spend an extra second with her? Why the rush?

That bitch Serena used to be around the Collins family all the time, and Arabella never seemed so put

off.

Could it be that she was even less appealing than that Serena?

From a distance, Arabella spotted the head of the bodyguard confronting a man who had been blocked

from escaping. Crossing half the garden, she approached the unfolding scene.

"Ms. Collins!" The head of the bodyguard seemed relieved at her arrival, his gaze falling on the

uninvited guest with suspicion, "This fellow was lurking around the basement skylight, acting all

sneaky."

At the bodyguard’s feet was a skylight that led down to the basement; a glance through it offered a

view into a corner of the subterranean space.