Chapter 5

• The venue was crowded. Arturo, the prodigy who had recently become a sensation, had caught the attention of the entire country. So today's competition was being broadcast nationwide.
• Many reporters were surrounding the handsome Arturo playing the piano on stage, snapping photos of him.
• Arturo was dressed formally today—in a black suit with a bow tie. His thick, black hair was fluffy, making him look even more handsome. While playing the piano, he exuded elegance.
• Marilyn looked at him with a smile, feeling lucky for her choice. Due to fear of the financial burden and the gossip, many unmarried girls who got knocked up would choose to terminate the pregnancy.
• When she found out she was pregnant, she was scared too. But it was just momentary.
• Since she had no family and barely any friends, the children in her belly would become her only hope and family. Thus, she chose to keep them.
• When she found out she was expecting triplets during a prenatal checkup, she was shocked. But soon, joy overwhelmed her.
• It was a blessing for her to carry three cuties at a time! Since then, she had made up her mind to bring them up all by herself, no matter how hard it would be.
• As long as she had them, she had the courage to keep going. Now, the reality proved her right. Her three kids—Dominic, Arturo, and Laverne—brought endless good fortune to her life since their births.
• "Lynn, Roland!" exclaimed Jeannie Harrison not far away.
• In fact, she was the person who had run Marilyn over seven years ago. By a strange twist of fate, they then became good friends.
• Without Jeannie, Marilyn and her kids couldn't have made it this far.
• Now, Jeannie was the godmother of the triplets as well as Arturo's agent.
• Today, she was wearing a tight red dress that showcased her long, slender legs, oozing sexuality from every pore.
• Her red curly hair and delicate, charming features radiated her unique professional aura as she walked over with a bright smile, like Marilyn was her cash cow.
• She piped up, "Marilyn, you know what? The moment Arturo started his performance, the whole room erupted in applause. And the piece was his own composition, titled 'My Mother.'"
• Marilyn couldn't help feeling touched. She glanced at Arturo on stage, a doting smile on her face.
• Then Jeannie went on, "You are so lucky! Having given birth to such a money-spinner."
• Marilyn immediately turned around and glared at her. "Jeannie, I don't get you. Roland is such a handsome hunk. Why don't you promote him instead of my son?"
• Upon hearing her words, Roland put on a heartbroken look and pleaded, "Lynn, give me a break. I prefer fashion design. You know, making money off women."
• "Brat, do you think it's that easy to earn money from women?" Jeannie glowered at Roland, shaking her head. It was such a waste not to make him a celebrity.
• She wanted to make both Arturo and Roland popular, yet Roland was adamant about focusing on his career.
• Now, he was the richest man in Goldmere, and the only trustworthy friend he had was Marilyn.
• Roland glanced at Marilyn, his eyes sparkling as he replied, "Jeannie, ask Lynn if you wanna know the answer. The clothes she designed are pricey, yet countless girls are dying to buy them.
• "Shame that she's a traitor. She chose the Lowe Group's branch company instead of us. Well, I guess it's my fault. I should've worked harder to make us more competitive."
• Marilyn frowned, her red lips pouting as she playfully punched Roland in the chest. "What are you talking about? You know I took the job at the Lowe Group for other reasons."
• Working there would give her a shot at buying the shares of the Chambers Enterprise, which was part of her plan for revenge.
• Roland gazed at Marilyn, a flicker of pity in his eyes.
• Suddenly, a round of applause sounded, attracting the attention of the three.
• Jeannie smiled, "Let's go. Don't dwell on this unpleasant stuff. Let's go and watch Arturo play the piano."
• Roland took Marilyn and Jeannie by the hand, leading them towards the nearby seats.
• In the Saffron Spice Kitchen.
• The light music was uplifting.
• In the lavishly decorated private room, the table was laden with a feast, but Malcolm didn't have a single bite. Instead, he kept drinking wine.
• On the wall of the room, a live broadcast of Arturo's competition was playing, and Julian was watching it with great interest.
• Immersed in the smooth and soulful piano melody, he sipped his tea, enjoying every note.
• However, Malcolm couldn't care less for these variety shows.
• Over the years, he'd traveled the world searching for Carolyn.
• He had looked for her in one city after another, but still, he found nothing.
• Every once in a while, a glimpse of familiar eyes would make him miss her more. Yet he had no news of her even until now.
• That night, a heavy rain washed everything clean, including the place where Carolyn had an accident.
• The only thing left behind was the strawberry-flavored lollipop she'd wanted to give him.
• Carolyn was always there for him during his gloomy moments. No matter how he drove her away, she refused to leave his side until he cheered up.
• "Malcolm, this is a strawberry-flavored lollipop. It's very sweet. After you eat it, you won't feel sad anymore. You'll be over the moon." Her soft and pleasant voice often echoed in his ears.
• Her clear, bright eyes were so lively that they easily seized everyone's attention.
• Although Malcolm hated sweets, he had fallen for strawberry lollipops because of her.
• He kept some at home and in the car. And tasting it truly brought a sense of happiness.
• Malcolm lounged in his chair, the brilliant lights making his handsome features even more striking as he downed another glass of wine.
• Whenever he was alone, he'd pray to God not to be so cruel, to let him find Carolyn and his mother soon.
• Without them, he felt he couldn't go on anymore.
• Malcolm was completely immersed in his world, oblivious to Julian, the sounds from the TV, and the vibration coming from his cell phone.
• Just then, the host's excited voice filled the room, "Congratulations to Arturo on winning the National Championship with the piece 'My Mother.'"
• After the warm applause, the camera zoomed in on Arturo's handsome, joyous face.
• Gazing at the screen, Julian somehow found Arturo familiar.
• He tapped the table lightly, asking, "Malcolm, look at this boy. He looks familiar, don't you think?"
• Julian hadn't paid much attention to Arturo before. After all, no one could predict the future, especially when it came to showbiz. And the boy was still so young.
• But today, Arturo won first place in the piano competition with his own composition. So his future was definitely promising. Julian finally took a real interest in him.