#23 “You are A Fraud!”
With the decision made, Sophia retrieves her Stradivari’s from the backstage area where it was stored for the auction. She adjusts the tuning pegs until the G, D, A, and E notes are flawless. Taking a deep breath, Sophia walks out onto the center stage.
The orchestra has been cleared, and just a chair is magnified by a spotlight. The audience begins to quiet as they notice someone has finally taken the seat, but as Sophia settles in to play, several people let out disbelieving noises.
However, once Sophia begins to play, the audience is captivated. Her fingers, nimble and precise, dance effortlessly across the strings, producing a melody that seems to float like silk in the air.
As Sophia closes her eyes, fully immersed in the music, her body sways in harmony with the emotional peaks and valleys of the concerto. Her bow glides smoothly over the strings, drawing out a velvety sound that seemed to caress the very soul of the listeners.
Enraptured by her skill and artistry, the audience holds their breath in awe of the exquisite performance unfolding before them. The concerto becomes a story, woven delicately by her every stroke, conveying emotions transcending words.
Sophia’s style of playing the piece is different from her friend’s way of playing the music. While he played with a polished, refined, sharp edge, Sophia played more gracefully and fluidly. However, most of the audience could not tell any difference in performance.
As the piece ends and Sophia sighs, the audience is momentarily silent before erupting into vigorous applause. The thunderous sound fills the concert hall.
Alexander is particularly impressed and surprised by the revelation of Sophia’s musical talent. She had never disclosed her ability to play the violin before. Furthermore, his research yielded no information about her connections with renowned musicians. Being both a lawyer and a violinist, how many more secrets lie behind this woman?
As Sophia returns to the table, both the hosts and guests quickly stand to greet her.
“Ms. Johnson. I must say, bravo!” Daniel exclaims, offering rapturous applause. “I knew you were a powerful and talented businesswoman, but I could never have guessed that you are also an expert concert violinist.”
“Yes, I must admit that was amazing,” Barbara chimes in, her voice full of genuine admiration. “Thank you so much for this unexpected performance!
Sophia smiles warmly as she looks around the table. The smiles she receives are genuine, except for Emily, whose jealousy is becoming evident through a slight frown and tight grip on her champagne glass. Emily tries to force a smile, but her envy is difficult to conceal.
“Thank you, everyone,” Sophia says graciously, attempting to ease the tension. “I’m glad I could step in and help make this evening memorable for all of you and pay tribute to Maestro Paus.”
“How dare you say that would be something Maestro Paus would be proud of?” someone shouts from the audience, their voice filled with disdain.
“That was a disgrace to Maestro Paus and the piece,” the anonymous voice continues to shout. “You are a fraud! That was a complete distortion and, frankly, disrespectful!”
Sophia remains calm and unaffected by the harsh words, as she has not surprised to realize that the person causing such disruption earlier with boos is the same individual now berating her performance.
Other voices from the crowd chime in with questions, creating a wave of uncertainty and doubt in the room. Who was that?” and “How could she possibly have known that piece?” echo through the ballroom, intensifying the tension.
Emily quickly rushes to Sophia’s side, urging her to address the audience and provide an explanation to quell the misunderstandings.
“You have to say something. Give them some explanation so you can quickly put an end to this,” Emily insists. In her head, however, Emily is relishing in the spectacle. “She is going to be humiliated. They are going to eat her alive,” she thinks.
Sophia takes a deep breath, She casts a glance at the person feigning kind insistence, “I do not owe them anything,” she explains.
Emily raises an eyebrow. “I think you do. Just explain how you know that piece so well,” she retorts, hoping for an explanation that she’s sure Sophia cannot provide..
Looking at Emily firmly, Sophia stands her ground. “Emily, you always seem to be looking for a way to embarrass me. And frankly, I am getting tired of it.”
Astonishment covers Emily’s face, but Sophia doesn’t back down. “And I’m sure I’ve said this to you before, but let me repeat it. You are extremely nosy, and I would very much like you to stay out of my personal business,” she declares.
Before Emily can reply, the missing musician, Sophia’s friend, enters the ballroom. Surprised by his timely arrival as Sophia sees him rushing towards her, ready to express his gratitude for stepping in to perform. If he were a minute late, she will have revealed her identity herself.
However, before he can utter a word, the crowd’s accusations directed at Sophia catch his attention, causing him to hesitate. Hearing the commotion, the musician walks away from Sophia and heads to the center stage. He takes hold of the empty microphone, addressing the upset audience.
“Excuse me,” he begins rather softly but then repeats it louder to gain the audience’s attention. “My name is Oliver Campbell, and I must apologize for missing my scheduled performance.
With this announcement, the audience instantly quiets, realizing that the mystery performer they had been waiting for had finally arrived.
“I am, however,” Oliver continues, his voice growing more assertive, “sure that the performance by Ms. Johnson was far superior to anything I could have ever hoped to deliver.”
The audience members exchange puzzled glances, their anger starting to subside as they listen to Oliver’s words.
Oliver continues, “As I am sure you are all aware, Ms. Johnson is a student of Maestro Paus, and, in fact, she helped him with composing the piece. The Maestro has spoken very openly about Ms. Johnson being such an inspiration to him.’
The audience’s attitude towards Sophia quickly shifts, and a sense of astonishment replaces their doubt. After Oliver’s heartfelt praise, no one dares to challenge her credentials or abilities.
Sophia looks at her friend on the stage, expressing a look of profound gratitude. If he hadn’t shown up today, she could have actually handled the situation herself. However, his testimony would undoubtedly spare her trouble.
Over her shoulder, she hears a woman whisper, “She must be the anonymous muse whom the Maestro expressed gratitude to in his interviews.”
