The next day, rehearsals resumed. Charlotte was taken aback to learn that Zelda had been hospitalized due to an accidental injury.
The news cast a somber mood over the rehearsal site, and conversations buzzed.
"I heard Zelda was in a car accident on her way home and broke her leg bone."
"They caught the guy, apparently it was a DUI."
"Poor Zelda. Hey, remember what Kingsley said to her before?"
Even Sherry, beside Charlotte, couldn't hide her concern.
A few days back, when Zelda nearly caused Charlotte to fall off the stage, Kingsley publicly expressed a wish that she could endure such mishaps.
Ironically, just two days later, Zelda was in an accident.
As speculations swirled at the rehearsal site, insinuating Kingsley's involvement, Sherry glanced at Charlotte, who was staring at her phone with a hint of worry.
"Come on, Charlotte, our turn's coming up," Sherry said, walking back to her.
Charlotte tore her gaze from her phone, but remained rooted, observing the crowd with an unusual gravity.
"I've investigated," she announced to the group, her expression serious. "The person behind the accident didn't solely act out of drunk driving. They're half-siblings. There have been ongoing disputes, and he even threatened Zelda's life a week prior."
"This is a personal matter within Zelda's family and has nothing to do with Kingsley."
Charlotte raised her chin slightly, her eyes piercing. "So, I urge everyone to refrain from further speculation. Let's not stir up unnecessary trouble or unfairly implicate others."
After rehearsal, Charlotte returned to her dorm room, retrieved her tablet, and began booking her plane ticket to Germied.
Diana's piano recital was on the verge of starting, and Charlotte had already taken a hiatus from the drama club.
The thought of seeing Diana soon transformed Charlotte's expression, her radiant eyes filled with excitement and pride.
In contrast to Chris and Ian's career obsessions, or Aaron's tendency to dismiss everything but the robotics industry, Diana, her sister, was the most artistically gifted individual in the entire Scott family. A rare piano prodigy, she had trained under the renowned international piano master Albert. At the age of 23, Diana was garnering awards and reaching the pinnacle of success in the realm of piano.
Charlotte swiftly purchased a ticket to Germied and promptly informed Diana of her impending arrival.
While Aaron would undoubtedly attend Diana's concert, Charlotte wasn't certain about Chris and Ian's availability. As for her parents, she couldn't reach them at the moment. Ever since Derek handed over the company to Charlotte's brothers a few years ago, he and Emily had been traveling the world.
Charlotte and her siblings could only catch glimpses of their parents' travels through Emily's social media posts.
Contemplating this, Charlotte phoned Aaron and informed him of her ticket purchase.
However, Aaron sounded perplexed on the other end of the line. "Why is everyone heading to Germied?" he questioned.
An awkward silence ensued. After a brief pause, Charlotte spoke softly, "Aaron, please don't tell me you forgot about Diana's piano recital."
In the next moment, Aaron's exclamation echoed from the other end of the line.
The next morning, Charlotte had just finished packing when she heard the honking of a car downstairs.
Peering down from the window, she spotted a flashy pink sports car parked under the shade of a nearby tree, with a tall, strikingly handsome man standing beside it. This man was none other than Aaron.
Charlotte hurriedly grabbed her luggage and made her way downstairs, where Aaron courteously opened the car door for her. Climbing into the car, she asked, "Where's Chris? Isn't he joining us for Germied?"
Aaron, already settled in the car, replied, "He left for Germied last night. Said he was going to visit an old friend."
Charlotte speculated, "I bet that old friend is his first girlfriend, using my girl's intuition!"
"Really? Are you sure?!" Aaron's tone perked up at the prospect of gossip.
"Then let's not waste any time! I don't want to miss out on the drama!" Aaron's enthusiasm for Chris-related gossip was undeniable.
In no time, the car sped off towards the airport. Arriving swiftly, they handed over the car to the valet and Aaron casually draped his arm around Charlotte's shoulder as they made their way inside.
Upon landing in Germied and exiting the airport, Charlotte spotted Diana and Ian waiting for her at the exit. Bursting with excitement, she exclaimed, "Ian! What are you doing here? Diana!" Without hesitation, she rushed towards Diana, enveloping her in a warm embrace.
Diana, clad in a light-colored, flowing dress, stood poised and elegant. Her long hair cascaded like a waterfall, accentuating her slender figure. Her petite, exquisite features exuded a sense of calm indifference as she embraced Charlotte warmly.
Meanwhile.
"Carl, book me ticket for Diana's piano recital," Kingsley said.
Carl regarded Kingsley with a neutral yet respectful expression. "Kingsley, all of Charlotte's siblings will be attending. Are you sure you want to contend with them directly?"
Years ago, after Charlotte was found by the Scott family, it became known to them about her bullying ordeal at the orphanage.
It was during this time that Chris and Kingsley first crossed paths.
Chris always perceived Kingsley's assistance as an act of kindness, unaware that Kingsley had been silently watching over Charlotte for years.
If Chris and Kingsley were to meet at the concert, Chris, with his perceptiveness, might have discerned Kingsley's affection for Charlotte.
Then it might make it difficult for Kingsley to approach Charlotte.
Listening to Carl's question, Kingsley fell silent. What Carl implied, he understood even better. After a prolonged silence, he replied, "I'll just go and have a look. I won't reveal my presence to them."
Long ago, Kingsley had relinquished any hope, refraining from fixating on the unattainable. Yet, now Charlotte, his unreachable moon, appeared before him, tantalizingly close.
He suppressed his desires, compelling himself to retreat, to keep his distance. Merely observing her from afar would be sufficient, completing everything.
Carl glanced at him briefly and nodded. "Alright, I'll handle it."
Kingsley ceased speaking and retreated to his room. Numerous documents cluttered the table, all analyzing his state. Without a second glance, he discarded them into the trash.
He wasn't well, far from it, and he knew it.
Therefore, he resolved to stay away from her, denying himself the luxury or even the consideration of approaching her.