CHAPTER 8
Chapter 8: The Winter Concert
A year later, Sophie stood backstage at another school event. This time, it wasn't a graduation; it was the annual winter choral concert.
The venue was different, and so was the atmosphere. Daniel arrived forty minutes early, wearing a clean, pressed dark jacket instead of his standard-issue delivery uniform. Edward arrived a few minutes later, holding a small bouquet of winter flowers.
Taking a deep breath, Victoria took her seat beside them. She was still an elegant woman, but she was noticeably quieter now—less polished around the edges, her sharp social armor replaced by a fragile humility.
When the choir walked onto the risers, Sophie scanned the crowded auditorium. Her eyes passed over the sea of flashing smartphone cameras until she found her row. She looked at all three of them sitting together.
Then, she looked directly at Daniel and smiled.
Daniel smiled back, his chest rising with a profound, quiet peace.
May you like
As the piano chords began to play, Sophie caught her father’s eye through the crowd. No one in the audience noticed, and no one in her row corrected her, when she clearly mouthed the words:
“Hi, Dad.”
