A Surprising Twist of Fates (Sierra and Theo)

Jemima looked at Sierra with satisfaction evident in her eyes. Then, with an approving nod, she spoke to Cayden.

"Cayden, take Sierra to the piano room. Let her get some practice on the piano."

"Alright." He nodded and left the office with Sierra.

Deep in thought, Jemima watched their backs as they walked out. She had initially planned to take Sierra to the piano room herself but then reminded herself.

She couldn't protect Sierra forever. If Sierra was serious about pursuing piano again, her talent would only push her further into the spotlight. The higher she climbed, the more distractions and challenges she would face. She needed to learn how to navigate that on her own.

Jemima sighed softly and turned back to her desk. Just at that moment, her phone rang.

When she glanced at the screen, she smiled slightly before answering, "Theo, what's up?"

"Nothing much. I just wanted to check how you are recovering, Aunt Jemima." Theo's cool voice came through the line, as distant and composed as always.

"I'm doing well. I'm back at the campus today."

"That's good to hear. Aunt Jemima, take care of yourself, and don't overwork yourself."noveldrama

"You've gotten better at showing concern," she teased lightly. "Don't worry, I'm taking care of myself."

A brief silence followed before he spoke again, his tone casual but purposeful. "Sierra made it through the preliminaries and into the Marisol Cup finals. Did you hear about it?"

Jemima chuckled, knowing that Theo couldn't resist asking. "I knew you'd call me about Sierra," came her light comment.

"I'm just checking on you, Aunt Jemima. While I'm at it, I figured I'd also ask about her," he commented casually, as if it was an offhand remark.

Still playing it cool, huh?

Jemima smirked but didn't call him out on it. Instead, she responded in a relaxed tone, "She told me about it yesterday."

"If she's made it this far, don't you think she deserves some encouragement?"

"What kind of encouragement do you have in mind?"

"If you have the time, Aunt Jemima, maybe you could give her some guidance. After all, she was once your student. If she does well in the competition, it'll be a reflection of your teaching, too."

Jemima couldn't help but laugh, thinking, "This kid is forcing me into a corner."

"If you wanted to help her, you could hire the top pianists in the world to teach her. Why come to me?"

"In my eyes, Aunt Jemima, you're the best pianist there is," Theo complimented, his deep, rich voice carrying a quiet sincerity.

She couldn't hold back her amusement and laughed out loud.

"Theo... I never thought I'd see the day when you'd learn how to sweet-talk someone. You are putting in the effort for Sierra." She chuckled and finally relented, "Alright, no more teasing. You don't have to worry—Sierra is at the campus now, and she'll be practicing here for the next few weeks. I'll guide her, but the results are up to her."

"She'll make it."

Theo's tone was calm, but the unwavering trust in his words was undeniable.

Jemima paused for a moment, realizing something. Theo was the main investor in this competition. Then, she solemnly reminded him, "Theo, I hope you're not thinking about giving Sierra any special treatment. The competition needs to be fair and transparent."

"Don't worry, Aunt Jemima. She hates owing me favors. What you're worried about won't happen." he replied without hesitation.

There was a trace of something almost wistful in his normally cool voice, which she picked almost immediately.

"You care so much about her, yet you're still pretending you don't have feelings for her?"

There was a pause. Theo's eyes darkened slightly, and for a brief second, his grip on the phone tightened.

After a long moment, he finally responded, "Sierra and I... are just acquaintances. I'm only looking out for her because of my grandfather."

Jemima couldn't believe that Theo was still being stubborn.