Chapter 501: Wonโt Let Her Off
Rachel and her parents stood at the door, carrying a fancy gift box. Rachel had been eager, but upon spotting me, her expression changed. After a long pause, she shot me a sharp glare, asking rudely, โHayley, what are you doing here?โ
Her hostility almost stirred my wolf, but I remained calm and responded curtly, โWho are you here to see?โ
Rachelโs mother, an Omega, smiled politely and asked, โIs this Mr. Evansโ residence? Weโre here to meet him.โ
Hearing they were looking for my senior, I told them, โWait a moment.โ
Before I could inform Paul, he came downstairs holding a sealed envelope. Seeing someone approaching, he put away the document and walked over to me. As he approached, Rachelโs parents quickly realized he was a high-ranking werewolf and greeted him with great respect. โNice to meet you. Weโre Rachel Softsonโs parents. We spoke on the phone earlier.โ
Paul nodded, as if remembering, and invited them inside. โCome in.โ
When they stepped in, Rachel glared at me and asked him straightforwardly, โMr. Evans, are you thinking about accepting Hayley as your student?โ
Paul glanced at me and asked, โDo you know her?โ
I nodded, explaining, โWeโre classmates.โ
Paul seemed a bit surprised but then turned to Rachel. โShe wonโt be my student.โ
I smiled, understanding his meaning. My piano skills far surpassed his, and I was also fluent in multiple languagesโSpanish, French, Goavish, and Lovarin. I was, proudly speaking, the most talented genius he had ever encountered.
Rachel gave me a dismissive look, probably misinterpreting Paulโs words and thinking I wasnโt good enough to be his student.
โThen, Mr. Evans, can you make me your student instead?โ Rachel quickly asked, her eyes full of hope.
Paul raised an eyebrow. โAs Iโve told your parents before, it depends on your talent. If youโre gifted, Iโm willing to teach you. But if not, then Iโm sorry, itโs not going to happen.โ
Rachelโs mother quickly chimed in, โMr. Evans, my daughter has shown musical promise since she was young. Every piano teacher sheโs had says sheโs extraordinarily talented. Please take her under your wing.โ
Their conversation wasnโt holding my interest, so I turned to Paul. โBy the way, Paul, is the information I requested ready? Can you give it to me so I can head out?โ
He grabbed the envelope from behind the TV and handed it to me. โHere you go.โ
We exchanged glances before I took the document and said my goodbyes, โIโll be going now.โ
โIโll walk you out,โ Paul offered.
Together, we left the house, feeling the eyes of Rachel and her parents on us.
Rachelโs POV
Watching Hayley, that insufferable Omega, finally leave, I felt some of my tension melt away.
I couldnโt figure out how she even knew someone as prestigious as Paul. Maybe it was because sheโd won the tennis championship and got to rub elbows with the rich and famous.
While I was lost in thought, my father interrupted, โHow do you know your classmate? Whatโs her connection to Paul?โ
I bit my lip tightly and shook my head. I didnโt know. I wanted to find out too. There didnโt seem to be anything close between them, but the way Paul had handed her that mysterious document made me curious. What could it be about?
Before I could think more, Paul returned and interrupted my thoughts. He looked straight at me and said, โIโm very selective about the talent of my students. Letโs do thisโfollow me to the piano room and play a section of Bachโs โAir on the G String.โ I want to see how skilled you are.โ
I snapped to attention and followed him into the piano room, sitting at the Steinway piano and starting to play.
Paul was a famous pianist, and it was my big chance to prove myself. If I passed his test, I could become his student. Then, I would earn a stellar reputation at school and stand outโunlike Hayley, who, despite being plain and unremarkable as an Omega, was suddenly gaining popularity.
Soon, I finished the piece, and my heart raced as I awaited Paulโs evaluation.
โYour basic skills are solid, but you donโt have much natural talent.โ
His words hit me like a bucket of cold water, chilling me.
โHow can I meet your standards?โ I pressed, determined not to give up.
He hesitated before replying. โYour classmate Hayleyโyou could ask her to play something for you. If your emotional expression in the music reaches even a fraction of hers, I may reconsider.โ
Hayley? It was Hayley again! Did she say something bad about me to Paul? I might not be able to confront her openly, but I would find a way to make sure she paid for this.
Leaving Paulโs house, I could feel the disappointment in my parentsโ eyes. My thoughts swirled around Hayley. Gritting my teeth, I came up with an idea.