Chapter 20 - The Final Harmony
"Do it," Sterling spat, coughing up blood as he glared up at Julian. "Kill me. You still don't have the antidote formula for the girl."
Julian’s finger tightened on the trigger, his expression stone cold.
"Wait!" Anaëlle called out, stepping out from behind the piano.
She walked over to the open drawer of the Steinway. Beside the silver micro-ledger drive lay a small, sealed glass vial labeled Antidote-V7. Evelyn had hidden it there ten years ago when she realized Sterling’s plot.
Anaëlle held up the vial, tears of profound relief streaming down her cheeks. "We don't need you anymore, Sterling."
Julian looked at Anaëlle, then down at Sterling. "Death is too quick for you," Julian said coldly. He lowered the gun and kicked Sterling hard in the ribs, knocking him unconscious just as the heavy doors of the studio were kicked open.
Interpol agents and federal police swarmed the room, led by agents tipped off by Julian’s master upload.
Three Months Later
The sun shone brightly through the stained-glass windows of the Royal Albert Hall in London.
The auditorium was packed to capacity with thousands of people. In the front row sat Clara, looking healthy, vibrant, and laughing alongside her mother, Evelyn, whose hand rested warmly over her daughter's.
On the grand stage, bathed in brilliant white spotlights, sat Anaëlle. She wore a stunning royal blue gown, her chestnut hair falling in soft waves over her shoulders.
She wasn't wearing a blindfold. Her eyes were open, clear, and bright.
She looked toward the wings of the stage. Standing in the shadows just out of sight of the audience was Julian, wearing a crisp suit, his grey eyes watching her with quiet, prideful warmth. He lifted his right hand—the one wearing her father's phoenix ring—and touched his heart.
May you like
Anaëlle smiled, a tear of pure happiness touching her lip.
She turned back to the massive black Steinway grand piano, placed her slender fingers gently on the cool ivory keys, and began to play the most beautiful song the world had ever heard.
