Always Been Yours

Chapter 2 Setup

Five years later, Tessa sat in the lounge of a luxurious private yacht treading through the waves of the expansive, glittering blue sea. She had an arm around her mahogany-colored violin as she quietly tuned it.

The other members of the orchestra took up their own space around her, chattering excitedly among themselves about the owner of this very yacht, who happened to be the regaled Little Prince of the Sawyer family.

Rumor had it that the Little Prince was already worth billions even though he was barely over four years old, and his great-grandfather—Old Master Sawyer—did not hold back when it came to celebrating the young boy’s birthday. In fact, this very yacht was his gift to the Little Prince, and he bought it without so much as batting an eyelash.

“Hey, why do you think the Sawyers appointed our orchestra to perform during the Little Prince’s birthday celebration? I mean, there are plenty of other orchestras more famous than ours!”

“Who knows? I only heard that it was the Little Prince who hand-selected us to perform today. It’s only thanks to him that we get to perform on a glamorous yacht like this one, and our fee practically quadrupled for this event!”

At the mention of this, the other members of the orchestra began to sound off their envy. “We should all be so lucky to have only one-tenth of the Little Prince’s riches. Think about how easy our lives would be then!”

“Destiny favors some over others, and the Little Prince seems to have taken almost all the favor! Our jealousy of the little boy is all we have to our name.”

……

Upon hearing this, Tessa felt the corners of her lips curl up in a bitter, humorless smile. Indeed, she thought darkly, there are those whom destiny favored and granted them victory from the moment they were born, just like the Little Prince of the Sawyer Family.

Then there were those like her, who had fallen behind before the umpire could even shoot the blank and start the race. Tessa’s father was a piece of scum who fooled around behind his wife’s back and ignored all the things she had done for him, abandoning her and forgetting their past struggles together as soon as his business peaked in its success.

away, Tessa and Timothy had no one else to rely on but each

forced to sell her own flesh and blood just to get the money for Timothy’s medical treatment. I never even got to see my baby… she thought ruefully.

four this year, which was around the same age as the Little Prince. I don’t even know if it’s a dashing baby boy or

help the prickling sensation

then, a shrill cry pulled Tessa out of her thoughts. “Tessa! What are

she turned in the direction of the voice, only to see someone whom she wished she never had to see for the rest of her life—Sophia

evening dress, and her face was delicately made-up. There was a haughty tilt to her

grimaced in disgust at the sight of Sophia, for she didn’t expect to see

Tessa, Sophia crossed over to her, the sound of her stilettos clicking against the floor echoing throughout the room. When she came to a stop in front of Tessa, she sneered arrogantly, “I didn’t think you’d still be alive. Why, I

brutally cut off Timothy’s medical funds, Tessa would never have needed to give birth to that man’s child, let alone go through the devastation of

mother-and-daughter duo is responsible for all my

retorted snarkily, “If you and your b*tch of a mother are still alive and kicking, then of course, Timothy and I are perfectly fine as well. We’re just waiting for lightning to strike the both of you heartless

had always been too timid and unsure of herself to fight

as you

the performance went on without a hitch, and this was not the time to be bringing up the past. With that in mind, she rose to her feet so she could seek out

other hand, grew even more incensed at the sight of Tessa’s graceful indifference. She couldn’t help but recall how hard she had worked

she was beneath

or the grace, Tessa was the true