Regretting The Wife He Threw Away

Grandma Hazel noticed the anxious look on Rosita's face and said gently, "Ms. Lockwood, if you're feeling unsure, how about we do a little sound check first?"

A sound check?

The thought alone made Rosita's heart race. There was no way she could agree to that!

Briony caught the flicker of panic in Rosita's eyes and nearly had to bite back a laugh.

After just three days of lessons, Gwendolyn White had discovered that Rosita's struggles weren't just about her poor attitude-she had a fatal flaw: she was completely tone-deaf.

Some people just want too much, Briony thought. Rosita was never content, always hungry for more. The higher she was lifted, the more she craved, until her ambition became both her greatest strength and her inevitable downfall.

Still, Briony wasn't planning to expose her today. Yesterday and today were just warm-ups. The real showdown would be on the day Ottilie took the crown.

"How about this," Briony turned to Grandma Hazel. "Ma'am, Ms. Lockwood seems a bit nervous. Why don't we all sing the piece together, as a group?"

Rosita shot Briony a wary glance.

Briony met her gaze with a faint, knowing smile. "Ms. Lockwood, what do you think?"

show recording, she had no choice but to force a smile and reply, "I think Ms. Kensington has a good idea. I'm not the best singer, and if I perform solo,

to hear each of your voices individually so

realized there was no way

quickly. "I'm a bit thirsty, I'll just

puzzled glances. They didn't know Rosita well enough to judge, assuming perhaps she was just

happening: if Rosita could have swallowed poison and lost her voice

the time she returned,

took her seat

Hazel looked to her. "Shall we

Rosita nodded. "Alright."

a chord

what she'd heard and, stumbling over a few notes, made it through her turn. Twice her voice wobbled

cracked on one note.

a hand to her chest,

sleeping well lately, and I'm a bit nervous meeting a teacher as accomplished as you, Grandma Hazel. I'm afraid I