Chapter6
1302 Words
"Dad..."
Holding her father's hand tightly, Isabella choked up, unable to produce any sound.
"Miss Hartwell, visiting hours are over."
The young nurse, somewhat reluctantly, gently tapped her shoulder.
Isabella felt reluctant but had to leave, hardening her heart.
Richard Hartwell is in the ICU, with medical staff caring for him 24/7; her presence wouldn't make a significant difference.
Now, the most crucial thing was to raise money.
After her brother, Dylan Hartwell, was imprisoned, their family's assets were frozen by the court.
Her private bonds would barely cover the fines imposed on Dylan.
Jewelry, handbags...
She sold everything she could, just managing to support the ICU expenses for her father.
The surgery cost five hundred thousand dollars, and with postoperative treatment, she needed at least one million.
Where could she get so much money?
Noticing a teenager carrying a violin walking by the roadside, Isabella felt a spark of inspiration.
Glancing at the bus stop through the window, Isabella hastily got up, squeezed off the bus, and arrived at the Melody Violin Shop where she bought her violin years ago.
The manager recognized her and politely took her to his office.
"Miss Hartwell, what kind of violin are you interested in this time?"
"I'm not here to buy a violin," Isabella apologetically raised the corner of her lips.
"I ordered a violin from here before. You should remember, right? Does your shop have a trade-in service?"
"We don't have an obligation to trade in, but... if you really want to sell, we can help you sell it and charge a certain fee."
"Okay, then I'll bring the violin over tomorrow." Isabella smiled appreciatively.
"Also, if there's a suitable job, I hope you can recommend it to me. You know my skills; I can do tutoring, performances, music recording... anything that earns money, I'll take any job."
In addition to selling violins, Melody Violin Shop also provides training and performance brokerage services. Isabella, having won awards, was somewhat well-known in this area. The manager had approached her several times before, but back then, she was still the heiress of the Hartwell family and had never accepted. Hearing that she was willing to work, the manager was delighted.
"No problem. I'll recommend more opportunities for you in the future."
The manager politely escorted her out of the shop.
As Isabella was leaving, Emily Ryder, who had just finished her performance, happened to be coming to the shop with two classmates.
Noticing Isabella, she waved to her companions, turned around, and approached the violin shop manager.
"That girl just now... what was she here for?"
Emily had also bought a violin from the violin shop before, and the manager knew her as a valuable customer.
He explained with a smile.
"Oh, she's also a violinist and came here to find a job. By the way, she has an Italian handmade violin. If you're interested, I can ask her to bring it for you to check out. The young lady is eager to sell, and the price is negotiable."
Emily didn't want second-hand goods that Isabella had used.
However...
Looking for a job?
"I only want new violins. But, as for a job..." Emily smirked, "I happen to need a violinist."
"Really? That's great." The manager smiled and raised his right hand. "Please, let's discuss it in the office."
...
...
At the moment,
Isabella was in the piano room of the old house, packing up records.
The valuable items such as paintings and antiques in the house had already been recorded by the bank. Besides her violin, the only personal items she could take were some photo albums, clothes, records, and other personal belongings.
Richard Hartwell, who doted on his daughter, specially arranged a piano room for her. It could be used for practicing the violin and displaying her collection of vinyl records.
Isabella had been passionate about the violin since childhood, and her parents and brother often bought her a few records. After more than ten years of accumulation, the shelves were filled with hundreds of vinyl records, enough to fill five or six large boxes.
Putting her favorite record on the record player, Isabella gently pressed the switch. The room was instantly filled with music, and Isabella took the violin from the shelf, opened the violin case, and carefully applied rosin to the bow.
The violin was a gift from her mother on her twelfth birthday. At that time, her mother jokingly said she hoped to see her use this violin to hold a personal concert in the Golden Hall of Vienna someday. Now, she couldn't even keep a single violin.
Thinking of the past, when the family used to have a home music concert together, Isabella finally couldn't control herself. Holding the bow, tears fell.
Her phone suddenly rang. Isabella snapped back to reality, quickly turned off the record player.
"Miss Hartwell, I have a job for you – a private birthday banquet performance. The pay is $1,000 per hour." Isabella sniffed, trying hard to control her emotions.
Hearing her silent, the manager assumed she disliked such low-end work.
"I understand, if you don't want to take it..."
"No..." Isabella struggled not to let her voice sound strange.
"I'll take it!"
Now she no longer had the qualifications to be picky.
"Great, I'll send you the time and location."
Ending the call, Isabella took a shower and changed into a dress suitable for attending banquets.
"Mom, I'm sorry."
Picking up the well-maintained violin from the table, she pursed her lips and closed the box. At present, nothing was more important than saving her father's life.
Grabbing her violin, Isabella hurried downstairs. At seven o'clock, she arrived on time at the banquet venue – Night Color Pub, the largest entertainment venue in the south of the city.
Outside the VIP private room on the third floor.
Isabella knocked on the door, and the deafening music hit her ears.
The boy who opened the door saw her, and his eyes widened.
Isabella took a deep breath. "Hello, is this Mr. Reynolds' birthday party? I'm Isabella, the violinist here to perform."
The boy regained his senses, motioning for her to come in, and picked up the microphone.
"Nathan, the beautiful violinist you invited is here."
In an instant, everyone turned their heads towards Isabella.
Nathan Reynolds, the birthday host, sitting in front of the small bar drinking, raised his glass and turned his face. He raised his right hand, and someone immediately turned off the music, and the entire private room fell silent.
Walking over, he looked Isabella up and down.
Nathan licked his tongue, smiled.
"Hey, isn't this the little princess of the Hartwell family?"
Isabella carefully looked at him. She recognized that the young man with his hair dyed gray was Nathan Reynolds, a classmate who had confessed to her in junior high school and was rejected.
Emily Ryder, dressed in a dazzling gown, approached, holding a cocktail.
"This is the birthday gift I gave to Nathan. How do you like it, Nathan?"
"Wow, Nathan is lucky tonight."
"Emily, why don't you give more of these gifts?"
...
Several guys laughed and teased her.
Seeing Emily, Isabella immediately guessed that this was a deliberate trap set by the other side.
When Nathan confessed to her back then, she casually discarded the letter.
But someone maliciously stuck the love letter on the school bulletin board.
Campus gossip, principal's reprimand...
Nathan became the laughingstock of the whole school.
Since then, Nathan hated her to death.
Before, with the prosperity of the Hartwell family, Nathan didn't dare to provoke her.
Now, in her current desperate state, how could the other party let her off?
Clutching her violin, Isabella turned around to escape.
Emily rushed over, blocking her way.
Looking into Isabella's eyes, she smirked coldly.
- Writer
