Bound Hearts: My Vows to My Disabled Spouse

Bee The Concertmaster

That evening, Elyse decided to hit the hay early. To ensure she wouldn't be late, she left at the crack of dawn the next morning for the concert hall to slip into her performance attire.

One by one, the orchestra members began to arrive. Spotting Darren, Elyse made her way over to

say hello, only to find him staring intently at something, his brow creased with concern.

"What's caught your eye?" Elyse inquired, her curiosity piqued.

Darren glanced at her and nodded towards Vicky. "Doesn't she seem a bit off to you?" Elyse followed his gaze to where Vicky was standing with a group of orchestra members, engrossed in their chat.

After observing for a moment, she shrugged and said, "She seems fine to me."

Nevertheless, Darren wasn't convinced. He walked up to Vicky, his steps brisk and purposeful. Grabbing her wrist, he demanded, "Vicky, cut the act!"

"Are you out of your mind? Let go!" Vicky retorted, her voice rising in anger as she yanked her hand away. Her sharp, nasal tone echoed through the room, drawing everyone's attention.

Darren sneered, "You're unwell and you hid it from us. What if you collapse during the performance and bring shame to our Celestial Sounds Symphony in front of

everyone?" Dov8 M

Vicky shouted back, her voice raspy, "I'm not sick! Stop spreading lies!"

Darren turned to a gir! standing nearby and instructed, "Ask the manager to e and have her check on Vicky's condition."

The girl nodded and hurried off to find the manager.

Ina panic, Vicky tried to stop her, but dizziness overwhelmed her. She swayed, fighting the urge to faint.

Just then, Elyse hurried over and caught Vicky in her arms, steadying her.

Feeling the heat radiating from Vicky, Elyse asked with concern, "Are you running a fever? Have you taken any medicine?"

Vicky steadied herself, pushed Elyse away, and snapped, "I told you, I'm fine! Just leave me alone!

Elyse looked over at Darren, her face a mix of frustration and resignation.

Darren remained silent, his expression cold.

With her fists clenched, Vicky couldn't resist shooting a glare at Darren.

Soon, the manager and a group of staff arrived, one of them holding a thermometer. They approached Vicky to check her temperature, but she dodged, clearly unwilling to cooperate. The manager, her patience wearing thin, fixed Vicky with a stern look. "Vicky, this is not the time for stubbornness. We can't risk any mishaps during our first tour stop. It would damage our orchestra's reputation. Are you ready to shoulder that responsibility?"

"You really can't afford to slip up now. If you're sick, it's better to rest instead of going

"We've practiced so hard for this. Please, don't spoil our efforts."

"Can you handle the responsibility for everyone? And remember, even as concertmaster, you need to follow the rules."

Vicky bit her lip, hesitating only a moment before relenting. "Fine, give me the thermometer." The manager handed it over, and Vicky tucked it under her armpit. Fifteen minutes later, she returned it.

The manager checked the reading and exclaimed in frustration, "You have a high fever! Why are you so set on performing? Don't you care about your health at all?"

With her lips pressed tightly together, Vicky offered no response.

After a brief discussion with the staff, the manager decided to appoint a new concertmaster, replacing Vicky.Belonging © NôvelDram/a.Org.

Feeling the crowd's eyes on her, Elyse took a step back, her voice tinged with nerves. "Is something wrong?"

The manager responded in a steady tone, "I need to inform the concert hall staff about the

change in concertmaster. We'll take Vicky to the hospital later. Elyse, you'll step in for Vicky. I'll let the orchestra

know and will handle any fallout from this

Upon realizing she would be the new concertmaster, Elyse's eyes widened in shock as she looked over at Vicky.

Vicky returned her gaze with a look of bitterness.

Elyse opened her mouth to talk to Vicky, but the urgency of the moment meant she was hurried away by the staff. With particular responsibilities and stage manners for the concertmaster role, Elyse had to quickly adapt to them.

The backstage, once peaceful, grew tense and uneasy with the new concertmaster.

Vicky sat alone in a lounge corner, feeling abandoned for the first time as she watched others bustling around.

She sat there, disheartened. Out of the blue, a bottle of water appeared before her.

Surprised, she lifted her head and saw Darren's indifferent expression. Frustration laced her words. "Are you pleased now? Now I'm unable to perform on stage, and Elyse is taking my place. You've truly gone out of your way to make sure Elyse bees the concertmaster!"