Page 4 of Symphony for Lies (Tangled Truths #2)

“Good job!”

I smiled as I reviewed Simon’s worksheets. Over the weekend, I prepared a few test exercises to see if he had grasped the topics. And there were almost no mistakes.

“Really?” He lifted his brows, uncertainty flickering across his face.

“Really. If you keep this up, you won’t need me anymore.”

I expected him to be happy about that, but his lips curved into a pout, and his eyes shimmered with unshed tears.

His tiny hands clutched mine tightly.“No, I’m still bad. I still need your help. Please don’t leave me.”

My heart clenched.“Simon… don’t worry.” I squeezed his fingers gently. “I’m not leaving you. And you’re not bad. Please don’t tell yourself that.”

“My mother wants to send me to a private school,” he murmured, barely above a whisper. “But I don’t want to leave my school… even if the kids are mean. I like watching them play.”

His heart was so big. And yet, he was so lonely.

Mrs. Cole had particular ideas about what a proper education should look like. Her youngest son wasn’t meant to grow up among ordinary children.

But it wasn’t just her influence shaping him. It was his father’s.

And Mr. Cole had a different philosophy. He wanted Simon to stay grounded.

I didn’t know if I should get involved in family matters, but…

“I don’t want to change schools.” A tear slipped down Simon’s cheek. “And I don’t want you to leave, either.”

Aww…

I wrapped my arms around him, rubbing his back in soothing circles. His tiny frame trembled as he quietly sobbed into my shirt.

It took a while, but he calmed down a little, and I handed him a tissue.

“Don’t worry, Simon. I’ll try to talk to your mother.”

He hesitated, then gave a slight nod.

“And about the tutoring ending… That was a joke. I thought it would be a compliment to say you didn’t need me anymore. But of course, I’ll still be here for a while.”

“Thank you,” he sighed in relief. But then, in a whisper, he added, “I’m still alone.”

The ache in my chest tightened.

“When you leave, I’m alone in my room. Tomorrow, when I go to school, I’m alone. When I do my homework, I’m alone. Dad is never home. Zane is barely around. And Mom is always… too busy with herself.”

God.

That hurt.

“What about things you enjoy? What makes you happy?” I tried to give him something, anything, to hold on to. But his answer sent ice through my veins.

“I’m not allowed to do anything.”

“What?”

He shrugged. “I’m not allowed to read adventure books, only educational ones. I can’t watch TV. I can’t play outside because I might get hurt. I’m only allowed to play the violin or piano, but it’s no fun… And I don’t have any friends.”

I was speechless.

Mrs. Cole controlled everything.

I took a deep breath, thinking.

“Do you enjoy studying with me?”

His eyes lit up. “Yes! The other tutors were too strict. But with you, it’s fun.”

I exhaled, “Then I’ll stay for a while longer.”

His smile returned, but deep inside, I knew it was fake.

After that, Simon opened up to me more than ever.He spoke about his thoughts and worries, and I did my best to comfort him.

By the end of our session, I could tell how exhausted he really was. His eyes dropped mid-sentence, and he forced them back open every time they closed.

Eventually, I convinced him that it was time to stop. I gathered my things, and he walked me to the front door.

But before I could leave, I was held up by Mrs. Cole’s cold gaze in the hallway.

Her face was, as always, flawlessly made up, and her dark hair fell in soft waves over her shoulders. She wore a sleek black evening dress, a striking contrast to her strict expression.

“Amelia, may I have a word with you?”

Simon flinched in surprise. “Mom, when did you get back?”

“Just now.”

“Can we have dinner together?”

“No, Simon. Go eat and then head to bed.”

That was it. Nothing more.

Simon’s head lowered. “Okay. ”

I bit my lip.He looked so sad.

Mrs. Cole cleared her throat loudly to regain my attention, then turned and walked toward the living room.

I nodded one last time at Simon before following her.

The living room was breathtaking, with floor-to-ceiling windows that overlooked the garden.

An entire wall was lined with shelves adorned with trophies.

An open grand piano sat in the corner with sheets of music on the stand.

And on the walls were lots of family portraits.

I noticed that Zane was the only one featured alone.

My gaze lingered there for a moment too long before I turned to look at Mrs. Cole.

She stood by the window, her arms crossed over her chest as if she were hugging herself.

I remained a few steps back, waiting for her to speak.

She took her time, and when I glanced outside, I saw the sky had darkened considerably. A nervous feeling settled in my stomach. The longer I stayed, the more unsettling my walk home would be.

“Amelia, how is Simon doing?”

Her voice pulled me from my thoughts, and I quickly pushed my unease aside.

“He’s improved a lot.”

She frowned. “Are you sure?”

“Yes, I’m sure. He’s a bright boy.”

Her body didn’t relax. If anything, her shoulders slumped slightly as if that had been the wrong answer.

“I don’t want Simon to stay at that school. ”

I blinked, confused. I didn’t understand what that question had to do with the situation.

“But if you say he’s improving, I won’t be able to convince my husband otherwise.”

Oh… She didn’t care about what was best for Simon. She cared about getting her way.

“May I ask why you want him to transfer?”

I wasn’t sure how far I could push, but the question slipped out before I could stop it.

She blinked. Her flawless expression remained intact, but something flickered in her eyes.

“I don’t know… it just bothers me that he goes there.”

I stiffened. Wow. What a wonderful reason…

Silence stretched between us. Then… a sigh.

“Everything feels too much lately.”

Mrs. Cole sank onto the cushioned piano bench, pressing her fingers to her temple like the world was giving her a headache.

“I was a gifted violinist,” she whispered. “Now… I’m irrelevant.” Her eyes burned with frustration. “They laughed at me tonight. I was nothing but a washed-up name. And now, I can’t even convince my husband to pull Simon from that school. My day couldn’t have gotten any worse.”

I wasn’t sure if she was looking for sympathy or someone to vent to. But I was surely the wrong person for it.

“I’ve known about you for a long time, Amelia.” Her voice softened slightly. “Mr. Watson used to talk about you.”

My brows lifted.

She knew him… and he talked about me?

Even though Mr. Watson was always kind and taught me a lot about music, it was surprising.

“He rarely gave praise,” the woman added, her gray eyes locking onto mine. “But he said you had extraordinary talent.”

Had. Past tense.

I bit my lip.

“Money stopped you, didn’t it?”

The words shot straight into my chest, and a wave of shame and sorrow washed over me.

“I never had those problems,” she continued, her lips twitching slightly. “But now, I finally understand what it’s like to lose control over something.”

My heart turned cold.

Was she comparing herself to me? Mrs. Cole? Someone who had everything? Someone who had been celebrated?

“Mrs. Cole… This isn’t the same,” I said, keeping my voice steady. “You had a career. You lived your dream. I… never even got the chance to.”

Our eyes locked, and for a moment, I thought I saw something like understanding in her eyes. But it wasn’t enough.

“And I don’t regret it, Mrs. Cole. It’s honestly sad that you’re using me as a comparison.”

I was done with this conversation and really wanted to go home.

Taking a deep breath, I changed the subject.

“I came here tonight as Simon’s tutor. I’ve said what I needed to say.

” My voice grew firmer. “Simon is a bright child. He’s improved tremendously.

He deserves to have his wishes respected.

I strongly recommend he stay at his current school and join my group tutoring program to interact with other kids. ”

A deep male voice cut through the air. “That sounds like a good idea.”

I slowly turned around, stiffening as I faced the doorway and the two newcomers.

Mr. Cole… and Zane.

His posture was relaxed, but his eyes… they were on me. Too long… too intense.

My chest tightened.

How long had they been standing there?

Zane stepped into the room, his gaze flicking to his mother. She hastily wiped her cheeks and straightened her posture. “What are you doing here already? Weren’t you supposed to be at the gala?”

The reply was curt. “It’s over.”

The tension in the room thickened.

He didn’t look away from me again as he asked in a deep and calm voice laced with something dangerous, “What’s going on here?”

I opened my mouth to respond, but Mr. Cole spoke first. “Don’t act like we weren’t eavesdropping. We heard everything.”

My heart skipped a beat. They had been listening? Oh God.

The air grew heavier.

Mr. Cole stepped beside me, his hand landing on my shoulder.Even though he was an older gentleman, his presence was firm. Unyielding. “So, Simon has improved?”

I nodded, my face burning.

“Good.” His lips curled into a grin. “Then he stays at his school. And he will join the group tutoring.” Mr. Cole turned to his wife.“We’ll take care of the formalities later.”

Mrs. Cole didn’t react immediately. But then, she shrugged, stood up, and pressed her lips together into a thin line. “Do whatever you want. You never listen to me anyway.” Her voice was quiet but dripping with venom.

The tension in the room was truly unbearable.

I had enough.I needed to get out.

“It’s getting late, I really should be going.” I tried to sound as professional as possible. “We can discuss the formalities another time.”

Mr. Cole checked his watch and nodded.

“Thank you.” I gave a slight bow. “I hope you all have a good evening.”

I took a step toward the door and—

“Zane, take her home.” Mr. Cole’s voice left no room for argument.

“No, no. That’s really okay. I’ll just call a taxi—”

But to my surprise, Zane stepped beside me without argument.His finger closed around my wrist. Not tightly, not painfully, but impossible to escape.

“I’m driving you.”

And then, before I could protest, he pulled me out of the room.