She had always been- still- breathtaking.

With the violin propped on her shoulder as her bow matched against the strings, creating a echoing sound that transcended to the empty chambers of the abode. She hadn’t known he was there watching from such a distance, obscured from the shadows of the floor above.

For a time, he was content with endlessly gazing.

His eyes grew tired however the moment the music stopped, he forced himself to turn away when he heard a second voice. Even when he managed to escape and close the door, he could hear a hint of their joint laughter.

The door opened and without having to look up, he could hear the jostling grin entering. “Brother, I didn’t expect you here so early in the day.”

Kris kept silent, a gesture his brother was too used to as he settled comfortably in the adjacent seat. Their family had ran the opera house for four generations, he and his brother had since taken over its leadership.

“Our revenue isn’t too strong this quarter.” Kris informed, studying the sheets.

“Opera doesn’t bring in as much of an audience as it once did. We have to consider other avenues for profit.” His brother tossed the idea in his head when he then snapped his fingers. “Why not let other performing arts borrow our house? Theatre plays, musicals, orchestras, the list goes on!”

“It’s never been done.”

“We have to keep up with the times. Music is such a great gift to the public, and has personally brought me the greatest of pleasure.”

He was certain that music was never his brother’s interest.

His brother stood up and reached for a drink while still in the middle of their finances. “You won’t mind if I leave early tonight? I promised dinner with my wife.”

“Of course,” he replied. “How’s her pregnancy coming along?”

“Good I suppose. It’s routine by now, she knows how to take care of herself.” He placed his coffee on the table. “I’m also thinking of allowing the Sheerna Orchestra to have their full concert here.”

Kris tried his best to focus all of his attention on the paper in his hand, not that his mind could process a single word or number. “How so?” He asked, easily acting as if the name hadn’t struck a chord.

“I’ve seen some of their players practice here, I think there’s potential there.”

And like any other time, Kris pretended there wasn’t an underlying meaning to his brother’s words.

Their role never involved actively interacting with the individual players, but his charismatic brother took it upon himself to do so every time with Kris mostly working behind the scenes. The few times he appeared backstage, he’d see them interact every so often. He wanted to ignore it and was good at remaining unseen, but his brother would just call him over if he were spotted.

Victoria bowed politely as Kris stepped closer. His clammy palms intertwined behind his back.

“How was I?”

Splendid, he thought. Victoria looked at the two, while his brother always boasted, Kris was always rather silent. She sometimes appeared hopeful that Kris would once say something. He wanted to.

“My dear brother, as quiet as ever. Can’t you even muster a bit of encouragement for our star?” His brother tsked. “You’re beautiful.” His brother praised, she beamed at his words.

Is that all he saw? Her beauty, yes, was something to be in awe of, but there was still so much more to her. Could his brother not see her talent? Her passion as she mastered each piece and placed her presence when she stepped into a room. How every eye made their way to her, unable to resist being nearby like a moth to a flame.

It was dangerous territory, and quite clearly his brother was in it.

Maybe working for the arts wasn’t a good thing for them both, his brother too well trained as a charming loyal man, while Kris could easily take a backseat and act as if his heart wasn’t shattering, that it wasn’t reacting to Victoria’s every whim.

He was a weak man.

-

Kris stepped to the empty opera house when he heard sobs. He walked down the inclined floors to see Victoria sitting in a distant seat with her face deep into her hands. He neared himself, reaching to place a consoling hand when she raised her head.

“Ah, I’m so sorry. I didn’t think anyone was here.” She wiped her tears and as she pulled herself together.

He said nothing, but she glanced at his concerned expression and forced a smile. “I’ll perform my best at the show, do not worry.”

I meant with you, Kris corrected as he watched her back. He could care less about the performance.

“Kris,” a voice snaps Kris out of his trance within the office, he looked up at his brother. “You haven’t been focusing at all on what I was saying.”

“Distracted,” Kris explained. Usually his brother was never this easily agitated by him, masked by his haughty demeanor. “I haven’t seen you in the Opera house for days.” Kris spoke.

“Yes, well, I can’t now. Not until next week.”

“Why not?” Kris could put the pieces together, his brother never did like having a woman for long but he went along with the pretense.

“She’s pregnant.”

Kris’s drink clanked horribly on the dish, he wiped his lips with the cloth. “And what are you going to do about this?” His brother appeared overly relaxed about the situation.

That awful grin traced his features. “How can I be certain it’s even mine?”

How much he wanted to punch his face, to make it as ugly as the man he was inside.

Then that was why...

“Victoria.”

Despite his walking up to her from the front, she was easily startled by his presence. Partly distracted and maybe shocked that she had heard him speak in the first place. With her violin still clutched in her hand, she attempted at an awkward bow. “Good evening-”

“Victoria, I know what my brother did. I came to see if you were alright.”

She lowered her head, appearing strong as she could. “I’m fine.”

“What are you going to do?”

“Now may not be the best time to discuss this,” she respectfully evaded. He stepped in front of her before she could take her position on stage.

“What will you do?”

Her strained voice tightened the clutch in his chest. “Your brother’s made it quite clear what I am to do.” She cleared , “Now please excuse me, I must-”

“Marry me.”

Victoria’s eyes blinked, uncertain of what she had heard. She parted her lips but no words escaped, he attempted to answer her wordless questions.

“This baby is as much my blood as is his. I will take care of both you and the child.”

Shaken, she finally found her voice. “I can’t ask you to do this.”

His hands were placed on her thin shoulders, their eyes still locked. An unwed woman would be looked down on in their society, a child born from wedlock could expect nothing. “Consider your child. Our union will bring him or her much prosperity, a renowned name and fortune as well as a future.”

She was visibly torn when he heard a call for the orchestra to take their places. He hastily spoke as the minutes escaped them. “Please think it over, consider all the options, and I hope you place as much thought to my offer as well.”

She gave no answer that she would. Kris gazed at her from afar as the music descended onto the awaiting crowd, his seat in the dark box with its one way mirror.

He gazed at her from afar and spoke quietly, “Even if your heart never lies with me, I’ll do all I can to protect you.”

-

Li Victoria she became.

Kris could still recall the shock that appeared on his brother’s face when he brought her to the family for a formal introduction, but he mentioned not a word to him. And when he addressed Victoria, it was as if he was speaking kindly to a stranger. Kris could see her hurt but she hid it well throughout the day.

“You dared to marry the wench?” His mother criticized.

“She may be at fault mother, but there were two parties involved.”

“Do not speak of it aloud,” she urgently warned, his sister-in-law was just a distance away. His mother made no attempt to mask her contempt for his bride.

“Mother-in-law, your home is beautiful.” Victoria complimented, his mother ignored her. His sister-in-law noticed the estrangement and then gestured to a cake on the table.

“She brought you this dessert as a gesture of good faith.” His mother still gave no word.

He had enough. “Mother, please be courteous.” Kris warned as he stepped into the room.

His mom scoffed. “You bring her around as if she’s some prize, when she’s barely scraps.”

Victoria kept her head lowered.

“Mother, speak ill of my wife once more, and I will end my involvement with this family at once.” She was silenced at once. If there was one thing, Kris was never the type to bluff. His sister-in-law covered her gasped mouth and he could see his brother from the corner of his eye in shock at his words.

“I apologize for my mother’s rudeness, she can be quite headstrong.” Kris said after during the car ride home, Victoria exhaled.

“I didn’t expect kind treatment. I am also to blame, no family wants to welcome a loose woman.”

“The least my brother could have done was not tempt you in the first place.” Kris spoke coolly, he heard a quiet laugh from her.

“You’re a kind soul.” Victoria praised him to be.

Selfish, more like.

She looked out the window at the passing homes. “Say, do you have regrets?” She asked him.

“Some,” he admits. She seemed surprised.

“I would think you would have none. You always think of the outcomes foremost.”

“I do, but that might be my biggest fault.” If it weren’t for his constant hesitance, he may have been able to change their fate.

“I’m sorry.” He said after a long silence, she stared peculiarly at him.

“What for?”

“I’m certain it’s hardly a young girl’s dream to marry in court during its final hour with a rather coarse judge.”

It was the first time in a long while that he heard her laugh so sincerely.

-

No one was in the hospital room but himself, Victoria’s family couldn’t travel the distance and spare time away from work to be there, but they had visited plenty before.

When Victoria came to, Kris remained by her side.

“How is he?” She asked, even with her plastered bangs and disheveled appearance, he could see no wrong in her.

“He’s doing fine.”

She sighed in relief, “I can’t even remember holding him, I didn’t think I’d be this disorientated.”

Kris pursed his lips, “Would you like your mother to visit?”

She smiled softly, “You’ve done enough. You paid for one too many trips of theirs and mine. And I am sorry for all I put you through all these months, looking back on it now-”

“Don’t be.”

She closed her eyes after, still exhausted. As the sun soon dawned, Kris glimpsed at the birth certificate on the clipboard by the bed.

Name: Li Fan. It detailed the characters of his name which they were both proud of. His pride was short-lived as he realized something off with the paper.

“Nurse,” he politely approached just outside in the hallway. “Why is this not filled out?” He pointed to the notably empty slot where the father’s name was meant to be.

“She wouldn’t give me an answer.”

Kris looked back into the room where she laid peacefully as the sun’s rays enveloped the room. He turned back to the nurse, “I’m his father.”

“Ah, that’s good news then. I figured she was just too tired to answer.” She handed him a form. “This states you acknowledge your parentage to the child, please have a form of ID ready and sign below.”

There was no consideration for any other possible outcome. His signature was left on the bottom as the clipboard was taken away. Kris strolled by the nursery and stood afront the glass along with other accompanying parents.

Li Fan, welcome home.

-

“Do you love daddy?”

Kris overhead that question often, a toddler Li Fan still attempted to grasp the concept of what love was, going by what he heard in his story books and fairytales.

“I do,” she insisted.

The first time Victoria was asked that question, she was at a loss of what to say. Kris had been nearby at the time and could see her flustered struggle.

He never pestered her on who she referred to, whether her affection was in fact referring to someone else. He didn’t have the sense to pry, no matter how close they’ve come to be over the years.

He looked down at the couch to see Victoria napping. Kris hoisted his son up in his arms. “Let’s let your mother sleep,” his son toothily grinned as he mimicked his father’s action, a finger placed on both their lips.

The afternoon was peaceful, Li Fan also napped and Kris went ahead with his work when he heard a distant sound. A soft calling that lured from his den to the outskirts of the home, just until he peered around a corner to see her sitting on the outside patio’s edge.

When Victoria lowered the instrument, she looked back at the clapping. “I thought you’d be at work by now.”

“There’s some errands I could work from home with. That was enchanting,” he complimented.

She exhaled. “I haven’t played the most difficult piece, this is just child’s play.”

“Your music has always been brilliant.”

She bashfully returned her instrument to its case, her eyes lit from his words. “Hearing compliments from you, I never would have thought I’d see the day.”

Odd how at ease he felt, sitting on the patio beside her. “It’s strange how easy it is now to say those words, when it was so difficult to even be in the same room as you before.”

“You found me that difficult to be near?” She joked with a hint of uncertainty. Kris smiled, a gesture he was now accustomed to.

“Look!” They both turn at Li Fan’s waving hands to the birds on the tree, then a look of panic when he realized his frisbee was stuck on the branches.

“Far from it.” Kris reassured, as he walked over Li Fan and easily pried the toy from its branches, crouching down to hand it over to him.

“Daddy,”

“Hmm?”

“Do you love mommy?”

“Of course.” Li Fan laughed. And like the first time Li Fan ever asked him this question, Kris answered it without hesitance.

He felt her eyes trail after him, a common occurrence as of late.

“Is something wrong?” He’d asked.

Her guarded look reminds him of the times he’s been caught with his attention directed elsewhere. He doesn’t comment as her silence overcame her, her awkward voice giving her away, not quite realizing her silence did the same.

“Nothing’s wrong,” she finally insists, comfortably settling as she meets his eyes.

Knowing those were words of truth strummed the chords in his heart, nothing else could have made him happier.

Even if he could never hear the words he most wanted, his family’s happiness more than sufficed.

-

“Daddy, are you leaving to the Opera House?”

“Yes, but later this evening, I have a lot of things to prepare.” Li Fan nodded as he continued playing. Kris stared at an object pushed to the corner of the room, covered by other toys.

“I don’t remember this gift,” Kris commented on a child sized piano.

“Uncle gave it to me.”

Li Fan as he grew older, wasn’t kept from the truth and knew who his father really was. But that didn’t encourage a close relationship of any sort between them.

“Why aren’t you playing it then?”

Li Fan shook his head. “I like the violin more.” Li Fan then walked over and tugged his large hands. “Daddy, which do you like more?”

“The violin. Always have.”

Li Fan nodded, but a thought was troubling him. Kris patiently waited until Li Fan spoke, “Do we have to go to grandmother’s house tomorrow.”

“Do you not want to?” Li Fan shook his head quickly. “Why not?”

“...She scares me.”

She still hadn’t warmed up to Victoria whatsoever, but at least his mother held no grudge to her grandson. Kris ruffled his son’s hair, “We do have to go.” At his son’s loud sigh, he smiled and patted his head. “I’ll do all that I can to protect you, you and your mother both.”

Li Fan tried to nod and walked out of the room. Kris turned to see Victoria watching from the doorway. “Is something wrong?”

“Maybe.”

“Do you not want to go either?” He questioned, standing up. The thought that his brother could still have an effect on her after all this time bothered him to no end, but he knew what cards he was dealt with since the beginning. He just wished he had the better hand.

“I’ll go, I wouldn’t want Li Fan to be alone.” Victoria said, “I adore his father too much to do so.”

Kris adjusted his cuff links, his eyes lowering despite her relaxed demeanor. The act he was so used to playing whenever it approached this subject couldn’t be done, his resolve to even bother weakened considerably so.

To the point that he dared to ask, “Do you still care for my brother?”

There wasn’t an answer. Kris regretted the words the second they left his mouth, but he turned around to face whatever truth it may be. He thought she would be left silent, mildly bothered even, but flabbergasted wasn’t one of them.

Shaken, she walked up to him. “Do you still think I am?”

Was I wrong? And just like that, he reverted to his old self and wished as her eyes focused on him that he could escape as easily as he once had.

“Did you think that praise, those words were directed towards him?” Annoyed, she shook her head. “After all these years, after the way he treated me, what bit of my heart is left for him? None of it. Our son doesn’t consider him a father, and neither have I.”

In sight of her cross tone, he eventually spoke, albeit, slowly. “Then... When you said you loved his father, you meant...?”

She nodded once. Kris wasn’t sure of what expression he held, it may have been disbelief when she explained. “You’re no longer afraid to say what you feel around me. But I’m still cowardly, I... I felt this way for some time, but it seems the only way I could admit my feelings was to tell everyone else but you.” She chuckled. “Foolish, aren’t I?”

Kris realized just how close they were.

When had being this close stopped being a problem? When did it become this comfortable, this sweet?

“Possibly.” Kris admits, a slight nudge to his shoulder in return. Her hand relaxed by his shoulder, closing her eyes peacefully as she tiptoed to meet his lips. He knelt down, just inches apart-

They were interrupted by a sharp screeching that puzzled them both. When they both approached the cause of the sound, they walked in on their son playing his own violin.

Victoria cringed awkwardly, “That...isn’t quite how you play.”

Kris gestured for his son to sit by him on the couch. “Why not let us watch your mother demonstrate?”

Victoria narrowed her eyes playfully. “I’ll warn you both, it’s been sometime since I’ve last practiced.”

Li Fan eagerly watched as Kris patiently waited as she reappeared with her tuned instrument in tow.

She propped the violin on her shoulder, the bow tactfully flowing across the strings. It might not have been the most elaborate stage, her dress traded for a practical attire and her usually prepped hair tousled wildly around her shoulders.

She’s still a sight to behold.

She flashed a smile in their direction once she had finished as he and their son clapped loudly and ran to her to practice alongside. Kris remained nearby and watched, his smile breaking through.

They held a wedding a while prior, this time adorned with the proper gown, decorated by flowers and the likes. It may have been small, with his family’s side empty entirely, but it mattered not to him. It was a final thought as she walked up to him, eyes trained and locked as she neared the podium.

When they shared that proper kiss, he was now certain, he just knew.

Breathtaking she was, and still so ever.

-