Chapter 2The Serendipity of It All

The next morning, a crowd had gathered outside the villa. Every single person was armed with a guitar case or an instrument bag, their faces buzzing with excitement and anticipation.

The fake Lia opened the door, her jaw dropping at the sight of the small mob on her doorstep.

“Uh… can I help you?”

“Excuse me… is Lia here? We’re here to see her,” someone from the crowd called out.

“I’m Lia.”

A guy in the front laughed. “Awesome, we finally get to meet the Guitar Goddess in person! You kept us waiting long enough. Let’s do this! We’re dying to hear you play!”

“Yeah, come on, Lia! Don’t make us come all this way for nothing!”

I stood in the middle of the group, having changed into an old hoodie, my face mostly obscured. “That’s right,” I chimed in. “We’re all here for a performance from the master herself.”

The color drained from the imposter’s face. Her lips trembled as she struggled to find words, forcing a brittle smile. “I… when did I say you could come over?”

Someone immediately held up their phone, showing her the forum page. “You posted it right here, didn’t you?” he said, pointing to the post made by the verified account. “This is the official ‘Lia, the Guitar Goddess’ account. Are you saying that’s not you?”

A flicker of panic crossed her face. “No! It was me… I posted it,” she stammered, waving her hands dismissively. “Sorry, it just slipped my mind.” She gave a weak, awkward laugh and stepped aside, gesturing for us to come in.

I smiled coldly and followed the crowd into the villa.

This was the first time I’d ever set foot in my own house. I looked around. The decor was opulent, but in a gaudy, over-the-top way. It screamed ‘new money,’ completely devoid of any real artistic soul.

I am going to expose this fraud today, I vowed silently.

The fake Lia wrung her hands, still trying to weasel her way out. “You know… I’m a little busy today. Maybe some other time…”

“We came from all over just to see you play today!” someone interrupted. “Now that we’re here, you have to play at least one song for us.”

I added my voice to the chorus. “Yeah, just play anything. After all, the Guitar Goddess’s fingerstyle is legendary. That’s what we’re all here to see.”

At the mention of her playing, her face turned another shade paler. A bead of sweat trickled down her temple. “Okay… okay,” she said, her voice strained. “Let me… let me just get everyone some water.” She turned and fled toward the kitchen.

I was about to stop her, but the others were already thanking her. Fine, I thought with a smirk. You can’t run for long.

A moment later, we heard a crash from the kitchen, followed by a sharp cry.

The imposter emerged, clutching her hand. “I’m so sorry,” she said, her face a mask of regret. “I don’t think… I don’t think I can play today.”

Before she could say another word, I strode forward and grabbed her hand. A small, clean cut on her finger was welling up with blood.

“What a coincidence. You hurt your hand right now? Or is this just an excuse to get out of playing for us?”

The crowd murmured, their expressions shifting from excitement to suspicion. “Yeah,” someone muttered. “The timing is a little… perfect.”

Just then, Peter came storming down the stairs, his face a thundercloud. He shoved me aside and rushed to her. “Lia! What happened? Are you okay? Where are you hurt?”

She looked down, tears shimmering in her eyes. “Peter, it’s nothing… It was just an accident. It’s not her fault…”

I let out a derisive snort. “Peter, don’t you find it a little strange? Lia Lockwood is a famous musical prodigy, a genius on the guitar. You two have been together all this time. Are you telling me you’ve never once heard her play?”