"Jackie..." Morris pleaded, his voice filled with embarrassment and guilt, "I... Can I still learn the piano with you? Even if you don’t want to be friends anymore, I still want to learn the piano with you. I’ll learn lots of pieces – whatever you want to hear, I promise I'll play it for you."

His voice trembled with emotion.

Jacqueline hesitated, but the things she heard earlier echoed in her mind. She tried to pull her hand free of his grip. "There's no need. I don’t want to hear you play the piano anymore. Morris, I don’t like being used, and I don’t want my family to be used either. I used to love your playing, but not anymore."

With that, she got into the car with the driver, leaving him behind.

The black vehicle slowly drove away, fading from Morris' view.

He stood there, staring blankly at the departing car, his fragile body trembling with overwhelming fear.

Does Jackie... hate him now?

Would he never play the piano with her, attend classes together, or even see her anymo