Now 18, Veda is increasingly manipulative and elitist. After her piano teacher dies, she is rejected by famed conductor Carlo Treviso , who finds her playing technically proficient but emotionally hollow.
Stung by the rejection, Veda begins a relationship with a wealthy "society loafer," Sammy Forrester . Sammy’s mother confronts Mildred with allegations of a pregnancy, leading to a blackmail scheme by Veda to extract money from the Forrester family.
Mildred's obsession with earning Veda’s respect leads to an abusive cycle where she repeatedly sacrifices her own happiness for a daughter who loathes her.
Mildred discovers Veda’s deception and, after a explosive argument where Veda insults her mother's "grease-smelling" business, Mildred throws her out. Months later, Mildred hears Veda's voice on the radio and realizes her daughter has found massive success as a coloratura soprano . Key Themes