Chapter 15
1/4
The mile–long tunnel wrapped us in darkness, save for the fleeting glow of passing lights illuminating Julian’s face.
I could see his expression clearly–restrained yet intensely
focused.
Before I could fully process the kiss, a sudden burst of light
marked the tunnel’s end, forcing Julian to pull back.
“Sorry,” he said, his voice a little hoarse. “Did I scare you?”
My cheeks felt warm, and I shook my head awkwardly. “N–no, you
didn’t.”
“I’ve never… been with anyone before,” Julian admitted, sounding even more nervous than I was. “So I might be a little unskilled in…
technique.”
I nearly choked. “Jules!”
From my seat, I could see the driver struggling to suppress a grin.
Julian chuckled softly. “Do you like it?”
I froze.
This wasn’t exactly something I wanted to answer in front of
corseone else but the hopeful alimmer in Julian’s eves made it
Chapter 15
“Yeah,” I murmured, so quietly I could barely hear myself.
A radiant smile spread across Julian’s face, as if spring had suddenly melted the ice covering a frozen landscape.
“It’s all behind you now,” he said, gently brushing his fingers across my palm. “Congratulations, Lara. You’ve been reborn.”
“Thank you.”
I couldn’t help feeling a little shy.
The atmosphere in the car turned slightly awkward, but Julian swiftly changed the subject. “Did you get it?”
2/4
I reached into the flowerpot and pulled out a small hidden camera. “Yeah, they didn’t notice it at all.”
Months ago, I had attached the tiny camera to the flowerpot to review my movements while practicing. The footage was all stored
on the memory card.
From the refinement of individual moves to the seamless
connection of sequences, even a layperson could tell who had choreographed the dance.
But instead of uploading the video immediately to clear my name,
I decided to give Amber a chance to confess on her own.
Whatever could be said about her character, Amber’s
professional skills were undeniably strong.
Chapter 15
In our field, she was among the best, especially domestically.
3/4
I knew the severity of what she’d done. If I exposed her, she’d face industry–wide blacklisting.
Out of some misplaced sense of mercy, I decided to give her a shot at redemption.
It turned out that trying to be the bigger person was sometimes a mistake.
Amber didn’t confess. Instead, she made the trending topics
again.
She posted pictures of the mess in Ethan’s house and a close–up of the signed divorce papers on Space X.
Amber: [No matter the cost, I finally achieved my dream. Let’s walk this road of flowers together.]
The comments section lit up with all kinds of responses.
[So Mr. Ward divorced Clara?]
[Looks like Clara didn’t take it well. Did she trash the place in a
tantrum?]
[Honestly, she probably forced her way into that marriage in the first place. A desperate woman like her… figures.]
[If two people aren’t truly in love, there’s no point clinging to each
Chapter 15
other. Clara should’ve let go a long time ago.]
[Low–key loving this “true love conquers all” vibe between Mr. Ward and Amber.]
4/4
Amber had a knack for manipulating public opinion. With a few well–placed posts, I was once again cast as the “bitter witch” who couldn’t let go.
Julian’s entire demeanor shifted, his rage almost tangible. Without
a word, he stood and headed for the door.
I grabbed his wrist. “We live in a lawful society, Jules. No need to
resort to violence. Let her dig her own grave.”
I was about to upload the footage when I saw Amber had tagged
me in her latest post.
Amber: [Clara, I can agree to all your demands–except
admitting to plagiarizing Love. For one, while I did interfere in your relationship with Ethan, I still have my pride as a dancer.
For another, I created this dance for Ethan, and it holds a special
meaning to us. Words won’t convince anyone, so why don’t
we settle this on stage? Let’s compete on the Choreographer’s
Canvas and perform this dance together. Let the audience decide who it truly belongs to. Clara, you wouldn’t suddenly claim to have an injury, would you?]
Write your comment
