“How? By publicly declaring Averil a thief?”
Julian pressed his lips together. “If you pull out of the show now, I’ll compensate you with other opportunities. I’ll also handle the online backlash for you.”
I swatted his hand aside. “Trash.”
“Victoria Dean!” he shouted, his voice edged with fury. “You’re the one pushing me to this!”
Without a backward glance, I stepped into the elevator, letting the doors close and shut out Julian’s voice.
I knew then that Julian was determined to make me lose this time.
The stage design, sound effects, and backup dancers were handled by internationally renowned teams.
1/2
+25 BONUS
Chapter 23
On top of that, Averil had bribed the director and judges of the Dancer Show.
“Miss Dean, this will be your stage.” Jason Watson, the directed me into a long-
abandoned, dusty old studio.
“Since you didn’t communicate your stage design requirements, we didn’t prepare anything. Oh, and it seems this sound system has some connectivity issues. Unfortunately, our station doesn’t have any spares at the moment. Perhaps you could make do?”
I glanced at Jason’s smug, gloating face and smiled faintly. “After being Averil’s lapdog for five years, you finally managed to sleep with her. Are you feeling proud?”
⚫ His expression instantly darkened. “You… you’re spouting nonsense
“Enjoy your last day on the job,” I said coldly, brushing past him and heading straight for the rooftop.
According to the schedule, Averil was supposed to perform first, with my turn coming afterward. But I wasn’t about to wait for this cesspool of a show to dictate my steps any longer.
I pushed open the iron door to the rooftop, pulling out the portable speaker I had prepared in advance. Setting up my phone, I opened my live–streaming app.
“Hello, everyone,” I began, my voice steady as rain drizzled around me. “I’m Victoria Dean. I apologize for meeting you all under these circumstances.
“But as a dancer, I want to show you that the most powerful performances don’t need elaborate embellishments. This dance has a real name. It’s called, the Unyielding Rose in the Rain.”
I slipped off my coat, revealing a tattered red gown beneath it, and the….te bandage wrapped around my ankle.
“A rose blooming in the rain, who could ever bend its beauty?”
Rising onto the tips of my toes, I leaped into the rain, the night sky embracing me like a vast,
open stage.
