Audrey povI stood in the foyer, my luggage by my side, ready to leave the house that no longer felt like mine.As I reached the staircase, Martha rushed toward me.“Ma’am, wait,” she pleaded, her voice trembling. She glanced nervously toward the living room, where Harold and Gina sat. “It has been weeks, and we still haven’t received our wages.”I paused, looking at her with an air of finality. “Your real boss is back. Go to him for your pay. Don't bother me anymore.”Her face fell, disappointment etched in her features. She hesitated, opening her mouth as if to argue.Without another word, she turned and walked over to Harold.I turned back toward the door, gripping the handle, when Harold’s voice stopped me cold.“Audrey,” he snapped, stepping into my path. A stack of papers was in his hand, his face tight with frustration. “Why haven’t you taken care of the wages?”I stared at him, disbelieving. “Me? Harold, you’ve been handling everything since you came back. Shouldn’t you know w
Audrey povI stared at Lisa, disbelief written all over my face. “Wait, you're saying the doctor who can fix my leg is now working for some billionaire and doesn't take other patients anymore?”Lisa nodded, her expression full of sympathy. “His name is Michell Garcia. My boyfriend overheard it at a cocktail party. Apparently, the guy's a recluse.”Just yesterday, I was excited that there might be a solution to my problem and now this?My heart sank, but I forced a weak smile. “Thanks for telling me, Lisa. I’ll figure something out.”I wasn’t about to give up.For a week, I had done everything I could think of to meet Michell Garcia. Every attempt ended in failure.Lisa’s boyfriend had warned me earlier. “He’s almost impossible to reach, Audrey. Even most elites can’t meet him unless they’ve got business worth billions.”But I couldn't afford to give up, not when there was hope.So, when every reasonable route failed, I took the most unreasonable one—I lied. I walked into his company’s
Audrey povWhen I opened the door and saw Michell Garcia standing there, I froze. My brain refused to register what my eyes were seeing. Was I dreaming? The infamous Michell Garcia.Before I could speak, Amelia darted past me, her voice bursting with excitement. “Daddy!” she cried out, throwing herself into his arms. Daddy? Michell’s expression softened for a split second as he caught her. Then his gaze shifted to me, hardening. “Care to explain what’s going on here?” His voice was damn smooth yet made my heart race. Michell’s eyes didn’t leave mine. His jaw tightened as if he expected me to speak. Before I could speak, his assistant, standing just behind him, chimed in. “Sir, we can’t rule out the possibility that she must have abducted Little Miss. But she's not smart enough,” the assistant said.My mouth fell open. “Are you serious? I saved her from being kidnapped.”Michell raised a hand, silencing us both. “Take her to the police,” he said curtly to his bodyguard. “
Audrey povLeaving Michell’s luxurious hotel, I felt a mix of gratitude and dread. Grateful I was able to see the doctor but also the cost. The cost was a hell much.I had no one to rely on, no immediate solution to my problems, and certainly no magic wand to make it all go away.I pulled out my phone and hesitated for a moment before dialing my mother’s number. The line rang twice before I hung up. Who was I kidding?She hadn’t spoken to me in years—not since I married Harold. She’d called my quitting dancing to follow love a mistake back then, and I’d stubbornly ignored her warnings.Now, fate cruelly stood waiting for me to digest the consequences of my choices.“Snap out of it,” I muttered under my breath, shaking my head.Later, I met with my lawyer, a kind but no-nonsense man—Greg. He didn’t sugarcoat anything.“Your ex-husband has hired one of the best lawyers in town, Ms. Taylor,” he said, adjusting his glasses.“He’s throwing money at this case to ensure he doesn’t have to p
Michell’s povI heard the raised voices from inside the hotel. At first, I tried to ignore it—nothing new, really. Guests were unpredictable, and emotions flared. But this was different. The sharpness of the tones, the obvious tension, grated on me. I didn’t appreciate noise in my space, especially at this hour. I was on my way to the elevator when the sound hit a peak I couldn’t ignore. I paused, narrowing my eyes. It was coming from outside, in the direction of the entrance. I couldn’t make out the words, but the argument was unmistakable. My footsteps slowed as I approached the door, and that’s when I saw them—Audrey and Mr. Thomas? I didn’t expect to see either of them here. Audrey, I assumed, had already left after our conversation. She had no reason to stay. As for Mr. Thomas, I had no particular interest in what he was doing outside my hotel at this hour, especially not if it involved causing a scene. I stepped outside without a word, taking in the scene with a quick, cal
Audrey povI let out a slow breath as I watched Mr. Garcia disappear back into the hotel. “You have an agreement. Figure your personal issues out elsewhere.” I swallowed hard, gripping my purse tighter. The sharp dismissal in his voice wasn’t surprising—he had made it clear from the start that he wasn’t interested in anything outside of business. Still, the way he had cut me off so coldly left a sting I hadn’t anticipated. With Harold already gone, his tail tucked between his legs, I was finally alone. Alone with my thoughts. And unfortunately, they all circled back to him. Harold. The man I had once loved. The man I had defiled all odds to be with. The man who, now, looking back, I wasn’t sure I had ever truly known. I sighed and started walking toward the bus stop, ignoring the way my legs ached from the long day. The city was alive around me—horns blaring, neon lights flickering, people bustling through the night like they had somewhere more important to be. Meanwh
Audrey’s pov.The hours passed, and I tried to settle into the rhythm of the house. The housekeeper came by shortly after, showing me Amelia’s daily schedule. She went to school every weekday, followed by a few extracurricular activities, and then some quiet time before dinner. It was all neatly written out, and I was meant to follow it exactly.I wasn’t sure what to make of it. Every single detail was planned for Amelia, but it felt like she was being treated more like a project than a child.Still, I pushed my thoughts aside. I wasn’t here to question everything. I was here to help.Around three o'clock, the doorbell rang, and a housekeeper answered it. A few moments later, the sound of footsteps echoed through the hallway, and I turned to see Amelia enter the room.The moment her eyes landed on me, her face lit up.“Audrey!” she exclaimed, her voice filled with excitement. She bounded over to me, her tiny hands pulling at my sleeves as she smiled up at me. “You’re here!”I laughed
Michell povI sat in silence for a long while after she left.Ms. Taylor had nerves. That much was clear. Most people folded under pressure, especially when faced with authority they knew they couldn’t challenge. But she had stood there, unwavering, defending her choices as if she had the right to.She didn’t.And yet, I found myself neither irritated nor impressed.Curious, maybe.I turned my attention back to my notes. Amelia’s routine was structured down to the minute—a necessity, not an overcorrection. Audrey saw it as rigid. She saw room for adjustment.She was wrong.But that didn’t mean she was useless.For now, I would let her believe she was doing well.She had two months to prove herself.And I intended to test her every step of the way.***A week later.The morning was quiet, just the way I preferred it. I adjusted the cuffs of my suit as I descended the staircase, mentally running through my schedule for the day. My time was accounted for—meetings, calls, decisions th
AUDREY POVThe five of us stood side by side on the stage, our breaths shallow, our hearts racing. The lights were blinding, heating my skin, but nothing compared to the pounding of my chest. The murmurs of the audience were a distant hum in my ears. All I could focus on was the panel of judges in front of us, their expressions unreadable as they looked down at the results in their hands. I clenched my fists to keep them from shaking. The lead judge, a distinguished man with graying temples and sharp, observant eyes, leaned into the microphone. His voice, smooth but authoritative, filled the silence. “Before we announce the results, we want to take a moment to acknowledge each of you. What you’ve accomplished here is beyond commendable. This stage is not for the weak-hearted, and every single one of you has proven why you deserve to be here. Winning or not, this is only the beginning.”The words should have comforted me, but all they did was tighten the coil of tension in my st
AUDREY POVThe air inside the practice room was thick with focus, each contestant absorbed in their own world of preparation. The faint echo of footsteps, the occasional murmurs of dance instructors correcting postures, the sharp exhale of a dancer landing a difficult move—it all blended together in a quiet symphony of tension. I rolled my shoulders and took a deep breath, stretching my legs as I prepared my body for what lay ahead.My mind was clear. No more overthinking. No more obsessing over Gina. Just me, my body, and the dance. Elena stood nearby, arms crossed, her sharp gaze watching my every movement. “How do you feel?” she asked. I exhaled, feeling the steadiness in my bones. “Good.” She nodded. “Then hold onto that.” I continued my warm-up, rolling through my ankles, stretching out my arms, steadying my breath. No excessive training. No pushing beyond my limit. Just enough to keep me grounded. Then, I felt it—the shift in energy, the presence approaching me befo
AUDREY POVI couldn’t breathe. The moment my name was called as the fifth contestant, relief flooded me, but it was short-lived. I barely made it. From second place to fifth. The humiliation burned in my chest, and I could feel the weight of it pressing down on me. I had messed up. Completely. Even when I tried to redeem myself on stage, it was useless. My body had refused to cooperate, my movements stiff, my mind fogged with frustration. And now, I stood here, barely holding on to a spot in the final round. The judges’ words still echoed in my head. “You were second last time, Miss Taylor. What happened? Are you alright?”“We can only hope you come back stronger in two days.”Two days. That was all I had to fix everything. But what was I even fixing? I had trained tirelessly, pushed myself beyond my limits, yet I still failed. What more could I possibly do? I could feel eyes on me as we were dismissed, but I didn't stop to look at anyone. My feet carried me to the dressin
AUDREY POVI exhaled slowly, my fingers gripping the edge of my seat as the announcer’s voice filled the hall again. “Contestant number7, Maya Roberts.”Maya, a tall, dark-haired girl with striking green eyes, stepped onto the stage with an air of quiet confidence. Her instructor whispered something to her before she nodded and took her position. The music began, slow and haunting, and Maya moved like water—smooth, controlled, every motion blending into the next without hesitation. She had an effortless grace, the kind that made it look easy, though I knew it wasn’t. I studied her carefully. Her lines were impeccable, her spins sharp but elegant. The way she floated across the stage made it clear she had years of discipline in her body. She wasn’t just good—she was mesmerizing. Elena leaned in slightly. “She has excellent control,” she murmured, “but her expressions are lacking. She’s focusing too much on technique, not enough on storytelling.” I nodded, noting how Maya’s
MICHELL POVI leaned back on the couch, a book in my hands, but I wasn’t reading. The words blurred together, meaningless against the backdrop of laughter filling the room. They all came back to the living area. Amelia was perched on his lap, giggling uncontrollably as he tickled her sides. Audrey sat beside them, curled up comfortably, her eyes bright with amusement. They looked like a picture of easy familiarity. And I didn’t know what to make of it. Audrey had grown attached to him—maybe too attached. I wasn’t surprised. Ethan had a way of making himself welcome in people’s lives, slipping in like he belonged there.And somehow, over the past few days, he had done just that. He had visited four days ago, and since then, I’d caught them talking more, laughing more. It shouldn’t bother me. But it did. Not surprisingly, I was jealous. Ethan grinned at Audrey. “So, how’s training going, superstar?” Audrey rolled her eyes at the nickname, but there was a smile tugging at
AUDREY POVA week and six days.The exhaustion seeped into my bones, a dull ache spreading through my muscles as I sank onto the couch. My breath came in slow, measured exhales, my body heavy from another brutal training session. I wouldn’t lie—I had pushed myself beyond my limits these past days. I had forced Elena to teach me every move she could recall, determined to absorb every ounce of technique I had seen Gina execute. It wasn’t enough for me to match her—I had to surpass her. Tomorrow. Tomorrow, I would prove it. I pressed my fingers to my temple, my body screaming for rest, but before I could surrender to the exhaustion, I heard footsteps. Michell. He walked in, his presence as sharp and commanding as ever, but there was something different in his eyes when they met mine—something unreadable, yet piercing.Without a word, he sat beside me. The space between us felt small, charged. Then, in a low, measured voice, he spoke. “I got a report from Mrs. Vasquez toda
AUDREY POVAs soon as Michell walked out the door, the air in the room shifted. It was subtle—like the lingering warmth from a fire that had just been extinguished. I let out a breath I hadn’t even realized I was holding, my fingers curling around my cup. “Don’t just focus on outshining her. Focus on being better than you were yesterday.”His words echoed in my mind, sinking deeper than I expected them to. I wasn’t intimidated by Gina. …Was I? I stared at the smooth surface of my coffee, watching the faint ripples from where I had stirred it earlier. I had worked so hard to get here. I had clawed my way through pain, rejection, and doubt. I had sacrificed everything to dance. And yet— I could still hear the way Gina’s name was whispered through the crowd last night. The way their eyes followed her, expectant. The way she moved, like she knew she belonged on that stage. I gritted my teeth. No. I wouldn’t let self-doubt creep in. Not now. I pushed my chair back,
MICHELL POVI shut the door behind me, locking out the world. I could feel the heat of the call against my chest before I even answered.Private Number.The only calls I received from a private number were from one person—the investigator I had hired.I exhaled sharply, then finally pressed the phone to my ear. “Talk.”The investigator didn’t waste time. “I got into the accident records like you asked.” His voice was low, deliberate. “And you were right.”My fingers curled around the edge of my desk.“The official report claimed it was a brake failure,” he continued. “The car lost control, spun off the road, and crashed into the ravine. But here’s the thing—there was no real investigation. Everything was rushed. Too clean. Too perfect.”My throat felt tight.I had read that report a hundred times. Had memorized every line.Faulty brakes. Instant impact. No survivors.But I never believed it. Not for a second.“Go on.”There was a pause, like he was choosing his words carefully. “There
AUDREY POV.Victor was gone. I stood still, my fingers tracing the smooth edges of the photograph he had given me. It was perfect. A frozen moment in time—my body suspended mid-air, arms outstretched, strength and grace woven into a single movement. My throat tightened. Victor had always been unreadable, distant in ways I couldn’t quite decipher, but this… this was thoughtful. Meaningful. A part of me wanted to hold onto that moment, but I could feel their stares—Lisa’s expectant smirk, Amelia’s bubbling excitement, Michell’s unreadable yet intense gaze. And Ethan… I swallowed, my fingers curling slightly around the picture before tucking it away. Trevor suddenly clapped his hands together, breaking the silence. “Alright, now that we’ve had our sentimental moment—food? Because I’m starving.” Lisa rolled her eyes. “You’re always starving.” He grinned. “Yeah, and?” A small chuckle slipped past my lips despite everything. The tension eased just a little, the moment bec