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 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
MICHELL POVThe moment Audrey’s name was called, the entire hall erupted. Applause, cheers, and even some gasps of surprise filled the space, but I remained still, watching her closely. She stood frozen for a second, as if her brain was struggling to process what had just happened. Then, realization dawned in her eyes, and a shuddering breath left her lips. She had won. Audrey Taylor had won.I should have expected it. I did expect it. Yet, as I watched her step forward, her fingers trembling around the golden award, an unfamiliar warmth spread through my chest. It wasn’t just pride—it was something deeper, something unsettling. The announcer handed her the microphone, and I leaned forward slightly, my focus narrowing in on her alone. Speak well, Audrey, I found myself thinking. And she did. Her voice was steady, clear. There was no arrogance in her words, no gloating—just raw, unfiltered gratitude. She spoke of fear and growth, of perseverance. Of expression. My f
AUDREY POVI woke up feeling... different. Warm. There was a softness in my chest, a lingering warmth that had nothing to do with the silk sheets draped around me. The city lights still glowed faintly beyond the glass walls, but the night had faded into the early hush of dawn. And beside me, Michell slept. Not the tense, guarded man I had first met. Not the cold, untouchable CEO who built walls around himself. Just Michell—his breathing even, his features relaxed, his arm resting possessively across my waist as if even in sleep, he refused to let me go. Something fluttered in my stomach. Last night had been... I closed my eyes, a shiver running down my spine as the memories washed over me. The way he had danced with me, how effortlessly he had led, how his touch had set my skin on fire. The slow burn in his eyes right before he kissed me. The way he whispered my name like it was a prayer. The way he made me feel. A breath hitched in my throat, and I bit my lip, pre
Audrey Taylor’s pov. Every night, I prayed for his return, but I never imagined he wouldn't recognize me and that he would bring another woman back. I had just managed to lay my tired body from working late at the office. The company was bleeding and I had been doing everything in my power to stop it from collapsing. But my peace was rudely destroyed by loud rapid knocking on my bedroom door. “Madam, you need to come downstairs!” Martha, the maid's voice rang. What was so urgent to disturb my rest before facing the cruel reality in a few hours’ time? I glanced at the alarm clock. “8 AM”? What could be up now? I stumbled out of bed, even though my body cried for rest. “What happened, Martha?” I moaned, pulling my nightwear around me as I opened the door. “It is Ms. Helen. She's arguing with the shareholders in the living room.” The shareholders? Damn. My mother-in-law. My head banged with a terrible headache from the abrupt disturbance. By the time I got to the living room,
Audrey pov I stood there, my heart pounding so loud it drowned out the world. Harold didn’t look at me. He didn’t say my name. He just… walked past me with her. My legs felt weak, but before I could crumble completely, Simon stepped into the house. I found my voice, though it came out as a whisper. “Simon, what is going on?” He stammered, avoiding my gaze. "M-Mr. Harold... maybe he... he hasn't fully recovered his memory yet." "Recover his memory? What happened to Harold?"I asked anxiously. “He was in a car accident two years ago. They said something about amnesia. The doctors are not sure ……if he has regained his memory.” I closed my eyes, forcing myself to breathe. Harold didn’t know who I was. He didn’t remember our life together. The sound of my heart was deafening as I pushed the door open. Every step I took toward Harold felt like I was walking in a ditch. I didn’t know what I expected to find, but it wasn’t this. As I entered the room, I noticed Harold standing by
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 POVI woke up feeling... different. Warm. There was a softness in my chest, a lingering warmth that had nothing to do with the silk sheets draped around me. The city lights still glowed faintly beyond the glass walls, but the night had faded into the early hush of dawn. And beside me, Michell slept. Not the tense, guarded man I had first met. Not the cold, untouchable CEO who built walls around himself. Just Michell—his breathing even, his features relaxed, his arm resting possessively across my waist as if even in sleep, he refused to let me go. Something fluttered in my stomach. Last night had been... I closed my eyes, a shiver running down my spine as the memories washed over me. The way he had danced with me, how effortlessly he had led, how his touch had set my skin on fire. The slow burn in his eyes right before he kissed me. The way he whispered my name like it was a prayer. The way he made me feel. A breath hitched in my throat, and I bit my lip, pre
MICHELL POVThe moment Audrey’s name was called, the entire hall erupted. Applause, cheers, and even some gasps of surprise filled the space, but I remained still, watching her closely. She stood frozen for a second, as if her brain was struggling to process what had just happened. Then, realization dawned in her eyes, and a shuddering breath left her lips. She had won. Audrey Taylor had won.I should have expected it. I did expect it. Yet, as I watched her step forward, her fingers trembling around the golden award, an unfamiliar warmth spread through my chest. It wasn’t just pride—it was something deeper, something unsettling. The announcer handed her the microphone, and I leaned forward slightly, my focus narrowing in on her alone. Speak well, Audrey, I found myself thinking. And she did. Her voice was steady, clear. There was no arrogance in her words, no gloating—just raw, unfiltered gratitude. She spoke of fear and growth, of perseverance. Of expression. My f
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,