CHAPTER 10: CHAPTER 10: SHOWBOATING WITH THE LEFT LEG, SLAPPING FACES

The next morning, she didn’t forget to remind Maeve to pay attention to the cufflink while cleaning.

Ardendale Ballet, training room.

The main performers of the troupe were rehearsing the famous ballet "Giselle." Next month, the troupe would embark on a national tour, and this production was one of the main pieces, featuring the troupe’s rising star, Nina Sullivan.

However, she hadn’t shown up for three consecutive rehearsals.

In the afternoon, she finally arrived, just as the rehearsal was about to end.

Vera Sheridan saw her, her brows furrowed slightly as she asked loudly, "Nina Sullivan, why are you absent from the rehearsal again?"

Yesterday evening, she had reminded her not to miss today, yet she took leave: leg pain.

Nina arrived wearing a pink training outfit and a white fuzzy coat, still looking as innocent as ever, "Ms. Sheridan, I took leave."

With a sharp edge in her eyes, Vera questioned sternly, "On leave to have afternoon tea at a five-star hotel?"

An hour ago, Nina had posted a selfie enjoying afternoon tea at the Bvlgari Hotel on social media.

The other girls in the troupe saw it and felt she was disrespecting them as the "supporting roles."

Nina nodded with a smile, "I even packed some desserts for everyone!"

At her words, the other girls clenched their hands tightly, and someone muttered in anger, "Who cares!"

Seeing Nina with no hint of guilt, Vera’s expression turned even colder, "Nina Sullivan, if you continue to treat rehearsals lightly, you’ll never become the troupe’s lead!"

Nina’s beautiful, intricate eyes looked at her, showing a mix of grievance and a touch of smugness, "Ms. Sheridan, I’ve just been... really exhausted lately."

Vera detected the underlying message: worn out by her boyfriend.

"Ms. Sheridan! Does Nina really need more rehearsals to prove her capability as a lead? She’s been practicing so hard she can’t even walk; what’s wrong with taking a rest? I think you’re just reluctant to give up the lead role!"

"Limping every day, yet still bossing around in the troupe..."

At this point, a voice dripping with sarcasm echoed in the training room.

Everyone drew a sharp breath.

Following their gazes, Vera saw it was Milo Hale, Nina’s partner, who made the mocking comment.

Mr. Lewis shouted at him, "Milo! Watch your words! You are showing no respect to Ms. Sheridan!"

Milo crossed his arms, blowing at the bangs on his forehead, "Am I wrong? What qualifies a cripple to stay in the troupe and still hold the lead position, refusing to step down?"

Nina frowned in annoyance, "Senior! Please don’t speak of Ms. Sheridan that way. Even if Ms. Sheridan has a disabled foot, her position in the troupe is unshakable!"

Milo agreed with her, "Oh, I almost forgot, our Ms. Sheridan has a powerful CEO husband!"

Implying that Vera stayed in the troupe relying on Ian Kane.

Amused by their little duet, Vera stepped forward, glancing over them, "So, you two are defying me now, is that it?"

Nina shook her head earnestly, "Ms. Sheridan, even though your foot won’t heal, you will always be my mentor!"

Milo, "Who respects a cripple!"

Vera could hear the hidden barbs in Nina’s words. She moved to the center of the stage and instructed a student by the wall, "Evelyn, play the music."

Everyone was puzzled, not knowing what she intended to do.

As the music played, they watched the crippled Vera slowly rise on her tiptoes...

Instantly, they realized, Vera was about to dance Nina’s dazzling passage—the 32 fouetté turns—with her left foot.

Her dominant leg used to be the right one.

This was impossible!

Nina curled her lips, "Ms. Sheridan, no need to perform. We already admire your perseverance despite your disability!"

She thought Vera just intended to dance a bit and fall, putting on a tragic show to touch everyone’s hearts.

On center stage, Vera wore a black training outfit, her long hair up, exuding a dancer’s confident, graceful smile.

As the music flowed, she balanced on one foot, her extended left foot’s toe steadily skimming the floor as her injured right foot drew half-arcs in the air, spinning faster and faster like a top.

Her execution was pristine, her pointe shoes drumming on the floor with a lively beat. Despite completing multiple rotations, her leg strength showed no sign of waning, a feat even the young, healthy Nina often struggled with!

The girls widened their eyes in silent awe.

"Your Ms. Sheridan used to practice her non-dominant leg extra four hours every day! For ten years without fail! See? That’s real skill!" Mr. Lewis spoke with barely contained excitement, his glance catching Nina.

Nina’s once radiant smile had frozen on her face, her manicured nails digging deep into her palm.

Milo was also intensely focused on the spinning figure on stage.

The water bottle clutched in his hand had distorted, spilling its contents everywhere.

He thought Vera was just a crippled vase, staying in the troupe due to her billionaire husband, yet she could perform textbook-grade fouetté turns even with her left leg.

On stage, beads of sweat trickled down Vera’s taut neck into her collarbone, under the spotlight, resembling tiny diamonds.

The dull ache in her right ankle felt like a rusty saw blade, cutting back and forth. Each rise on her toes was like stepping on glass shards.

Yet her expression remained calm.

For the past three months, Vera had grown accustomed to coexisting with pain.

She persisted in training with her left leg every day.

To her, ballet was her life.

In her early life, when her family shattered, she survived by dancing ballet.

At the age of 20, Vera had represented the country to win the International Ballet Gold Medal in Lorraine, then became the country’s top ballet star.

As the music concluded, she gracefully bowed in appreciation.

All around, applause thundered.

"Ms. Sheridan! Amazing!"

"A true legend!"

"Goddess!"

The girls cupped their hands around their mouths and screamed at her, each pair of eyes brimming with admiration.

Vera took a deep breath to calm her rapid breathing from the strenuous exercise, a subtle smile gracing her lips.

Evelyn, "Milo, weren’t you boastful just now? Why aren’t you saying anything now?"

The girls turned their eyes to Milo, "Exactly!"

"Ms. Sheridan beat Nina Sullivan using her left leg alone!"

"What do you mean his girl, just a lapdog, really; Nina was fooling around with her boyfriend, claiming her leg hurts, and yet he’s the one feeling heartbroken; isn’t he pathetic!"