CHAPTER 11: CHAPTER 11: FINDING IAN KANE’S CUFFLINK IN THE WOMEN’S DRESSING ROOM AT THE DANCE TROUPE

Milo grabbed a bottle of mineral water and rushed towards the girls, "Who are you all chattering about!"

Vera Sheridan blew her whistle loudly, and the whole field fell silent.

Milo also stopped, still looking defiantly, but didn’t dare to meet Vera’s gaze, and the tips of his ears turned red with shame.

"Milo, you doubt my capability, very well! A dance team should be a place where strength speaks, just like when I chose Nina Sullivan back then!" Vera looked at him, her voice cold and stern yet full of power.

Milo was taken aback and looked up at her.

Vera glanced at the girls, her gaze finally landed on Nina, who still looked well-behaved and harmless, "Strength comes from continuous training. Practicing two hours less a day means losing 5% of muscle memory. If you keep slacking, the best talent and historical achievements are just empty words!"

"Nina, I hope you remember what I’ve said! Of course, if you don’t want to endure this hardship anymore, I will suggest to the art committee to reassess your chief position!"

Nina crossed her arms, her eyes carrying a hint of provocation, "Ms. Sheridan, let’s wait and see..."

Everyone was shocked, looking at her.

No one expected Nina to dare to openly challenge Vera, as if she didn’t even want to pretend anymore.

Mr. Lewis sternly said, "Nina, you will train until eleven tonight!"

Nina didn’t even spare her a glance and strode out of the dance team.

"What’s with Nina’s attitude? Who’s giving her the confidence?"

"Exactly, she doesn’t even respect Ms. Sheridan, ungrateful."

"Isn’t it her boyfriend backing her?" The girls discussed among themselves.

Vera blew her whistle again, telling them to continue training, and she herself left the classroom.

Just as she stepped out, she leaned against the wall, lifted her painfully aching right foot, and gasped from the cold air, cold sweat trickling down her back.

At this moment, a slender, pale white hand handed her a bottle of The Healer of the Southern Clouds spray, accompanied by a mumbling male voice, "I...I have some left for you."

Vera looked up; it was Milo.

She took the noticeably heavy bottle, just about to speak when Milo dashed away like the wind, his slender and thin figure nearly crashing into the corner of the wall.

Utterly bewildering.

Vera sprayed the medicine, and after a while, the pain eased, and she returned to the female changing room of the dance team.

She collapsed onto the long bench in the changing room, her drenched practice clothes clinging to her skin like a cold cocoon.

She curled up her right leg, and when her fingertips touched the swollen ankle, she sucked in a cold breath as if a fierce fire was burning inside.

An ice pack was urgently needed for cold compress.

Vera gently massaged the swollen and painful area while reaching for the phone on the chair behind her to call the medical room.

With a "bang," the phone slipped from her grip and fell to the ground.

Vera frowned, turned around, bent down, and stretched her arm to pick it up.

By accident, she caught a glimpse of a faint blue light flickering in the gap of the locker.

Like a piece of jewelry.

Vera thought it was an earring dropped by one of the girls. Using her hairpin to fish it out, she discovered it was a man’s shirt cufflink.

Platinum embedded with deep blue sapphire, engraved on the back with the word "Bvlgari."

Exactly like the cufflink Ian Kane lost last night...

Her husband’s cufflink, lost in the female changing room of the dance team.

Flashes of yesterday evening crossed Vera’s mind, the fresh hickey on Nina’s neck, the scent of shower gel on her body...

Could it be that she and Ian Kane were making out here, ripping it off?

The "boyfriend" Nina mentioned was indeed Ian Kane...

In no time, Vera felt as if she was hit by a blunt object, unable to move, and her mind buzzing incessantly.

A tremendous sense of panic consumed her.

Images kept surfacing in her mind of Ian Kane last night, crouching on the floor looking for the cufflink, how much he cared, how precious it was to him.

Vera’s fists clenched tightly, the cufflink in her palm digging deep into her flesh, blood seeping out.

The mirror fogged with steam in the changing room reflected her ashen face.

The phone ringing pulled her out from the suffocating whirlpool.

Vera looked at the screen displaying the word "Husband" and blinked, but didn’t answer.

Soon, he sent a WeChat voice message: "Mrs. Kane, why are you dancing again? Is your foot okay? Where are you? I’m coming to the dance team soon." The man’s tone was caring yet urgent, clearly tinged with reproach.

Vera laughed.

His acting is truly superb.

Ian Kane saw Vera dancing in the video online.

Someone from the dance team recorded a video of Vera dancing and posted it on social media.

Vera was originally a ballet star and the wife of the Kane Group’s head, naturally attracting topics and attention. The video was reposted by several marketing accounts and soon became a trending topic.

"Stunning! ’Lame Swan’ Vera Sheridan’s brilliant fouetté with the left leg surpasses many new-generation divas!"

Netizens were moved by her resilient willpower and passion for her career.

Inside the car, Ian Kane flipped through the netizens’ comments, his expression dark and serious.

He pulled his tie loose and called his assistant, Elias Crowe, "Remove all online trending topics about my wife immediately."

"Yes!" On the other end, Elias was well-trained and had been prepared to remove the trending topics the moment he spoke.

Having worked with Ian Kane for years, this subordinate knew his boss’s disposition very well.

Every time his wife became a trending topic for less than half an hour, he would surely have him remove it.

President Kane’s possessiveness towards his wife was so intense that it bordered on obsession.

He couldn’t bear anyone else to glimpse her beauty.

If he could, he’d prefer to keep her hidden at home.

Just after hanging up the phone, Ian Kane’s phone vibrated again. Seeing the words "Mother" on the screen, he furrowed his brows, straightened up before answering.

"Mom."

"Ian, how is Vera? Is she alright? Why is she still dancing? Can her foot dance? Won’t it get worse?" On the other side, Jean Crowe spoke with concern.

Ian Kane pinched the bridge of his nose, "Mom, I’m going to pick up Vera now, she’s fine, don’t worry."

Jean Crowe continued earnestly, "Ian, you may get annoyed with me, but I still want you to persuade Vera to rest at home and take care of her health, not to go to work."

"With one lame foot still hopping around, what if she’s already expecting and gets hurt?"

"Last time I went to the temple to fulfill a vow, I drew a top fortune stick which said that you and Vera will definitely have good news by the end of the year at the latest!"

Listening to the joyous tone of his mother, Ian Kane frowned deeply, clouds gathering in his eyes.

His mother was completely unaware that Vera had psychological barriers.

He spoke wearily, "Mom—"

Jean Crowe interrupted him, "You’re trying to dodge me again! Ian, it’s not that I’m old-fashioned and insist on having a grandchild, it’s for your and Vera’s sake..."

"Your father left early, and we’ve had no support, suffering countless glances at The Kane Family over these years. If it wasn’t for your achievements and making Grandfather see you in a new light, would he have handed over the company’s power to you?"

"He’s always been partial to the family from the first house."