CHAPTER 20: CHAPTER 20: PRESIDENTIAL SUITE, CAUGHT IN THE ACT

Vera’s pupils slightly contracted, and she averted her gaze.

"Ms. Sheridan? What a coincidence!" Nina pulled off her oversized sunglasses and looked up at her, greeting her.

Vera responded with an "Mm," took the receipt handed over by the cashier with both hands, and pushed the shopping cart to leave.

Nina quickly checked out and followed her.

"Ms. Sheridan, with the performance coming up, what if I get pregnant?" she said, a smug smile curling her lips.

Vera halted, her face remaining unchanged, looked at her with a professional tone, "Inform the audience early, let Evelyn take over. Of course, any financial loss and damage to the company’s reputation will be on you."

The national tour tickets had gone on sale two months ago, clearly stating that Nina was the female lead. If she couldn’t perform, it would be a breach of contract.

Nina saw her calm and dignified demeanor, touched her flat belly, "It’s not a big deal, just a little breach fee."

Seeing her lack of regard for the performance, Vera felt repulsed and had nothing more to say, turned, and walked away.

The small amount of teacher-student camaraderie between them had ended when she presented the repayment receipt.

Nina caught up with her again, proudly saying, "If I really got pregnant, that would be great. My boyfriend urgently needs a child, and his mother is pushing too. His brothers are all vying to have one."

Vera tightened her grip on the cart handle, unable to stop herself from thinking about The Kane Family.

The first and third families were all eager to give Old Master Kane a great-grandson. Of the grandsons, only Ian Kane didn’t have a child yet, and his mother was pressing hard.

Glancing sideways, she saw Nina’s smug face, provocatively batting her eyes, her voice mystical, "Ms. Sheridan, don’t you feel a bit of a crisis?"

Her words barely concealed the pregnancy being Ian Kane’s child.

Vera’s eyes sharpened, "What crisis should I feel? You can be more frank."

Nina parted her pink lips, hesitated.

Vera deliberately provoked her, "What, afraid to say it?"

Nina clenched her hands, biting her pink lips in defiance, "Ms. Sheridan, I mean, with your uncooperative belly, how do you expect to stand firm in a wealthy family?"

Vera’s eyelids tightened slightly.

Nina dared not explicitly state her relationship with Ian Kane, so she attacked Vera’s weakness.

Vera felt pity for her mindset.

Nina, not yet 21, at the prime of a ballet dancer’s career, only thought of marrying into wealth through a child.

"I don’t need a child to find my place, but for you, better consider if you can do it rightfully, lest you drag an innocent child into being a pariah." She looked down at Nina, sarcastically.

Nina frowned, "Ms. Sheridan, who are you calling a pariah?"

Vera couldn’t be bothered further, feeling it was beneath her to engage.

"Sour grapes," Nina rolled her eyes at her retreating back, mocking softly.

...

Back home, Vera handed over the groceries and medicine to Maeve, heading upstairs herself.

She had no mood to cook for Ian Kane.

Nina wouldn’t expose the truth, clearly because Ian Kane wouldn’t allow it.

He wanted to enjoy the best of both worlds.

To have it all.

The sky darkened as a familiar car engine sounded from outside.

Ian Kane was back.

Vera didn’t go downstairs.

In her athletic gear, she continued exercising in the home gym on the third floor, maintaining her muscle tone.

Ian Kane, wearing a mask, entered the villa holding a bouquet of white roses, headed straight to the kitchen, only to find it empty.

Maeve was the only one there.

"Ma’am is exercising on the third floor."

Ian Kane’s eyes darkened, his Adam’s apple bobbing as he pondered for a moment, then headed upstairs to find her.

Violent coughing approached from afar.

After a while, a knock came at the door.

Vera pretended not to hear it, continuing to exercise her back muscles on the butterfly machine in sync with deep breaths.

Ian Kane pushed the door open.

The man, clad in black with a mask, contrasted starkly with the white roses in his arms, making them appear even cooler and softer.

Vera, emotionless, greeted, "You’re back."

Ian Kane was about to speak when a cough overcame him, turning to face the wall, his back hunched as he coughed violently.

The vertebrae under his shirt were like pebbles strung together, rising and falling with his gasps on his thin back.

Seeing his painful, much thinner figure, Vera almost stepped forward but recalled Nina’s provocative face, so she took a sip from her tumbler and stayed put.

Once Ian Kane caught his breath, he approached her, eyes smiling, "Honey, today’s roses are nice, air-fresh from Vorlagia."

Vera stepped forward to take them, "Thank you."

"Let’s head down for dinner, Maeve made soup."

As she passed by him, Ian Kane raised an arm to stop her, "Dear, what did I do wrong again?"

His voice was hoarse, asking cautiously.

Feigning ignorance, Vera replied, "What’s wrong with me?"

Ian Kane’s tired eyes showed a flash of loneliness, quickly followed by a smile, "Nothing, go shower and don’t catch a cold."

His demeanor suggested he sensed her coldness, looked disappointed yet dared not to show it.

Vera nodded, unable to resist a concern, "Call Dr. Donovan tonight to set up an IV for you."

Ian Kane beamed, "Of course, dear."

For the next few days, he stayed home obediently for his evening IVs, having no chance to meet Nina.

Vera also learned from Evelyn that Nina got her period.

Four to five days later, she urged Nina to train, with only a week left for tour rehearsals.

In the actors’ lounge, Nina was applying fake nails, glancing at Vera through the mirror, "Ms. Sheridan, I need to accompany my boyfriend on a business trip to Veridia for three days. Rehearsals can wait for my return."

"Creating a family is more urgent."

Vera was infuriated by her lazy attitude, then recalled overhearing Ian Kane telling Elias Crowe to book The Veridian Hotel that morning.

He was also going on a business trip to Veridia.

One just recovered from illness, the other just finished her period...

Vera pushed down her personal matters and spoke sternly, "Nina, I’m the technical advisor and artistic director for this tour. I won’t let you affect my professional standard in the industry or everyone’s efforts these past months. Either you seriously attend rehearsals, or step down as the female lead, the consequences are yours!"

She didn’t want one bad apple spoiling the bunch.

Nina turned to her, a hint of understanding, "Ms. Sheridan, sounds like you’re using your position to stop me from having a date with my boyfriend?"

Vera almost laughed in anger, vaguely sensing Nina hinting again.

Ignoring her, Vera turned to leave, "Evelyn, you practice Nina’s parts!"

Hearing her voice, Nina rolled her eyes.

In the end, she didn’t attend training and flew to Veridia.

Vera seized the chance not to miss the affair.

She went to Veridia with Maeve and quickly discovered both Nina and Ian Kane checked into The Royal Peninsula Hotel.

Knowing the hotel had shares owned by Ian Kane, he always had the penthouse reserved during business trips to Veridia.

Nina had a suite on the 12th floor.

Obviously, to avoid public scrutiny.

Vera hired a professional paparazzi to watch Nina for a night.

Early next morning, in a hotel fire escape, the paparazzi handed Vera the photos.

In the dim light at the penthouse door, Nina was kissing a man passionately, whose figure and build were exactly like Ian Kane...

"They haven’t left the suite since they entered last night," said the paparazzo.

Blood rushed through Vera’s veins, she glanced at Maeve, and strode out of the fire escape, where another paparazzo waited, "They’re still inside."

Taking a deep breath, she pressed the doorbell.

After some time, the door opened, and Vera slowly lifted her head to see the man’s face...

From inside came Nina’s suggestive, hoarse voice, "So hungry... Honey, is breakfast here..."