CHAPTER 26: CHAPTER 26: HE’S STARTING TO DISLIKE THAT CRIPPLE?

Vera Sheridan turned around and asked him calmly, "Why is there a woman’s curled hair?"

Suddenly, she recalled the female voice that came over the phone when he answered her call last night.

Their eyes met, the man’s dark eyes showed a hint of helplessness as he sighed, "Going through my clothes again? Aren’t you tired of being so suspicious all the time?"

Vera was taken aback, recognizing his annoyance with her actions, she hurriedly explained, "I wasn’t, I found it unintentionally."

Ian Kane pinched the bridge of his nose, looking very fatigued, "Alright, alright, don’t overthink it."

"There was a social gathering last night, where there were girls, all PR girls, a bunch of old lechers. I had no choice but to please them, with all the toasting and drinking, it’s inevitable to get some of the women’s fragrance on me." He explained flatly, "In the business world, you can’t avoid these things."

Vera hesitantly nodded, "I understand."

Ian Kane curled his lips, lowered his head, pressing his forehead against hers, his voice hoarse, "Be good, let’s keep our home peaceful, so I can conquer the world with peace of mind."

"The recent events really turned my world upside down and left me apprehensive."

With troubles inside and out of the company, the new pneumonia infection, and trouble at home, Vera remembered his previous ordeals and felt remorse.

Vera raised her eyes, looking at his brow, "Ian Kane, I also want a peaceful life—a happy marriage, a lifetime together."

I must not repeat the mistakes of the previous generation.

Ian Kane brushed his forehead against hers, "We will, trust me."

"Help me shave, hmm?"

Vera turned her face away, a smile creeping onto her lips, "Alright, hurry up, it’s getting late."

She led the way to the bathroom to prepare the shaving tools. Ian Kane slipped his hands into his robe pockets, watching her diligent silhouette with a knowing smile.

For their marriage to be a happy one, she first needed to overcome her own psychological barriers.

Once again, Vera sat in Maeve Holloway’s counseling room.

After the session ended, she asked Maeve if there was any faster way to treat her issues.

Maeve, sensing her anxiety and feeling sorry for her, said, "Vera, you’ve made significant progress already, take it slow."

"For Ian Kane and this marriage, you’ve already put in so much effort, so don’t pressure yourself."

Vera stared at the distant horizon, "Ian Kane has also given and endured a lot for me, especially last time’s incident..."

Maeve, a bit dissatisfied with her self-blame, comforted her, "Vera, your previous suspicions were reasonable, it was Nina Sullivan interfering with you. You’ve been actively seeking treatment, and we’ve already worked hard enough, with a clear conscience!"

"Besides, it was Ian Kane who insisted on marrying you, you didn’t deceive him into marriage."

Vera calmed down and smiled at her, "Alright, I won’t rush anymore."

After bidding Maeve goodbye, she returned to work at the dance troupe.

With a national tour imminent, rehearsals were in full swing.

That day, leaders from the city art association and the dance troupe gathered in the troupe’s theater to watch the innovative piece "Breaking the Cocoon" choreographed by Vera Sheridan, one of the featured performances of the upcoming tour.

On the stage center, under the spotlight, the lead female dancer, Evelyn Rivers, was executing a continuous 32 fouetté turns on pointe with one foot.

Her performance was technically skilled, expressive, seamlessly transitioning to a grand jete and pirouette, receiving thunderous applause.

"This young lady is admirable too, Ms. Sheridan, your choreography is impressive. Incorporating our traditional acrobatics with Western dance elements, it’s very creative and outstanding." The art association leader turned to praise Vera.

Vera replied, "Her name is Evelyn Rivers, one of the most diligent and hardworking in the troupe..."

From the back row, Nina Sullivan overheard their conversation and let out a slight snort from her lips and nose.

On stage, Evelyn prepared for the final move after another pirouette.

In the moment her foot touched down, the stage’s wooden floor emitted a harsh scraping sound, and her foot slipped, her white figure crashing heavily to the ground.

A sharp piercing pain shot from her ankle, causing her to gasp.

"Evelyn!"

The girls behind the scenes shouted and rushed towards the stage.

Vera also stood up, limping towards the stage.

The leaders were stunned, "What, what happened?!"

Nina Sullivan crossed her arms, "Lack of skill, Ms. Sheridan’s choreography is technically too challenging."

She made an offhanded remark and walked towards the stage.

Evelyn lay on the floor, breaking into a sweat from the pain, seeing Vera she tearfully asked, "Ms. Sheridan, my ankle hurts a lot, could it be a fracture?"

If it was a fracture, she wouldn’t be able to join the tour.

Vera gave her a comforting look and rushed to call for the medical team through the intercom.

Nina Sullivan pushed through the crowd and, looking at Evelyn on the ground, said, "A fracture would be mild, if it doesn’t recover well and you end up like Ms. Sheridan as a cripple, that would be tragic! Where are the medics, how come they’re not here yet, don’t delay our lead actress Evelyn’s foot!"

Anyone could hear the sarcasm in her words, attacking both Vera and Evelyn.

Vera turned her head, looking coldly at her.

Nina, her hair in large waves and makeup perfected, matched her gaze, shrugged her shoulders, eyes landing on Vera’s right ankle, "Am I wrong, Ms. Sheridan?"

Evelyn, thinking she could end up crippled, broke down emotionally, "I don’t want to, I don’t want to be crippled, I still want to be the principal dancer! Where’s the doctor?!"

The young girl, just turned 20, had a face full of tears and panic etched in her eyes.

Vera looked at her, feeling a mix of emotions.

A group of leaders approached, "Ms. Sheridan, was the difficulty of your choreography too high?"

The questioning tone seemed more like an accusation.

Vera straightened her back, looking at the middle-aged man speaking, "Chairman Morgan, we’ve rehearsed this piece no less than a hundred times, Evelyn is skilled, and we have training videos to prove it. This must have been an error or some accident."

"Ms. Sheridan, we’ll investigate thoroughly later. For now, switch back to Nina Sullivan as the lead, she’s still the principal dancer. To ensure the actors’ safety, ’Breaking the Cocoon’ should be temporarily withdrawn from the program."

"Your foot’s like that already, rest well, and don’t think too much, no one will blame you."

Vera heard the implication in the leader’s words, their disdain for her disability, planning to marginalize her in the future.

Nina at this moment stepped forward, bowed deeply, and said obediently, "Thank you, leaders! I won’t disappoint everyone!"

The leaders nodded and walked away.

Evelyn was also carried off by the medical team, and the girls went backstage to change clothes.

Vera stood in the empty central stage, managing a bitter smile, but couldn’t afford to be sentimental, her biggest concern was Evelyn.

Evelyn was still young and couldn’t end up like her, crippled.

As Vera left, Milo Hale emerged from the corner, crouching at the spot where Evelyn had slipped, he rubbed his fingers against the floor and brought them close to his nose to smell.

That spot on the floor had just been waxed...

So that’s why Evelyn slipped by accident.

——

Late at night, at the back door of the dance troupe.

A Rolls Royce Phantom was parked behind a cluster of shrubs, with a driver and bodyguards on either side of the car.

The rear window rolled halfway down, revealing a glowing cigarette tip, the ash slowly floating down.

In the dim car, Nina Sullivan held a strand of curled hair, looking at the cigarette-smoking man, and said obediently, "Mr. Kane, your shirt got my hair on it."

"And lipstick on the collar, if Ms. Sheridan sees it, she’ll get suspicious again, better wipe it off." Saying this, she moved in with a wet wipe.

Ian Kane blocked her hand, "Leave it."

Nina Sullivan was taken aback.

Quickly, she felt secretly delighted: He was starting to disdain that cripple, did he deliberately want her to see it?