Chapter 3

The place I wanted to go was the stage, and he had already destroyed it with his own hands. "Sophie..." I pretended I'd just woken up and asked weakly, "Does Sophie know yet?"

Alexander's expression stiffened for a split second, then smoothed over. "She'll be back tomorrow. When she heard what happened to you, she was frantic and insisted on changing to an overnight flight." Frantic? More like rushing back to admire her handiwork. I only smiled weakly and said that was good, that I missed her.

Something flickered in Alexander's eyes—maybe reluctance—but it was gone in a second. He tucked the blanket around me and said he was going to discuss my rehab plan, telling me not to overthink because he had everything handled. I lay there and watched his tall back disappear.

Now I only wanted to know how to make him taste what it felt like to be destroyed by the person he trusted most. Just then, my phone buzzed beside my pillow.

It was a message from my manager. [Claire, the team at Dance Revolution wants you and Sophie on next month's taping for a special Sisters Showdown feature. You two haven't appeared together in ages. It's a great opportunity. I haven't told them about your leg yet. What do you think?]

I looked at the message and suddenly smiled. Sisters on the same stage, what a perfect chance. I typed back slowly. [Take it. Tell them I'll definitely be there.]

My manager replied almost at once: [That's great! I knew you'd say yes! By the way, is your leg okay? I heard you were hospitalized yesterday.] I texted back: [I'm fine. Just a small injury. It won't affect anything. See you next month.]

I stared at the screen until the message changed to [Read]. Then I opened the voice recorder on my phone and put in my earbuds. Every word Alexander and that doctor had said in the operating room had been recorded, clear as day, and I played it back again and again.

"What Sophie needs is a sister who'll never fight her for the principal dancer spot again." "A Shadow belongs in the dark." "Taking dance away from her is the best arrangement for her."

I saved the recording, backed it up to the cloud, and deleted the original from my phone. Then I stared at the pale ceiling and the cast suspending my left leg. The doctor said dancing again was impossible. What they didn't know was that I specialized in making the impossible possible.

Seven years ago, everyone said I'd never make it into the Royal Theatre, but I did. Five years ago, they said I'd never win international gold, but I did that too. Now they said I'd never dance again. We'd see about that.

The door opened, and Alexander walked in carrying a bowl of porridge, the perfect amount of concern on his face. "Hungry? I had some porridge made for you. Try a little."

I looked at him and suddenly asked, "Alex, if one day I could never stand up again, would you still want me?" His steps paused, just for a moment.

Then he walked over, set the porridge on the nightstand, and cupped my face. "Silly girl, what are you saying? No matter what happens to you, I'll still want you. You're my Claire. My one and only Claire."

I looked into his deep eyes and asked softly, "Really?"

"Really." He kissed my forehead. "In this life, you're the only woman I'll ever love."

I smiled until my eyes turned red and tears rolled down. He thought I was touched again. He had no idea it was hate, hate so deep that, at its end, it became still as water.

"Thank you," I said. "Thank you for staying." Thank you for destroying me with your own hands, then standing on the ruins and telling me you loved me. I would remember that kindness and pay it back double.