Chapter 2

After searching everywhere and coming up empty, Lucien's brows furrowed as he demanded, "Serena, where did you put those diamond-studded ballet shoes you prepared?"

"Hand them over, right now!"

As the anesthesia faded, my ankle was aching with every nerve. I bit down on my pale lip and replied coldly, "Why do you need my ballet shoes?"

I poured my heart into those shoes for over half a year, even flying to Città Alta to have a master craftsman hand-stitch them for me. All of it was just so I could perform the opening dance for him at our engagement party.

"Lina was really shaken up last night. She's got some serious trauma now, just seeing the dance studio makes her tremble," Lucien said, his voice commanding. "Those shoes are your compensation. I'm taking them to comfort her."

"Besides, your foot's ruined now. You can't even wear those shoes anymore, so keeping them is pointless."

As soon as he finished talking, he spotted the fancy shoe box on the nightstand, grabbed it without hesitation, and made for the exit.

I didn't freak out or rush to grab it back. I just locked my gaze on his back, keeping my voice calm. "If you walk out with those shoes today, we're done for good."

Lucien stopped in his tracks, disappointment all over his face. "Serena, when did you become so stingy? Lina's struggling with severe depression, and you can't even spare a pair of shoes for her?"

I looked at him, expressionless. "If you insist on siding with her, then the wedding's off."

Lucien froze on the spot.

He spun around, disbelief all over his face. "Are you out of your mind? Do you even hear yourself right now?"

"Seven years together, and you're just going to walk away? Just like that?

"You're seriously threatening to break up with me over a pair of damn shoes? Serena, is this your idea of a game? You're really pushing it too far!"

Seeing him so self-righteous, any warmth I had for him vanished completely. "Lucien, you were the one who threw me aside for Lina, even when it meant risking my life."

Lucien tugged at his tie, his tone barely more relaxed. "Can you not make such a scene? I was just showing Lina some compassion, nothing more. She was falling apart and could've jumped at any moment, her life was on the line. What else could I do but go along with her?

"Once I get her settled in the next couple of days, I'll announce our wedding date to the media at the Adler Group gala tomorrow night. Just stay in the hospital and don't stir up any more drama."

Noticing the blatant impatience in his eyes, I didn't argue back. I simply nodded, obediently. "Okay."

Seeing me finally "give in," he let out a sigh of relief and strode out of the hospital room.

And those ballet shoes that were mine, he took them away without a second thought, turning them into a token to please Lina.

An oppressive silence settled over the hospital room once again.

After a while, I took out my phone and placed an international call to my mentor in Ville Lumière.

"Maestro, if I return now, do I still have a chance to take the audition for principal dancer at the Royal Ballet?"

There was a brief pause on the other end, then my mentor's voice came through, trembling with excitement. "Serena! You finally came to your senses! You're a born ballerina, you were never meant to be some rich heir's stay-at-home wife! As long as you come back, the principal dancer spot is yours, always!

"But didn't you already decide to settle down in Altera and marry him? If you two end up living in different countries, will he really be okay with that?"

I opened my mouth, ready to come up with a respectable excuse for Lucien, but suddenly the whole idea struck me as utterly absurd.

I chuckled lightly. "Forget about him, he died in a car crash. From now on, nothing will stand in the way of my dancing."

After hanging up, I didn't hesitate for a second. I booked a one-way flight to Ville Lumière, leaving in three days.

Then, ignoring the doctor's pleas for me to stay, I checked myself out and returned alone to the villa that was supposed to be my "home," where I could quietly recover.

Over the next few days, Lina went borderline manic on Instagram, showing off like crazy.

One day it was a luxury couture dress Lucien bought her at auction, the next it was rare jewelry sets.

The most eye-catching photo had them holding hands, fingers locked together. And at Lina's feet, the diamond-studded ballet shoes Lucien had taken from my hospital room were just lying there like they didn't matter.

She posted a nine-photo grid of intimate shots on Instagram, paired with an overly sentimental caption: "May every true love story have a happy ending."

Lucien even liked the post, probably afraid I'd see it, he unliked it again within two minutes.

Right after that, he shared an e-invitation for Lucian's mother's sixtieth birthday party on Instagram.

That was when it hit me, just a few days before the engagement party drama, he'd told me I had to attend as his future daughter-in-law for the birthday celebration.

Back then, Lucian's mother had taken my hand, smiling brightly, and said she was looking forward to me becoming part of the family.