Chapter 6

But things didn't go the way Adrian expected them to. When Ivanna received the news of her dismissal, she didn't break down. Instead, she quietly listened to everything Peter said, then let out a faint laugh. "It was Adrian who told you to do this, wasn't it?" she asked. Peter wiped the sweat from his brow and sighed. "Ms. Powell, I'm just a small fry. The matter between you and Mr. Cross..." "Don't worry, I won't make things difficult for you. I'll leave today." "Ms. Powell, you have real talent. With enough hard work, I believe that one day, I'll see you shine on an even bigger stage." Ivanna smiled, bowed politely, and left his office. In the hallway, a photo of Kimberly still hung on the wall. She looked young, radiant, and triumphant as she held her trophy high. That was the award Ivanna had always dreamed of winning. Yet now, it seemed further away than ever. "Mom..." she whispered, reaching out to gently touch the photo. "I'm leaving now, but one day, I'll be back. Believe me, Mom." She pressed her forehead to the frame, forcing down the bitterness rising in her throat. She wouldn't give up her dream so easily. She knew this wasn't the end. Taking a deep breath, Ivanna walked out of the theater. There, Adrian was already waiting outside. The moment he saw Ivanna, he strode forward and was ready to speak, but Ivanna didn't even glance his way. She brushed past him as if he weren't there. "Ivanna!" His furious roar echoed behind her, but Ivanna kept walking without hesitation. Adrian ground his teeth and spat out, "Stop! Or do you want me to destroy the dance troupe?" That was exactly the kind of reckless thing Adrian would do. Ivanna stopped in her tracks and turned around, her expression cold. "What is it?" she asked. Adrian drew a deep breath and moved closer to her. "Why are you always so stubborn? Can't you be more like Lydia? Why can't you just soften up and lean on me once in a while?" He spoke as though he were the victim, not the man who had betrayed her. Ivanna almost laughed. Then, in a calm but cutting voice, she said, "Adrian, we've known each other ever since we were kids. I thought you understood me. "After my mom died, I was miserable. Do you really think I can afford to be soft? I had to fight just to survive. Plus, you knew exactly who caused my misery, yet you still chose to stand by her again and again." Ivanna's steady gaze was so unyielding that Adrian couldn't bring himself to meet her eyes. His lips trembled as he muttered, "But it was Marissa who destroyed your family. What does that have to do with Lydia?" At that moment, Ivanna knew that it was pointless to say anything more. In Adrian's heart, she was no longer the one who mattered. "What do you want from me?" Her tone was indifferent. She then drew a deep breath, eager to end the conversation. "I'm throwing a party tomorrow. You need to be there. If you come, I'll consider letting you return to the troupe and even making you the principal dancer." It sounded like a good deal, but Ivanna didn't believe it would be so simple. Still, after a moment's hesitation, she nodded. "Fine." … The moment Ivanna arrived at the party, she knew she shouldn't have come. Adrian had only said that it was a party, but he hadn't told her that there would be so many people. As she stood in the crowd, she felt the weight of countless eyes pressing down on her, as if she were a clown in a circus. Ivanna tightly gripped her glass as the commotion began. "Mr. Cross is here!" "Who's that woman with him? I've never seen her before!" "You didn't know? That's the Hale family's illegitimate daughter. The one they brought back after Kimberly died..." "Wait! Wasn't Adrian engaged to Ivanna? What's going on here?" Ivanna could feel the stares on her. Across the hall, Lydia appeared arm in arm with Adrian. She wore a luxurious gown and a dazzling necklace, looking like a radiant princess straight out of a fairy tale. Ivanna didn't know what Adrian was planning, but she knew one thing for sure—she was being humiliated. Ivanna wanted to leave, but Adrian's earlier words stopped her in her tracks. As Adrian entered, the crowd immediately surrounded him, showering both him and Lydia with attention. At that moment, Ivanna finally felt some relief from being left alone. But suddenly, Lydia's sweet voice rang out, "Ivanna can dance too. She's even better than I am! Since everyone's having such a good time, why don't we let her perform for us?"