Wedding Off. Revenge On.

Chapter 1 On the day the dance troupe was choosing its new principal dancer, someone had slipped a needle into Ivanna Powell’s dance shoes.

Because of that injury, she’d missed the competition.

By the time Ivanna came out of the hospital with her bandaged foot, she learned that Lydia Hale had already won the competition.

Ivanna clenched her jaw tight.

She knew there were no second chances for her.

When the taxi stopped at the theater entrance, she had just stepped out when a familiar voice drifted past her ear. She stopped in her tracks and searched for the source.

“Lydia, I helped you get the principal spot. Don’t you think I deserve a little reward?”

“But… If Ivanna finds out…”

“So what? Ivanna will be my wife sooner or later. Even if she finds out it was me, what can she do? Kill me?

“Come on, Lydia. Hike up your skirt. I can’t wait anymore.”

Ivanna’s hand trembled on her crutch.

That voice belonged to no one else but her fiancé of six years, Adrian Cross.

Step by step, Ivanna forced herself toward the side door of the theater. Then, the moment she turned the corner, she saw a luxury car rocking up and down. The car door wasn’t even closed tightly.

Inside, Lydia lay sprawled across the back seat while Adrian pressed down over her, kissing her hard. Their bodies were tangled so tightly that there was no mistaking what they were doing.

Ivanna could even see their tongues twining together and the lower halves of their bodies grinding against each other.

It was absolutely revolting. Ivanna’s heart pounded so violently it felt like it might burst out of her chest.

She sucked in deep breaths, trying to calm herself down. However, whether her eyes were open or shut, the scene replayed endlessly in her head.

In the end, still unable to calm down, Ivanna stopped trying. She lifted her crutch and smashed it against the car.

Adrian jerked up with a startled cry. However, the anger blazing in his eyes vanished the instant he met Ivanna’s eyes.

He fumbled to pull up his pants. “I… Ivanna? What are you doing here?”

Ivanna and Adrian were childhood sweethearts. Then, on the day Ivanna turned 18, they got engaged.

Ivanna remembered clearly that just three days after her mother’s funeral, her father had brought Lydia and her mother, Marissa Bennett, into their home.

At that time, only Adrian had stayed by her side, helping her stand against the world. But now, she had lost him too.

Ivanna forcefully widened her eyes, refusing to let tears fall in front of Adrian. She questioned, “Adrian, explain yourself. What are you doing? Don’t you know I’m your fiancée?” Her voice shook despite how hard she tried to sound strong.

Meanwhile, Lydia knelt on the seat, deliberately holding up a torn-open condom wrapper in her hand.

Yet, her expression was one of meek innocence as she said, “Please don’t be angry, Ivanna. There… There’s really nothing going on between me and Mr. Cross…”

“That’s right,” Adrian quickly added, flashing his usual careless grin. “I was just trying to tease her. Nothing really happened.

“We grew up together. You know I only care about you.”

Adrian stepped toward Ivanna to reach for her hand, but she pulled away.

Then, she gave a cold laugh. “Tease her? Adrian, I hurt my foot, but I’m not blind! You were screwing her in the backseat, and you still think you can fool me?”

Adrian’s smile faltered. “I didn’t…”

Not wanting to hear another word, Ivanna turned to leave.

But Adrian caught her wrist and said, “Ivanna, listen to me! No matter what you think, I didn’t cheat!” He locked eyes with Ivanna despite her expression dripping with mockery. “I… I used protection! I never actually had physical intimacy with Lydia. That doesn’t count as cheating.”

Ivanna almost laughed at the shamelessness of his words.

She drew in a sharp breath. “Fine. If that’s what you believe, then I have nothing more to say. But you knew exactly how important that principal spot was to me, and you still handed it to Lydia.

“Is this what you mean by only caring about me?

“Adrian, you’ve disappointed me.” Ivanna shook Adrian’s hand off and walked away.

Only then did she finally let her tears fall.

Ivanna’s mother, Kimberly Powell, had once been the principal dancer of the same dance troupe, and Ivanna had worked her whole life to follow in her footsteps.

Adrian had known all of this, yet he had still chosen to betray her.

Ivanna cried the entire way back to her apartment.

Meanwhile, Adrian had called her again and again, but she ignored every call.

That night, the sky poured.

Just then, Ivanna received a message from one of Adrian’s friends, Samuel Lawson.

“Ivanna, what’s going on between you and Adrian? He’s been drinking nonstop. You know he can’t handle alcohol with his bad stomach.

“Even if he upset you, will you really just let him hurt himself like this?”

Ivanna stared at her phone. The wallpaper was a photo of her and Adrian smiling together.

Maybe… Maybe she should give him another chance. After all, they’d been together for so many years. If he was willing to explain himself properly and keep his distance from Lydia, maybe she could pretend none of this ever happened.

Besides, if it hadn’t been for Adrian, she might not even be alive today.

After making up her mind, Ivanna rushed to the club where Adrian was.

By then, the rain was pouring so hard that her bandaged leg was soaked through, and the wound beneath the gauze itched from the dampness.

Ivanna was just about to step inside the club when she heard her name being mentioned.

“Adrian, are you sure Ivanna will come? She’s a rich heiress. If she forgives you this easily, that’d be pathetic.”

“I know her. She’ll come. Rich heiress? Without me, Ivanna is nothing.”

Adrian’s mocking tone made Ivanna freeze.

“But honestly, Lydia isn’t even half as pretty as Ivanna. What do you see in her?”

“She’s easy. She’s not like Ivanna who always acts cold and distant. I’ve been with her for years, and even getting a kiss depends on her mood.”

So, that was it. That was the reason he’d betrayed her.

Ivanna had no idea how she’d walked out of that club, but the next thing she knew, she was standing outside the Hale residence.

All the while, messages from Samuel kept popping up, but Ivanna simply shut her phone off in disgust.

Soon, the housekeeper led her inside.

There, Ivanna saw her father, Felix Hale, sprawled on the couch, tapping at his phone.

He looked up at her with a disdainful frown. “What are you doing here?”

“I know you don’t want to see me. I don’t want to see you either. I just came to tell you I’ll marry Wilson Kirk.”

Chapter 2 Felix finally sat up, his eyes full of surprise. “You’re willing to marry Wilson? Ivanna, are you out of your mind? The Kirk family had a verbal agreement with Kimberly before, but Wilson’s legs are crippled. He’ll spend his life in a wheelchair. Marrying him would be no different than living as a widow,” he said.

Ivanna gave a cold laugh. “If I marry Wilson, that bitch Lydia will end up with Adrian. Isn’t that exactly what you’ve been hoping for? As for my reasons, why do you care about them so much?”

“Fine. Just don’t regret it,” Felix indifferently replied.

Ivanna then rose and walked to the door, but suddenly, she stopped and said, “Don’t tell Adrian about this yet.”

“Relax. I’m not that stupid.” After all, Felix wouldn’t risk telling Adrian and letting him make a scene.

…

By the time Ivanna reached her apartment, it was nearly dawn.

There, she immediately noticed Adrian crouched outside her door, reeking of alcohol and looking as pitiful as an abandoned dog.

The sound of her footsteps made him lift his head, and the moment he saw her, his eyes lit up. “Ivanna, you finally came back. I’ve been waiting for you forever!

“Why didn’t you come to find me? Do you know how miserable I’ve been?”

Adrian had striking eyes. Whenever he fixed them on someone, they’d look deceivingly affectionate.

In the past, whenever he made Ivanna angry, he would give her this same pitiful look too, and Ivanna could never bring herself to stay mad.

But this time, all Ivanna could hear in her mind was the cruel mockery his words from earlier had held. They replayed in her mind over and over.

“Do you need something?” she coldly asked.

“Why are you so cold to me? Ivanna, let me come inside please. I drank too much, and I got soaked in the rain. I feel awful…” Adrian tugged lightly at the corner of her sleeve, his voice soft and wheedling.

But before Ivanna could answer, his phone rang.

Ivanna could faintly hear a woman’s voice on the other end—it sounded like Lydia.

“If you’re not feeling well, call a doctor. Why are you bothering me?” Adrian impatiently snapped, then immediately hung up.

At that moment, the rain still hadn’t stopped, and Ivanna also noticed the unnatural flush on Adrian’s face.

Against her better judgment, her heart softened. After all, they had grown up together.

So, she brought Adrian inside, fetched him some cold medicine, and settled him on the couch. Then, after making sure everything was in order, she finally returned to her room to rest.

Ivanna was exhausted after an entire night of dealing with Adrian. But just as she was drifting off, she thought she heard someone trying to open her bedroom door.

However, Ivanna had the habit of locking it before sleeping, so when the attempt failed, the person quickly gave up.

…

The next morning, Adrian was gone, but on the dining table was breakfast he had left behind.

At first, Ivanna thought he had prepared it that morning before leaving. But when she arrived at the theater, she immediately noticed the hickeys on Lydia’s neck.

“Lydia, is the person who just dropped you off your boyfriend? He’s so handsome!”

“Yeah! That car wasn’t cheap either. He must be loaded!”

“You’re so lucky, Lydia. Your boyfriend isn’t just handsome, but he treats you well too…”

Lydia shyly smiled at them. Then, she gave Ivanna a smug glance.

Ivanna instantly understood what her look meant.

Belatedly, Ivanna realized that since she had locked her door last night, Adrian must have gone straight to Lydia. That breakfast on the table had just been an afterthought.

As she bent down to change into her dance shoes, Ivanna let out a mocking smile.

During rehearsal break, she stepped outside alone to get some air, unwilling to listen to the chorus of flattery surrounding Lydia.

But Lydia followed her out and said, “Ivanna, I heard you went home last night. Don’t tell me you went to snitch?” Her delicate face carried a mocking smile.

Ivanna glanced at her and turned away, not bothering to respond.

But Lydia grabbed her wrist and said, “Ivanna, what right do you have to look down on me? The Hale family is mine now. Dad is mine, the principal dancer spot is mine, and even Adrian will be mine too.”

“You’re sick,” Ivanna simply said.

“Do you really think Adrian loves you? The truth is, when he was with me, not once did he think about you. After all, men are creatures driven purely by desire.”

Ivanna yanked Lydia’s hand back and sneered. “You and Marissa would know that better than anyone. You both like throwing yourselves at married men. I guess that kind of thing runs in the family.”

For a moment, Lydia’s expression twisted, but she quickly recovered. First, her eyes darted around, and then, she put on a pitiful voice, saying, “Ivanna, I was wrong. I shouldn’t have hoped for Mr. Cross’ love.

“It’s my fault. But I only want to stay by his side. Ivanna, I’m begging you, just let me be.”

With that, she dropped to her knees before Ivanna.

But before Ivanna could even make sense of what was wrong with Lydia, Adrian’s voice rang out behind her, “Ivanna! Why are you bullying Lydia again?”

Chapter 3 A sudden force struck Ivanna from behind, nearly sending her tumbling down the steps.

She fought to steady herself until she finally stood firm. When she lifted her head, Adrian was pulling Lydia up from the ground and protectively shielding her behind him. His eyes burned with fury, reproach, and condemnation.

“Ivanna, you’ve gone too far. No matter what, Lydia’s your sister. How could you treat her like this?”

“My sister?” Ivanna couldn’t help but laugh aloud.

She remembered the day Lydia had first come to her house. She’d warmly held her hand and called her “sister.”

At that time, Adrian had shoved Lydia aside and stepped in front of Ivanna. He’d said that the daughter of a mistress had no right to call Ivanna her sister.

But now, after all these years, everything seemed to have changed.

“Forget it, Adrian,” Lydia said, her voice shaking and eyes brimming with tears. “Ivanna didn’t mean it. She’s right… I was shameless to think I could ever be her sister. I didn’t recognize my place. It’s my fault.”

At some point, the other dancers had come out of the theater and were now surrounding them in a circle.

“Lydia, you’re just too kind! That’s why people step all over you!”

“Exactly! You’re Lydia’s boyfriend, right? Let me tell you, Ivanna has always acted like this in the theater. She carries herself like she’s above everyone else just because she thinks she dances better than the rest of us.”

“That’s right. Now that Lydia’s the principal dancer, I’d love to see how Ivanna still plans to show off.”

“She bullies people just because she’s a little older. So what if she dances well? Without character, she’s still worthless!”

Their voices piled on one after another, as though Ivanna had committed some unforgivable crime.

Meanwhile, Adrian didn’t deny being Lydia’s boyfriend. Instead, he kept his gaze fixed intently on Ivanna. “Ivanna, apologize. Then, we can put this matter behind us.”

“Apologize?” Ivanna lowered her head and let out a short laugh. She rubbed her aching ankle, straightened her back, and walked step by step toward Lydia.

“Watch closely. This is what it means to bully someone.” Ivanna raised her hand and slapped Lydia across the face three times.

As she did so, everyone stood frozen in shock.

When she was done, Ivanna flicked her hand and tilted her head. Her cold voice cut through the silence as she looked at Adrian and said, “Do you see now? When I bully someone, I never apologize. She deserved it anyway.”

She then turned and strode out of the theater, her head held high and her steps firm.

It was only by doing this could she hide her reddened eyes and trembling lips from everyone’s view.

Ever since Kimberly’s death, Ivanna had never allowed herself to appear weak. She knew there were far too many people waiting to laugh at her downfall.

…

That evening, Felix summoned Ivanna back to the Hale residence under the pretext of a marriage alliance.

The moment Ivanna stepped inside the residence, she saw Lydia crying on the couch, her face swollen. Meanwhile, Adrian sat beside her in silence, his expression dark and unreadable.

Suddenly, Felix grabbed a cup from the table and hurled it at Ivanna. However, she dodged in time, causing the cup to shatter against the floor instead of her head.

“You insolent fool! Kneel!” Felix yelled.

“Why?” Ivanna icily asked, her face hardening.

Felix flicked his eyes toward two bodyguards standing nearby, and they immediately stepped forward and forced Ivanna to the ground.

No matter how much she struggled, she couldn’t fight against two strong men.

Ivanna gritted her teeth, fury blazing in her eyes. If looks could kill, Felix would have been torn apart a thousand times over.

He sneered. “Lydia is your sister. Not only did you fail to look after her, but you’d even dared to slap her. Ivanna, I’ve been far too lenient with you.

“Bring the whip!” He wanted to teach her a lesson.

But Ivanna let out a sharp laugh. “Stop acting like you’re some kind of saint. You tricked my mother into marrying you and used my grandfather’s inheritance to save your failing company!

“Let’s be honest, you’re just a live-in son-in-law! And yet, you still had the nerve to cheat. Lydia calls me her older sister, but who really knows which of us is older?

“What right do you have to punish me? You despicable coward!”

With every word Ivanna spat, Felix’s face grew darker.

When a maid eventually brought over a whip, Felix snatched it up, then turned and handed it to Adrian.

“I may not have the right to do this,” Felix coldly said, “but you do, Adrian. After all, you’re going to be part of this family.

“I’ll let you deliver the ten lashes.”

Chapter 4 Adrian stared at the whip in front of him but didn’t move.

Beside him, Lydia burst into tears again. “Adrian, I know you and Ivanna are deeply in love. Forget it, just let it go… After all, you two are getting married soon. When that day comes, I’ll have no choice but to leave your side.”

Felix cut in, “Adrian, think this through. If you don’t assert yourself now as her husband, then after the marriage…” He then trailed off deliberately.

That single unfinished sentence was enough to make Adrian reach out and take the whip. Then, he walked behind Ivanna.

With trembling arms, he struck her back.

Ivanna bit her lip hard, refusing to make a sound despite the beads of sweat rolling down her forehead.

“Don’t blame me, Ivanna,” Adrian softly said. “I’m doing this for us…” Yet with each strike, his grip on the whip only tightened.

For a moment, the living room was silent except for the hiss of the whip cutting through the air and the sound of it landing on Ivanna’s back.

Ivanna’s skin split open, and blood streamed down until her back was covered in scarlet. The taste of iron filled her mouth too.

After a few more whips, light spots also swam before her eyes, and her face turned ashen. She looked as though she had just been dragged from the depths of hell.

No one knew how much time had passed before the tenth lash finally fell.

After that, the two bodyguards released her, and Ivanna collapsed onto the floor.

“Ivanna!” Adrian rushed forward to help her up, but her weak voice stopped him.

“Adrian, I’ve repaid you the debt of saving my life.”

Adrian’s hands froze in midair as the memories came flooding his mind.

Ten years ago, Ivanna had run away from home and had been targeted by traffickers. If he hadn’t been secretly protecting her and fought off those men, she might have been taken away.

After that, Ivanna was hospitalized for a week.

It was from that day onward that her feelings for Adrian began to stir.

Suddenly, Felix said, “Adrian, Lydia, you two go home. I still have a few words for Ivanna. She’s my daughter, after all. I won’t actually kill her.”

Lydia quickly slipped her arm through Adrian’s, pulling the dazed man away with her.

After the two of them left, Ivanna slowly forced herself up from the ground. Sweat soaked her face, but it didn’t dim the determination in her eyes.

Felix didn’t look at her. He simply said in a cold tone, “The Kirk family said they’ll come for you in five days. Ivanna, don’t cause any more trouble.”

To that, Ivanna said nothing. Step by heavy step, she simply dragged herself out of the villa.

Blood mixed with sweat dripped down behind her with each step, sharpening her consciousness with pain.

That night, she went to the hospital alone to have her wounds treated.

…

The next day, the troupe had a performance. So, Ivanna had asked the doctor to apply stronger medicine and use more bandages.

After all, the performance was too important, and no matter what, she had to see it through.

When Ivanna arrived at the theater, she immediately saw Lydia holding a huge bouquet of roses, her smile bright and sweet.

“Lydia, are those roses from your boyfriend? They’re gorgeous!”

“They really are. He’s so romantic!”

Lydia’s face was redder than the roses. She softly said, “Thank you. I never expected him to give me flowers. We’ve been together for so long. There’s no need for this…”

Then, she lifted her head and met Ivanna’s gaze. She quickly hurried over and said, “Ivanna, how’s your body? If you’re not feeling well today, don’t push yourself.”

Ivanna said nothing. She simply lowered her head and swallowed two painkillers.

Just then, the troupe leader, Kaleb Gibson, walked in and clapped his hands.

The chattering dancers immediately fell silent.

Ivanna returned to her place, but then, she heard Kaleb loudly call out, “Ivanna, you won’t be performing in today’s show. Someone else will take your part.”

Her head snapped up. “Why? I attended every rehearsal for this performance. Why are you removing me now?”

“It was my decision.” Adrian walked in from outside, his expression full of concern. Using what he thought was a considerate tone, he said, “Ivanna, there’ll be plenty of performances. You don’t need to push your body too hard. After what happened yesterday, it’s better for you to rest today.”

Ivanna couldn’t understand on what grounds he could speak to her like this. He was the one who raised the whip on her, and now, he was pretending to care for her.

“Adrian, do you have any idea how much this performance means to me? This is the dance my mother choreographed. It’s the legacy she left behind!” Her emotions spilled out unrestrained, and she almost shouted at him.

Tears began filling her eyes, and finally, they spilled over.

But Adrian stayed silent. The situation was already set in stone. No words could change it now.

Ivanna took a deep breath and closed her eyes. “Adrian, we’re done…”

Adrian grabbed her hand and was about to speak when a stranger’s voice came from the doorway.

“Excuse me, who’s Ms. Lydia Hale?”

“I am,” Lydia quickly said.

The man walked over, snatched the roses from her arms, and said, “Apologies, these were delivered to the wrong person. Which one of you is Ms. Ivanna Powell?”

Ivanna stayed silent and sensed every head in the room turn toward her.

The man then stepped forward and placed the bouquet in front of her. “Ms. Powell, these flowers are from Mr. Kirk.”

There was just one word written on the card—”Kirk.”

Ivanna instinctively took the flowers and softly said, “Thank you.”

After the man left, she looked up and found herself meeting Adrian’s furious eyes.

“Who is he? Who’s the one who sent you flowers?”

Chapter 5 Ivanna never expected that Wilson Kirk would actually send her flowers.

But in spite of her shock, she clearly heard Adrian’s words. They were laughable.

He’d always stand on Lydia’s side, making things harder for her and always laying the blame on her shoulders.

Now, what right did he have to question her?

Ivanna yanked her hand free of his grip and let out a cold laugh. “What does it have to do with you?” She clutched the bouquet and turned to leave, but Adrian quickly stepped forward and blocked her path.

“Don’t be ridiculous, Ivanna. I know you sent these roses to yourself just to make me jealous. What I did before was wrong, I admit that. But don’t worry, I’ll make it up to you.

“Remember that necklace at the auction you liked so much? I’ll buy it for you. Would that make you happy?” His tone dripped with affection, but to Ivanna, his words were nothing short of absurd.

How could a necklace ever compare to this performance? It was clear that in his eyes, her dreams and her passions had never been worth anything.

What filled her heart now wasn’t only sorrow, it was disappointment too. She was disappointed in Adrian, in all the years they’d shared together, and in everything that still bound them together.

But Lydia saw things very differently.

She had adored that necklace and had hinted at it to Adrian more than once, though he’d always pretended not to understand. Yet now, he was offering it to Ivanna.

Lydia’s hands curled into fists, and her eyes burned with resentment as she looked at Ivanna.

“There’s no need,” Ivanna firmly said. “Adrian, I already told you. We’re done.”

The smile on Adrian’s face stiffened, his eyes clouding with confusion.

But Ivanna had no intention of wasting any more of her time with him and Lydia. She simply stepped past them and walked away.

Behind her, Adrian’s furious shouts echoed through the hall.

“Ivanna, don’t you dare regret this! Do you think you’re the only woman in the world? You’re not! One day, you’ll be on your knees begging me!”

But Ivanna didn’t look back, and neither did she slow her steps.

But it didn’t take long for her to realize why Adrian had shouted those very words.

Soon, news outlets announced Lydia’s appointment as principal dancer, and reporters rushed to cover her every word.

As she stood before the cameras, Lydia revealed that she had once been bullied by a fellow dancer.

With that, the Internet erupted. Within hours, everyone was determined to uncover the identity of the dancer who had bullied her.

From Lydia’s carefully given hints, it didn’t take long before all fingers pointed to Ivanna, and she became the public’s target.

But Ivanna wasn’t upset by the insults and speculation online. After all, malicious slander had never been enough to wound her. What truly broke her heart was discovering that the hand behind it all belonged to the man who had once been her only love—Adrian.

“Ivanna, if you apologize now, it’s still not too late. But if you don’t, you’ll regret it.”

She read Adrian’s threatening message but chose not to reply.

Meanwhile, Adrian waited and waited, then sent another message, only to discover that she had already blocked him.

His face twisted in rage. He hurled his phone to the ground, smashing it into pieces. “Fine, Ivanna. Fine!”

He then stretched out his hand and said, “Give me your phone!”

Samuel quickly passed his phone to him.

Adrian then called the troupe director, Peter Egan.

He said, “Starting tomorrow, I don’t want to see Ivanna in the troupe anymore.”

“Yes, Mr. Cross,” Peter replied.

When the call ended, Samuel hesitated before saying, “Adrian, isn’t this too much? You know dancing has always been Ivanna’s dream. That troupe means the world to her…”

“So what?” Adrian cut him off, striking the black ball with his cue stick. It rolled across the green felt and dropped neatly into the pool table pocket.

He straightened with a triumphant smile. “This is the only way she’ll finally understand that she can’t live without me.”

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?”

Chapter 7 All at once, all eyes were on Ivanna.

She froze and instinctively glanced at Adrian. His gaze was filled with mockery and amusement.

At that moment, Ivanna finally understood what was going on—this wasn’t just some casual party. It was a setup, planned to humiliate her.

Ivanna slammed her glass down on the table, her lips curling into a cold smile. “If you want to see a dance, go to the theater. I don’t have time to entertain you.”

Lydia flinched and shrunk back, her voice trembling as she said, “I… I’m sorry, Ivanna. I’ve never been to a party before. I didn’t mean to overstep…” Her tone was pitiful as she spoke.

Adrian then slipped an arm around her shoulders and said, “Why are you apologizing? It’s just a dance. Ivanna, don’t tell me you’re being that petty.”

The crowd knew exactly whose side they were on.

Ivanna had never been favored by her family. For years, the only one who had ever stood up for her was Adrian. But now, he had turned his back on her too.

Upon seeing this, the crowd too felt as if they could freely mock Ivanna.

Someone shouted across the hall, “Yeah, Ms. Powell, don’t be such a killjoy! It’s just a dance. Why act so high and mighty?”

“I’ve seen bar girls dance, but never a rich heiress like Ivanna. Who here thinks she’ll do any better?”

“Who knows? Once they start dancing, they’ll probably look the same anyway.”

Laughter rippled throughout the crowd. All the while, Adrian didn’t say a word and simply looked at Ivanna with that same mocking smile.

The scene pulled Ivanna back to the past.

Felix had never supported her dream. To him, his daughter performing on stage was a disgrace to the family name. At banquets, people had mocked her for it too.

During such times, Ivanna would be shocked into speechlessness. However, once when Adrian had witnessed this, he’d stormed across the hall, smashed a bottle over a man’s head, and warned that anyone who insulted Ivanna would be making an enemy of both him and the entire Cro