\u00a0<\/p>\n
Chapter 90 A Dance of Defiance\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cSo, tell us,\u201d one of the men prodded, \u201cwhat does this special lady of yours do for a living?\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
Finished\u00a0<\/p>\n
Damian, accustomed to his reputation as a perpetual joker who treated nothing seriously, had for once spoken a profound truth. Yet everyone had dismissed it as just another one of his quips. The irony stung. though upon reflection, he couldn\u2019t fault them for their perception; he had, after all, carefully cultivated it.\u00a0<\/p>\n
He reached for two glasses of wine from a passing server\u2019s tray, handing one to Scarlett and keeping the other for himself.\u00a0<\/p>\n
After taking a deliberate sip, Damian offered a faint, almost wistful smile. \u201cWhat does she do?\u201d he repeated. \u201cShe saves lives.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
The moment the words left his mouth, the group immediately launched into a fresh round of effusive, yet utterly hollow, praise. \u201cA doctor! How noble! What a commendable profession!\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
Their compliments rang false, their insincerity palpable.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Businessmen of their caliber-how many truly held genuine respect for the medical profession? A senior doctor\u2019s monthly salary was a pittance compared to what these men earned in a single day.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Damian didn\u2019t take offense. Instead, he turned his gaze fully toward Scarlett, who had remained silent throughout the exchange. \u201cYou all sound utterly disingenuous,\u201d he stated calmly, his eyes locked on her. \u201cBut it doesn\u2019t matter. I truly believe she is remarkable.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
He meant every syllable, and the sincerity etched on his face was more pronounced than anyone present had ever witnessed.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Scarlett glanced at him, her brow furrowed in a mixture of concern and profound discomfort.\u00a0<\/p>\n
But the next instant, the men surrounding Damian burst into another round of hearty laughter. Who knew what they were thinking-perhaps they believed he was simply perfecting his role as the devoted suitor, laying it on thicker than ever before.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Even amidst their open snickering, Damian\u2019s expression remained solemn. He continued to stare intently at Scarlett, as if trying to telepathically communicate that his words were not a performance.\u00a0<\/p>\n
He held her gaze with a stubborn intensity, refusing to break eye contact, as if waiting for a flicker of belief\u00a0<\/p>\n
from her.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Scarlett began to feel a flutter of panic. She reached out and gave his arm a gentle, almost pleading push. \u201cCan we please leave soon?\u201d she asked, her voice barely aboye a whisper,\u00a0<\/p>\n
The raw seriousness in his eyes unnerved her. She desperately wanted to believe this was all just another one of his elaborate games.\u00a0<\/p>\n
They stood in a silent standoff. As Scarlett grew increasingly flustered, on the verge of turning to flee the uncomfortable situation, Damian finally pressed his lips together and relented. \u201cIt\u2019s still early. There\u2019s a scheduled photo session later,\u201d he informed her, his voice softer now.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Her heart, which had been hammering wildly against her ribs, finally began to slow its frantic pace. The unease remained, but it was now tempered by a slight sense of reprieve. \u201cAlright, then,\u201d she conceded, her\u00a0<\/p>\n
1\/3\u00a0<\/p>\n
18:12 Thu, Jan 8 G\u00a0<\/p>\n
Chapter 90 A Dance of Defiance\u00a0<\/p>\n
voice still tinged with nervousness.\u00a0<\/p>\n
(53\u00a0<\/p>\n
Finished\u00a0<\/p>\n
Since she was already here, she felt compelled to honor her promise and see the evening through with Damian until the very end. She owed him that much.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Just then, the beautiful, haunting strains of a piano sonata began to drift into the lounge from the adjacent auction hall.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Scarlett froze upon hearing it. She recognized the piece immediately; it was Sabrina playing.\u00a0<\/p>\n
The captivating music drew the attention of everyone in the lounge, their conversations faltering as they turned toward the source.\u00a0<\/p>\n
The hallway connecting the two spaces quickly became crowded with guests trying to get a better view. Damian, concerned that Scarlett might be jostled, swiftly wrapped a protective arm around her shoulders and pulled her securely to his side.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Simultaneously, hushed whispers began to circulate among the people packed into the corridor.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cIf I\u2019m not mistaken, the one playing the piano is the young lady Mr. Stewart is always seen with, correct?\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cYes, that\u2019s her. He\u2019s completely devoted to her-escorts her to every significant event.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cAnd you have to admit, she possesses that gentle, refined elegance, and she\u2019s genuinely talented. It\u2019s no wonder Mr. Stewart is so taken with her. She must be truly exceptional.\u00a0<\/p>\n
At that moment, Vincent was standing near the stage in the auction hall, his eyes closed, seemingly immersed in the music. He appeared oblivious to the murmuring crowd gathering behind him.\u00a0<\/p>\n
But to every observer, it painted a picture of perfect, shared romance between him and Sabrina.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Scarlett stood at the rear of the gathered crowd. Through the gaps between shoulders, she caught a fleeting glimpse of Vincent\u2019s profile near the stage.\u00a0<\/p>\n
She had no insight into his thoughts, but his mere presence there, sharing this moment with Sabrina, screamed one undeniable truth to the world-Sabrina was the woman who held his heart.\u00a0<\/p>\n
As the piano piece swelled toward its emotional climax, the whispers evolved into open, admiring\u00a0<\/p>\n
commentary.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cMr. Stewart certainly has an eye for quality. She\u2019s stunning, and she plays with such feeling. If I were a man, I\u2019d be utterly captivated too.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cIt\u2019s not just the piano! Look at her figure! Honestly, what in life has she been denied?\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
Listening to the relentless praise, Scarlett felt a bitter, humorless laugh bubble in her chest.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Everyone was extolling Sabrina\u2019s virtues, but who among them knew she was the very wedge that had shattered Scarlett\u2019s marriage?\u00a0<\/p>\n
Beneath that exquisitely beautiful face, Scarlett was certain, lay no kindness of heart.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Damian also found the public adulation difficult to stomach. Scarlett was Vincent\u2019s legal wife, yet all anyone saw or celebrated was Sabrina.\u00a0<\/p>\n
2\/3\u00a0<\/p>\n
18:12 Thu, Jan 8 G\u00a0<\/p>\n
Chapter 90 A Dance of Defiance\u00a0<\/p>\n
Finished\u00a0<\/p>\n
Scarlett had no desire to remain a moment longer. She turned, intent on leaving, but Damian moved swiftly, stepping directly into her path and blocking her exit.\u00a0<\/p>\n
She looked up at him, her frown deepening. \u201cDo you want to see me humiliated as well?\u201d she asked, her voice tight.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Damian simply smiled, sidestepping her question entirely. He took her slender hand in his and said with a charming grin, \u201cWith music this beautiful, it would be a crime not to dance, don\u2019t you think?\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
Before she could protest, Damian slipped his other arm around her waist, drawing her gently but firmly into a dance hold. \u201cPlace your hands on my shoulders,\u201d he instructed, his voice a soft command.\u00a0<\/p>\n
For reasons she couldn\u2019t quite comprehend, Scarlett found herself complying. She lifted her hands and rested them lightly on his broad shoulders. Then, with Damian leading confidently, they began to move together, their steps slowly synchronizing with the melancholic melody still flowing from the auction hall.\u00a0<\/p>\n
1.0K\u00a0<\/p>\n
2\u00a0<\/p>\n
3\/3\u00a0<\/p>\n
18:12 Thu, Jan 8\u00a0<\/p>\n
Awakened Housewife: Ignore Betrayer\u2019s Begs\u00a0<\/p>\n
Silent Dreams Never Die \u2014 Author: John Miller 90 \u00a0 Chapter 90 A Dance of Defiance\u00a0 \u201cSo, tell us,\u201d one […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"site-sidebar-layout":"default","site-content-layout":"","ast-site-content-layout":"default","site-content-style":"default","site-sidebar-style":"default","ast-global-header-display":"","ast-banner-title-visibility":"","ast-main-header-display":"","ast-hfb-above-header-display":"","ast-hfb-below-header-display":"","ast-hfb-mobile-header-display":"","site-post-title":"","ast-breadcrumbs-content":"","ast-featured-img":"","footer-sml-layout":"","ast-disable-related-posts":"","theme-transparent-header-meta":"","adv-header-id-meta":"","stick-header-meta":"","header-above-stick-meta":"","header-main-stick-meta":"","header-below-stick-meta":"","astra-migrate-meta-layouts":"default","ast-page-background-enabled":"default","ast-page-background-meta":{"desktop":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-5)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"tablet":{"background-color":"","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"mobile":{"background-color":"","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""}},"ast-content-background-meta":{"desktop":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-4)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"tablet":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-4)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"mobile":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-4)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""}},"footnotes":""},"categories":[81],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-27454","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-the-impossible-condition-novel"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/kezpres.xyz\/novelreading\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/27454","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/kezpres.xyz\/novelreading\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/kezpres.xyz\/novelreading\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/kezpres.xyz\/novelreading\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/kezpres.xyz\/novelreading\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=27454"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/kezpres.xyz\/novelreading\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/27454\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/kezpres.xyz\/novelreading\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=27454"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/kezpres.xyz\/novelreading\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=27454"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/kezpres.xyz\/novelreading\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=27454"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}