Revenge Marriage: The Jilted Ballerina’s Comeback

e ballroom of the Pierre Hotel was suffocating, a humid trap of expensive perfume,

ainst her bare shoulder. Her knuckles were white where they gripped the

rself to brea

air felt like

xedos and shimmering gowns, a collective organism of New Yo

stepped onto th

back screech sliced through the murmurin

physical knot, tight and har

s, the smile that had promised her a future, the smile that was curr

ver the corner wh

ng more than a piece of the hotel's beige wallpaper. A ghost at a

his voice smooth, practiced. "Tonight mar

of champagne. It

," Campbell continued. He paused for dramatic effect, turning sli

ended

arling, ple

hing. Her lungs simp

the stairs to the stage

of silk and lace that looked u

free hand to her chest, but her eyes were bright and hard, gl

e. Her extremities went numb, starting a

ice dropping to that intimate register he used to use with D

ndice's hand

am proud to announce my e

oom e

hands clapping together in a rhythm that fe

as

stal cut through the applau

was empty, trembling in the

arkling dangerous diamonds on the plush carpet. C

ar her faltered

mented Daphne's posture at the ballet, looked at

ne whispered. "T

?" another voice

ked up at

looking dire

s than a second. A smirk. A tiny, victor

ace in Campbell's shoulde

n the room's energy, turned th

led toward th

as

light exploded in

of jagged glass. She didn't feel the cut. She only

Flash

e! Loo

give us a

inally loo

pology in his eyes. Only a warning. His

hed thr

Make. A

hoved past a waiter, thrusting

you know about

no sound came out. Her thro

family trust now that the real daugh

osing in. The hea

ne t

ked, spine rigid, head high, pushing through t

whispered, thou

nocking a tray of hors d'oe

s of the service exit, stumbling into t

her wet skin

iserable New York drizzle that so

he stopped, she would scream, and if she

d out onto

d down, the driver looking at her-a soaking wet woma

n in her eyes. He hit

et her h

ing. She just needed darkness. She needed a place where the

ing inside her heels, she ducked int

le beer and sawdu

icky table in t

the waitress. "Three

burned all the way down, sea

one. The edges of her

hed for

fell over

covered the top of the shot g

looked up. Sandalwood. Expe

scent s

blinking agains

the bowtie undone and hanging loose around h

ith eyes that were unre

h, Daph," he