Chapter 54
Two weeks passed, and Cherise was now getting ready at a special waiting room the National Dance Academy had assigned for her.
Paula was there with her, fitting her costume at the last minute, which was, of course, one of her customized designs.
Julian was already sitting amongst the audience while Katherine and Logan, unfortunately,
not attend.
“There, you are all ready,” Paula patted her back after she was done with all the adjustments. “And damn if you don’t look good, Cherise.” She looked at Cherise within arm’s length and grinned.
Cherise turned around to ch*ck her reflection in the full length mirror and smiled, satisfied with Paula’s work on her dance costume
“You are always an artist. Paula,” she grinned at her best friend.
The day after she opened the invitation, she quickly called Paula and told her about the performance and the color of the costume she wanted – yellow, orange, red, and gold – the color of Phoenix.
“You know I am.” Paula winked at her. She was really creative, and able to design anything as long as it was clothes, be it dance costumes, formal gowns, casual clothes, business suits, or even masks. And with her connections, shoes, and any kind of accessories that would match her designs.
Right now, Cherise was wearing red shoes matching the red color of her dress.
“Emely and Hudson are here too, though.” She wrinkled her nose, disgusted by the mere presence of the cheater and his mistress.
“She was the champion of Country D for several years; the dance company would have to invite her, Cherise said as she applied her lipstick
“You are not bothered by them anymore?” Paula asked, to which Cherise shrugged.
What was there to get bothered by them anymore? They were divorced, and the cheater was now engaged to the love of his life.
It would be stupid for her to wallow in grief and not move forward in her life. She had suffered for three years, and now she was free. Why not make the most of it?
“Alright, it’s about to start. I’d better return to my seat,” she said. “Julian will be lonely without me.”
Cherise laughed. Paula, as per her character, loved to tease Julian. Fortunately, her brot!
even humored her.
“See you out there. Thanks for the costume, shoes, and mask.” Cherise winked and hugged her.
n’t bothered by it and sometimes
“Crush them out there,” Paula reminded her with a huge smile, not that Cherise needed it. They both knew she was the best.
Cherise couldn’t help but laugh. “Oh, I will.”
Paula then left her room, and Cherise sank to the couch. The National Dance Company had given her a huge waiting room, complete with a huge TV, so she could watch the other performers until it was her turn.
Cherise sat back and rubbed the space between her brows. To be honest, she wasn’t feeling quite well.
For the past two weeks, she had been swamped with work, although it doesn’t make her tired because Julian makes sure of it through Neil. She always had time to take her meals on time and had breaks in between meetings.
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But with her working on her dance choreography and the late–night hacking she and Tristan did, it might have taken a toll on her b*dy, and she should have known it.
One of the organizers appeared on the stage, gave a speech, and the performance officially began.
Cherise watched each performance quietly in her room while sipping a glass of orange juice. She smirked when she saw Emely make a mistake, which her partner was fortunately able to correct, so the mistake was not so obvious.
Not so great, after all, Cherise thought to herself.
Maybe she should talk to Emely’s partner and tell him her thoughts. It really would be a waste to see a talented dancer being held back by someone like Emely.
The rest of the dancers, who all had partners, weren’t so bad. Some even surprised her with their perfect techniques and choreographies.
When the last couple started dancing. Cherise stood up and nearly fell back down when she felt the room spin.
She stilled and took a deep breath. She couldn’t quit now just because of some dizziness, which she was sure would not matter once she was on the stage, in her own little world, and immersed in her dance.
When she heard the clapping of the audience as the last couple finished their performance, she picked up her mask, put it on, squared her shoulders, stepped out of the room, which was guarded by two b*dyguards, and went toward the side of the stage.
On the way, many of the dancers were whispering and looking at her in awe, but none were brave enough to approach her.
She smiled at some of them and met the organizer, who had just announced to the audience that they had an exceptional performer as the last dancer for the day.
“Are you ready?” the organizer, who was a kind–looking middle–aged lady and Cherise sure was once a dancer, asked with a soft. smile.
“As ready as I can be,” Cherise smiled, and the lady gestured for her to go to the stage.
Cherise took another deep breath and stepped onto the middle of the stage. She posed and waited for the curtain to open.
When it finally opened and the music started playing, Cherise forgot about everything else and began showing everyone a Salsa dance like none other.
Her movements started slow and then became more seductive and powerful, showing t strong, like a phoenix rising from the ashes.
sformation of a shy girl into someone
But she apparently had made a mistake in thinking her dizziness would not affect her performance because it did.
The more she danced and twirled, the more dizzy and sore her whole b*dy felt. She gritted her teeth and kept her smile in place as she pushed herself to keep dancing. She was a professional. She could hold on no matter what.
The audience was ooh–ing and ahh–ing since the curtain was parted. Most of them were dance enthusiasts and knew she was Miss.
Hudson, who was sitting alone in the audience, was mesmerized by her. He was here because he needed to keep his act with Emely and to support her, but he was surprised to see the famous Miss. X on the stage.
The way her b*dy swayed, the glittered dance costume that twinkled under the light, and her expression that matched every movement….
But he had a strange feeling that he had met this seductive woman before. There was a familiarity about her besides that she was Miss. X.
place where this feeling came from because he was sure he didn’t know who the woman behind the mask was. Hudson frowned as he saw her smile seem to falter. She appeared to make some subtle mistakes in her f managed to turn those movements into part of her choreography.
footwork, but she somehow
None might not realize it, but he was Hudson Amery. He had eyes to spot mistakes, even just tiny bits. It looked like either Miss. X was injured, or she wasn’t feeling well.
Cherise, who was still dancing on the stage and felt like her b*dy was getting heavier, suddenly felt a hand take hers, and she nearly stumbled when she saw a man there matching her dance moves.
Her eyes went wide, but the man wearing a mask stepped nearer to her and whispered so softly, “Keep dancing. I’ll support you.” Cherise couldn’t believe that Xav was here and dancing with her. Even though it was ironic that he appeared to make sure she wouldn’t fall, just like she thought Emely’s partner was too great for her, but still, she was over the moon.
She couldn’t believe how Xav could match her choreography, turning it from a solo into a couple dance without her needing to change anything or him trying to lead.
It was no wonder he was the best male Salsa dancer out there. With him supporting her weight when she felt the dizziness strike her again, no one would know how she nearly messed up her dance.
Paula
was
surprised when she saw a male dancer joining her best friend on the stage.
“I thought Cherise was supposed to dance alone?” she asked Julian, who was frowning. “Why is Xav there with her? Does he want to dance with her?”
Julian watched them dance for a while before he replied to Paula’s inquiries, “No. There’s something wrong with Cherise.”
He knew his sister well and had seen her dance many times to realize how, at
that moment,
t, her dance wasn’t as powerful as usual.
“Let’s go backstage,” he said and stood up. If he was right, Cherise must not be feeling well right now,
Paula didn’t hesitate to
By the time her dance, or more like their dance, ended, Cherise was out of breath more than usual and felt like she could pass out at any moment.
She could barely hear the audience’s roar of clapping as she bowed as a thank you. Once the curtain was drawn shut, Xav quickly ushered her back to her room while the rest of the dancers, who had watched their performance backstage, clapped for them,
When they reached Cherise’s room, she turned to look at him and finally saw that he wasn’t wearing any costume but a white shirt, black suit pants, and leather shoes–not even dancing shoes.
From his clothes, it looked like he was really just here as an audience member, and he was wearing a suit, just like the rest of the male audience. He must have removed his suit jacket and tie and unbuttoned his shirt so it wouldn’t restrict his movements too much.
“Thank you, Xav,” Cherise said with sincerity. She was grateful he had saved her. “If not for you, I might not be able to finish my dance.”
Cherise saw Xav frown and move his lips as he said something, but she couldn’t hear him. She was too tired, and suddenly, she felt
Chapter 54
the dizziness hit her in full blast before everything around her turned black.
Xav moved fast and caught her before Cherise’s b*dy hit the floor.
“Shit!” He cursed and lifted her before placing her on the couch and took off her mask without thinking to feel her forehead.
He froze when he saw the face under the mask, and his lips curled into a bitter smile. No wonder he felt a familiarity when he saw her, and that feeling deepened when he danced with her, touching parts of her b*dy.
He placed a hand on her forehead, and just like he had suspected when he touched her hands during their dance, she had a very high fever. She wasn’t lying when she said she might not be able to finish her dance if he wasn’t there to support her.
He needed to get her to the hospital, Her room was at the back of the building and close to the back exit leading to the parking lot. The organizer did a great deal to make sure no one could see who Miss. X really was by placing her here.
He took off his mask and placed his arms under her back and knees to lift her when suddenly the door opened behind him.
He looked back to see the visitors, and time stood still when Julian, Paula, and he looked at each other.
“Get the hell away from her!” Julian broke the silence, strode forward, and pushed him away from Cherise.
