“She is,” Ginger replied, her tone smug. “I heard she used to cling to Lee all the time. But it’s fine now—I’m here to keep an eye on things.”
I froze for half a second, then kept walking, saying nothing.
Back in my room, I turned on my laptop to review my rehearsal videos, looking for areas to improve. But as soon as I opened Facebook, I saw a dance video going viral.
Curious, I clicked on it—and my heart dropped.
It was my rehearsal from two weeks ago. But someone else had slapped their watermark on it.
The comments were filled with praise for the creativity of the choreography, but no one mentioned my name.
I immediately looked up the account that posted it. It belonged to one of the competitors in tomorrow’s competition.
My stomach sank. Plagiarism like this wasn’t new in the dance industry, but I never thought it would happen to me.
As I was preparing to gather evidence to defend my rights, there was a knock at the door.
“Darcey, come out for dinner,” Ulysses called.
I wiped my eyes. “I’m not hungry.”
There was a pause. “Don’t stay holed up in your room all the time.”
“I’m fine. You mans eat without me.”
Another moment of silence passed. Then, his footsteps finally faded away.
I stared at my laptop screen, debating whether to tell him about this. In the past, I would go to him right away whenever I ran into trouble.
But now? I didn’t even know how I should speak to him.
As his sister? I certainly had crossed that line long ago.
As his friend? We’d grown so distant that even casual conversations felt strained.
Just then, my phone buzzed with a text from an unknown number.
[Want that video taken down? Then drop out of the competition.]
I stared at the message for a long time until I laughed.
Maybe this is the price I have to pay—losing the family that adopted me, losing the man I still secretly love, and now, losing the chance to chase my dreams.
It was late at night when I heard piano music coming from downstairs. Ginger was playing Moonlight Sonata, the piece she’s best known for. As the elegant notes filled the air, I heard Ulysses’s voice, filled with admiration.
This must be what a perfect match looks like.
They both came from prominent families, had the best education, and knew all the high society rules—things I could never learn.
And me? I’m just an orphan raised on charity, foolishly falling for someone I should never have loved.