I stood there, fixed in place, watching Amira spin around and around.
But in my heart, it felt like a fire was slowly burning bit by bit.
This spot should have been my show.
It was work I had spent so much time fixing, a setup I built piece by piece, the name that the Pearson family had finally kept steady.
But now, it was simply taken over by Adrian.
So the next steps would not fall apart, I could not even stop it right there, and I could not go up after Amira finished her act.
I could only stay here, watching everything happen with no control.
Watching all the effort turn into nothing.
A feeling of no control spread across my whole body. I just hated that I did not end things with Adrian earlier, even sooner.
After one track finished, the applause was light.
Before I could take a breath, Adrian took the mic and said, “Using this chance, I will share one thing: Amira will later join our Wilkinson Group and will become someone we plan to train.”
At that time, I did not even feel shocked anymore.
Adrian would even let go of tens of millions in the market just to clear an easy path for his lover.
My phone shook hard in my hand.
Calls from Daly City leaders came one after another.
I shut my eyes with no strength, turned around, and walked fast to the backstage.
In the backstage area, Adrian stood there, softly calming Amira, who felt nervous after the show.
Amira saw me first, moved forward half a step, standing in front of Adrian, her voice low and shaking.
“Sister-in-law, do not feel angry, and do not blame brother Adrian. I asked him, I wanted this chance to go on stage, if you want to blame, blame me.”
Each line, she said, meant that this show was what she wanted, and Adrian had given it to her.
And I was only that spare choice that got pushed aside.
The small bit of control I was still holding in my heart suddenly broke apart.
Without any thought, I lifted my hand.
A clear sound, Amira’s whole body was hit and turned to one side.
“Eloise, are you out of your mind?!”
Adrian’s face quickly became very dark, pulling her into his arms.
His voice dropped low, but you could hear clear anger.
“You crazy woman, why’re you hitting someone!”
I showed no feeling and tossed the phone right in front of him.
On the screen were missed calls from leaders one after another.
My tone was cold.
“See it yourself. The leaders are already blaming us.”
“Adrian.”
“Today, do you dare take the result of everything you’ve done?”
Adrian looked at the display, his look showing a short moment of unease.
He didn’t think the leaders would get so angry just for swapping a show.
But soon, that feeling was pushed away by impatience.
“Do we need to care?”
His tone sounded easy, even holding a bit of annoyance.
“It’s only switching a show, at most we pay some fine.”
“But why are you hitting someone? All choices today were made by me; if you want to blame, blame me.”
“Amira’s a performer, what if you mess up her face? Aren’t you ruining her future?!”
Adrian looked at me, proudly said, “And also—”
“Your show, how good can it be?”
“Next to Amira’s dance, it’s only average.”
At that second, I heard this, and I felt like my whole self dropped into water.
The one who once listened closely as I spoke about ideas, helped me fix drafts line by line, praised my clear thoughts and smooth speech, at that second, fully faded away.
I suddenly didn’t want to ask anymore, calm to the limit.
“Alright.”
“Then you go tell the leaders yourself, go tell the partners.”
As for who Adrian wants to push, he should start an entertainment company by himself.
From now on, he couldn’t step into the Pearson family’s film and TV department at all!
Even though I wanted to just walk away, the work of the Wilkinson family and the Pearson family was still tied together.
If this issue spreads, it would also ruin the name of the Pearson family.
I could only call the partners one by one.
Adrian and I stayed at the company all night, but neither of us wanted to look for the other.
Late at night, I went to the break room to make coffee, just as I picked up the mug, the door got pushed open from outside.
Amira stood at the doorway.
Her face looked red in a strange way, her hair a bit messy, the lipstick on her lips slightly smeared, as she had just come from something intimate.
She looked toward me and gave a proud smile.
“President Pearson, it’s pretty late, still busy?”
I didn’t reply.
She didn’t need any answer, going on by herself, “And now, work’s all you’ve got left.”
“Honestly, I feel a bit sorry for you.”
“You tried so hard for so many years, only had a daughter, and now you’re still not liked by your husband.”
She gave a small smile.
“If you still have some pride, don’t want me to throw you out myself one day, you might as well leave Adrian sooner on your own.”
I looked at her pretty face, lifted my hand, and poured the full cup of very hot coffee over her.
“Ah!”
Amira shouted, stepping back at once.
Coffee ran down through her hair, her carefully kept look fully messed up.
I set the used cup down, my tone cold with no warmth at all.
“What are you, that you think you can talk to me?”
“A mistress should know her place.”
“Don’t make people sick everywhere like garbage.”
Amira shook with anger, her eyes red, looking at me with teeth clenched.
“Eloise, you’ll regret this!”
I didn’t care to look at her again, turned around, and hadn’t taken a few steps.
All of a sudden, there was a sound of something heavy dropping behind me.
I quickly turned around.
A cold feeling I couldn’t explain rose up from my back.
