For Better, For Worse: The Serpent's Contract Wife

Chapter 122: The Day Before The Performance [1]

After hours of rigorous rehearsals, we were finally done.

"That was very good," Mrs. Valmont praised the moment the music stopped. "Ana, you were wonderful. Chris, that sequence was much stronger."

She nodded in approval, clasping her hands together. "I think we are ready. Alright, everyone, we’re done. Go over the choreography in your spare time and remember to be punctual."

Mrs. Valmont exited the stage, and finally, we could all breathe. It was more intense today, which I understood wholeheartedly. Everyone felt the shift, as if we had been remolded to take on anything.

Only Mrs. Valmont could pull that off like a day’s job.

"Amazing as always, Ana," Chris commented, flashing me a grin. "I’m looking forward to seeing how you’d kill it tomorrow. I know you’d, I don’t doubt you for a second."

My cheeks got warm. "G-Good thing I have you as my partner. I’m confident we can do great."

"Trust me, that was all you. I’ll see you tomorrow."

I nodded as I watched him leave. Others stayed to chat and hang around while the rest went over some parts, laughing and discussing the sequence.

I should join in and engage as much as I could, but instead, I sat down on the floor and began taking my ballet shoes off to let my toes breathe.

I gripped the shoes tightly, remembering the day I saw the box in my room. This was sorta the first gift Zade had given me.

I found myself drifting again, my mind flashing to the greenhouse. There were feelings I was not sure I should be having.

It was all jumbled, but somehow whenever I thought about that greenhouse, there was a fluttering sensation in my lower abdomen, as well as a rising swell in my chest that squeezed too hard.

God, I’m a mess of emotions. I couldn’t even pinpoint which was which. I was distraught, and half the time I felt dizzy.

I got distracted from my thoughts when someone sat beside me. Clara. She was one of the backup dancers, and during rehearsals, I tried my best to ignore her and focus on my role. It worked.

However, seeing her right now, smirking, I had a feeling she purposely sent that text to thwart my practice. I wouldn’t be surprised if that was her goal.

"You were fantastic, Ana. I can’t wait to see how tomorrow night’s performance goes. You got my text?"

"Unfortunately, I did."

Time to prove your loyalty.

That was what she sent. That alone managed to put me in a tight position. It came unexpectedly and amounted to nothing in that space of time. As I mentioned earlier, she most certainly did it to mess with me.

"Unfortunately? Now don’t be like that. You should be happy that the opportunity has finally arrived when you can prove yourself. Daddy was hesitating, thinking maybe you won’t be useful anymore, but I told him otherwise. I have faith in you, Ana."

I darted my dark gaze to her. I swear to god if she calls Shane ’daddy’ one more time, I’m gonna lose it.

A smile curled on my lips, but it didn’t reach my eyes. "Careful, Clara, that much faith could get you in trouble."

"I hope it doesn’t, not for mine sake, for yours. Think about Annabeth. You’re doing this for her."

"Get her name out of your fucking mouth!" I hissed.

She giggled. "After the performance, there’s a function in the undercity, and you will be attending."

"What?"

"That’s how you’re gonna be proving your loyalty."

"Why do I need to attend this... function?"

"You’ll see."

I clenched my teeth. "You’re gonna have to give me more than that, Clara."

"Is that a threat?"

I exhaled sharply, choosing to peel my eyes away before I did something as stupid as scratching her eyes out.

"Just focus on your big day. All eyes are gonna be on you tomorrow night. Some might want you to fail, and others to succeed. You can’t really tell. All I can say is you have to be prepared for anything."

"Is this a way of telling me that you’re the one who wants to watch me fail? They usually sound like you do. Mouthbreathers."

She laughed. "If I did want you to fail, I could have shot you in the head at the opera house. Blamed it on one of Zade’s many enemies. It may have taken some time, but I would have relished the feeling of taking your role and doing a much better job."

My insides shuddered at her words because I knew deep in my heart she was telling the truth.

Clara had always been about using her mouth and no action ever since I had known her. But now she was acting like them. Those made men who knew only to take without consequence and smear everything in blood.

Shane’s influence on her was starting to make her like him.

I watched as she rose to her feet and left. I tracked her with my eyes until she disappeared backstage, and suddenly, the nerves didn’t come from the performance tomorrow.

The idea of revenge on Zade... the idea of doing this for Annabeth’s sake—felt less like justice and more like a disaster waiting to happen.

"Sis!"

I jolted as I turned my head towards the familiar voice.

"Luca?"

He hurried to the stage and jumped, startling me as he crouched in front of me.

"Hey sis!" He grinned, waving at the girls who weren’t discreet with their ogling.

"W-What are you doing here?"

"I came to take you back to the manor."

"Excuse me?"

"Elliot called me and told me that you’re in no condition to drive and I should not let you drive back to the manor on your own."

"Oh..." I mumbled.

"So are you done?"

"I-I think so."

"That checks. So let’s get going!"

The giggles and murmurs drew my attention back to the blushing company.

"In the meantime, excuse me while I go do some good."

I grimaced.