After that, they exchanged no more words, mainly because Adah pointedly ignored Rowena altogether. Rowena wanted nothing more than to spit out one last insult, but with so many eyes on them, she didn’t dare start anything.
Eventually, Rowena’s turn was called.
Each time another dancer left the stage, Rowena wore an expression of utter contempt, as though no one else here deserved to be called a dancer and she was in a league of her own.
When a staff member gave her the cue to head backstage, Rowena didn’t rush. She paused, turning to Adah with a sneer. “Still glued to your seat, I see. Guess you’ve never witnessed real talent up close. Watch carefully. I’m about to give you a lesson in winning.”
With that, Rowena rose and strutted off, her steps full of swagger and show. She moved with such smugness that one would think she’d already claimed the title.
Adah watched Rowena go, her lips curling in a quiet, amused smirk. She would just let Rowena parade around a little longer since the fall would sting all the more.
Not long after Rowena disappeared, Adah made her own way backstage to prepare.
By the time Adah finished getting ready, Rowena was already performing. Adah took a seat in the green room, her eyes glued to the big screen streaming the live stage.
Rowena wore an elaborate gown and was dancing a classical piece called Moonlight Shadow.
When the host announced the name of Rowena’s dance piece, Adah froze in disbelief. Their dancing pieces shared the same name. What were the odds? It felt like the name was being dragged through the mud.
As the music played and Rowena moved through the choreography, anger swept over Adah. It wasn’t just the name. Every single movement was identical to hers.
Sally had never made a name in the dancing industry, but she’d poured her soul into the art of dance. She wasn’t just talented; she was a true innovator.
Moonlight Shadow had been Sally’s final masterpiece. Adah had watched her mother dance it countless times at home when she was a child, every move etched into her memory. Adah had picked this dance for the competition, hoping her mother might see her bring the piece to life.
Never in her life did Adah think Rowena would be the one to steal her mother’s work.
As Rowena twirled across the stage, Adah was seized by a fierce, almost uncontrollable urge to rush out and send her sprawling.
That dance had only been performed once after its creation, with Sally sharing it privately for Adah’s and Leonel’s eyes alone. No one else should have even known it existed. Yet there Rowena was, replicating every step perfectly, leaving no doubt she’d stolen Sally’s final masterpiece.
The betrayal cut even deeper because of Rowena’s audacity. She had brazenly claimed the choreography as her own original work, shamelessly stealing fame and praise for something that wasn’t hers. The sheer gall of it made Adah’s stomach turn.
Adah had once dreamed of honoring her mother by debuting that creation herself. But now, Rowena had taken that moment, making it a loss that would haunt Adah for the rest of her days. And what burned the most wasn’t the theft. It was Rowena’s utter failure to grasp the heart of the dance. She performed it without true understanding or skill, completely missing the depth it required. To Adah, what happened on that stage wasn’t art; it was desecration.
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