The stage lights blazed down, so intensely bright that Emma could barely discern the audience.
Her dance partner, that snake of a man, wasted no time in abandoning her the moment the performance ended. She stumbled, barely catching herself before collapsing to the floor, her palms pressed against the cool surface as a chill spread through her entire body.
Across the stage, Matthew stood with an icy glare, his eyes fixed on her bruised, reddened lips.
His visage was shrouded in a somber gloom, interwoven with disdain and mockery. His voice, like a razor-sharp blade, cut through the air with unyielding precision. "I truly underestimated the depths of your shamelessness. Even on this stage, you couldn't resist resorting to cheap ploys to ensnare men. Did you honestly believe you could emer
