Chapter 5 The Close Call
985 Words
In the past, two thousand dollars might have just been the cost of a dinner for her, but now...
Mia had to rely on herself to make every penny, no matter how little. She felt it was worth it as long as it could help her family.
Vivian had expected a stranger, but to her surprise, it was Mia who showed up at her door.
"Oh my God, are you talking about yourself?! Darling!" she exclaimed in shock.
"I got divorced. Now, I just want to earn some money to help my family..." Mia gave a bitter smile.
"You finally made the right choice! Your skills are definitely up to par, but you can't go on stage like this. People will recognize you! Wait, I've got an idea!"
Vivian quickly found a golden mask and placed it on Mia.
The show was about to begin, and Vivian barely had time to give her a quick demonstration before rushing off.
Mia glanced at herself in the mirror, a tight, strapless, sequined mini-dress that barely reached her thighs, held up by two delicate strings at the back, radiating both allure and mystery. The golden mask contrasted with the dark dress, making her look like a firefly glowing in the night.
Looking at her reflection, Mia couldn't help but think about how she had learned to dance for Cameron's sake for three whole years.
She had become better than most professional dancers. Yet, ironically, he had never once seen her perform.
And now, here she was, a former socialite, dancing in a bar for money.
Suddenly, footsteps sounded from outside the room.
"Vivian, you're on next! Why aren't you in the wings yet?" a gruff voice barked as a middle-aged man burst in, a cigar hanging from his lips.
"Coming right away!" Mia answered quickly.
Exotic music started to play as Mia stepped onto the stage.
As the music began, the dim lights in the bar grew even darker, with the only spotlight focusing entirely on the stage.
Mia hadn't performed in years, and she froze under the spotlight, feeling like a deer caught in headlights.
"Why's she just standing there? Can she even dance?"
"With such a hot body, what a waste if she can't dance!"
Taking a deep breath, Mia gracefully swung herself onto the suddenly appearing pole. 'The stage technician must've hit the wrong button.'
The room fell silent for a split second before the sound technician smoothly changed the background track to a sultry anthem.
Mia's movements flowed in sync with the music, bending and twisting around the pole with graceful sensuality.
Lost in the rhythm, Mia didn't notice the intense gaze fixed on her from the most prominent seat in the audience.
"This is my new lead dancer. If you're interested, Mr. Castillo, I'm willing to let you take her away," the Thunderbolt's owner offered with a fawning smile.
He never imagined he'd strike gold like this, a woman who could catch the eye of an heir of a global business empire. No matter the cost, he was determined to keep her.
"Wow!!!"
As Mia finished her performance, the thunderous applause and cheers from the crowd almost deafened her.
Though the show was a success, the enthusiasm from the crowd left Mia feeling deeply uneasy, and she wasn't used to the attention anymore.
'As the beloved heiress of the Alden family, when had I ever fallen so low as to dance in a bar for money?'
She hastily bowed and made her way toward the dressing room, eager to change out of the outfit and escape from the embarrassing situation.
She wasn't just running from the scene. She feared being discovered as an imposter, not Vivian.
But as she turned the corner, she collided with someone with a rock-solid chest.
"Uh, sorry, I didn't mean to..." Mia mumbled, keeping her head down.
"So, you did it on purpose?" he stared down at her, deliberately teasing.
"No, sir..."
The familiar voice sent a shiver down Mia's spine, and her body tensed slightly.
'What is he doing here?!' Mia's mind raced.
She instinctively touched the mask on her face, and she let out a breath of relief.
'We are divorced now. Even if he did recognize me, there was no reason for me to be nervous, right? He should be the one feeling awkward, not me.' With that thought, Mia decided not to explain further. Instead, she walked past him and made her way back to the dressing room.
Cameron watched her, intrigued by how she went from flustered apologies to turning on her heel and walking away.
"Sir, is everything alright?" Seeing him stand in front of the restroom, Thunderbolt's owner approached, sensing an opportunity to curry favor.
"What's the name of the woman who led the dance?" Cameron ignored the greedy glint in the bar owner's eyes.
'That voice... it reminded me of someone, someone who shouldn't have been here.'
"Sir, I actually don't know her name... But if you want to see her again, she'll be performing here in three days."
The bar owner put on what he thought was a sincere smile, but his shifty eyes and contradictory words betrayed him.
Cameron raised an eyebrow, giving the man a long, scrutinizing look before flashing a knowing smile.
"Fine, but I want to see her again in three days. Make sure it's her!" With that, he turned and walked away.
Left standing there, the bar owner rubbed his chin thoughtfully. "Her? It has to be her? Could they know each other?"
The bar owner suddenly realized and rushed toward the dressing room.
He found the masked woman still inside. His gaze sharpened, and he put on a stern face, pretending to be angry.
"You're not Vivian. Who are you? This is a serious breach of contract! Neither you nor Vivian are getting away with this! Unless... you know Cameron Castillo, don't you?"
- Writer
