No Longer Their Understudy

As the most gifted dancer in the company, I'd held principal for three years. My solo performances still sold out every time, but whenever I shared the stage with Chloe Walton, the lead was always hers. For three years, not once had that changed. I had spent half a year preparing for this Black Swan ballet tour. This morning, when the program came out, the lead was still listed as Chloe. I had spent half a year preparing for a solo, yet I hadn't even been given a chance to audition. The ensemble dancers joked behind my back. "What can you do? She was born lucky. She is the darling of Mr. Cooper and Mr. Fisher." But no one knew that the man behind her, Mason Cooper, was my childhood sweetheart, and that Caleb Fisher was my own brother. This company had originally been founded by Mason for me. He had said he would make sure the greatest stages in the world remembered my name. But ever since Chloe arrived, every lead role that should have been mine had gone to her. This time was no exception. When the company director called me into the office, the program was already laid out on the desk, and the center position still belonged to Chloe. I decided to plead my case one more time. I said, "I have performed this countless times. Chloe's foundations aren't solid. This dance is too difficult. She might not make it through the entire tour." She said tactfully, "Olivia, it is precisely because Chloe's foundations are weak that she needs the experience. Just wait a little longer. You will get your chance during your next solo tour." I pressed, "Black Swan is my mother's favorite ballet. From the very first day I joined the company, I said I wanted to perform this. Can you just give me one chance? Even an open audition would do." She added, "You know our opinions don't count. If Mr. Cooper and Mr. Fisher say she is the lead, then she is the lead." Chloe couldn't even manage a backbend. One turn and she would send herself flying. But she was someone the Cooper and Fisher families had shoved into the company. That was enough. In fact, everyone knew that Mason and Caleb stood behind Chloe. But no one knew that this company had originally been founded by Mason for me. At eighteen, he had squatted down to tie my pointe shoes, saying he would let me dance on the greatest stages in the world. That was the promise he had made me when we were young. When I left the office, Chloe happened to be coming out of the practice room, and we came face to face. "Olivia, did you see the program?" She smiled as she tidied her hair. "Sorry, I have taken your spot again." I didn't look at her and kept walking. She caught up to me, lowering her voice. "Everyone out there says you are my understudy. When I cannot dance, you fill in for me. When I can dance, you have to step aside. Tell me, doesn't it feel pathetic being a principal dancer like this?" I stood there for a moment, my palms burning from where my nails had dug in. That evening, Mason came to pick me up. I had just gotten into the passenger seat when his phone rang. Chloe's voice spilled from the speaker, sickly sweet. "Mason, thank you for speaking to the director for me. I will definitely dance the Black Swan performance well." He replied, "Yeah, keep at it." After hanging up, Mason glanced at me. "Olivia, Chloe's fundamentals are weak. Help her out when you have time." I asked, "Mason, can you tell the director to switch the lead dancer to me?" Mason frowned. "What do you mean?" I said, "I want to dance Black Swan too. It is Mom's favorite ballet. I can let Chloe have everything else, but this time I want to dance it for Mom." This was the first and only time I had asked Mason for help with something in the company. "Olivia, you are already the principal dancer. Chloe needs this opportunity more. It is just one performance." Mason said calmly, "Chloe wanted this performance opportunity very much, so I gave it to her. She is an orphan. It isn't easy for her. Don't hold it against her." I looked out the window. The streetlights receded one by one. "Three years. I have stepped back for three years. Every time, you tell me not to hold it against her." Mason reached out and rubbed my forehead. His movements were exactly the same as before. "Chloe represents Fisher Group now. Caleb is so close to her, so of course I have to treat her well too. Don't overthink it. You are my wife. I will have to let you take a back seat for now. Don't be like that, okay?"