Chapter 19

The sachet felt unexpectedly soft in Asher's hand, almost delicate, nothing like he had expected.

Arabella turned toward Dominick with a small smile. "Do you want one too? Here," she said,passing him another sachet from her bag.

Dominick accepted it gratefully, giving it a cautious sniff. The subtle scent washed over him like a calming breeze. "Didn't know you had a talent for this kind of stuff, Miss Stanley."

Arabella gave a relaxed shrug. "Try it out. It's better than counting sheep."

A few quiet moments later, the car pulled up outside the hospital. Arabella grabbed her things and gave the two men a little wave. "Thanks for the ride," she said, stepping out without hesitation.

Dominick was still toying with the sachet, visibly impressed. "This thing's legit. Seriously, it's relaxing as hell."

Asher glanced at the sachet in Dominick's hand without saying a word, but his stare was so sharp

it made Dominick uneasy. Trusting his gut,Dominick quickly offered it. "I don't really need it anyway," he said with a nervous chuckle. "You should have it, boss. Doesn't it help you sleep better?"

Asher slowly shut his eyes. "She gave it to you.Keep it."

Dominick sheepishly pulled it back.

He couldn't stop thinking about it-ever since Arabella came into the picture, his boss had been acting strange. Not in a bad way, just... not like himself.

Over the next few days, Arabella threw herself into rehearsals like a machine, giving every ounce of energy she had to the Griridge Troupe.

One evening, the whole troupe gathered at a nearby diner for a casual team dinner.

Even the substitute dancers were invited, and Lailah wasted no time pulling Arabella into the booth beside her.

She leaned in, lowering her voice. "Big-time investor's dropping in tonight. We need someone who turns heads, and that's you and me. You know how this goes. Our troupe's hot, but money talks. You work your charm, girl, and you're

golden. I'm giving you a real shot here because I know you've got the spark."

Arabella's gaze sharpened, but she offered a sly,easy smile. "How generous of you, Lailah. I appreciate the opportunity."

Lailah grinned, clearly pleased with herself.

Soon after, their guest of honor arrived.

A bulky man in an overstretched suit waddled in,his eyes lighting up the second he saw Arabella."Whoa, I didn't know your troupe had such stunners! No wonder Griridge Troupe's name is everywhere!"

"You bet," Lailah said, chuckling. "Meet Daisy.Daisy, this is Mr. Trace Burke."

Trace extended a thick hand. "Even your name's pretty. You're a total bombshell!"

Arabella gave a calm smile and raised her soda."Nice to meet you,Mr.Burke.Cheers."

His hand hovered for a second, but once he saw Arabella take a sip, he picked up his own glass and took a drink too.

Arabella kept casually clinking glasses with Trace,smoothly dodging any of his touches. After a while, he got totally drunk, and when he couldn't

hold back anymore, he clumsily reached for her knee.

A loud scream rang out, making everyone look over.

Arabella's water glass spilled, splashing all over Trace's hand, turning it bright red.

Lailah snapped, her voice sharp. "Daisy, what the hell was that?"

"My bad," Arabella responded calmly, as if nothing serious had happened. "Didn't mean to spill it."

The rest of the group exchanged quick glances,clearly piecing together what just happened.

Trace's reputation wasn't news. Most in the troupe knew he was sleazy, and more than a few were disgusted.

"Don't just stand around!" Lailah barked at Arabella. "Get Mr. Burke back to his room already!"

Trace muttered something under his breath and pushed back his chair. "Whatever. I'm heading out.Walk me."

Arabella's brows lifted, amused. "Sure thing," she said,striding out behind him.

Back at the table, a sharp glint flashed in Lallan's eyes. This was working out better than she had hoped. Let Arabella charm her way in, for now.Once everyone bought into the act, she could flip the script, tarnish her reputation, and toss her out without anyone batting an eye.

Lailah took a slow sip of her wine, smiling like she had already won.

Meanwhile, out in the hallway, Trace's self-control was long gone. Reeking of alcohol and entitlement, he staggered toward Arabella,grabbing at her. "You're hot stuff, babe. Stick with me, and I'll make sure you're Griridge's next star."

Arabella slipped to the side, dodging his touch with ease. "Is that so? And what's your brilliant plan for making that happen?"

Trace's face was flushed deep red, stinking of whiskey.He grinned lazily. "Easy stuff. I'll get you into the main team and right under the spotlight.No sweat."

Arabella rolled her eyes. "Please. You can't fake talent. Making it to the top squad is hard enough -being front and center's a whole dlifferent game."

The smirk on Trace's face twitched. He clearly

didn't like being challenged. "You've got the skills," he said, trying to recover. "You think the main team's all that? Lailah? She'd be nothing if it weren't for me."