Five Years of Marriage to Mr. Bradford (by Koi Fish) novel Chapter 161

Chapter 161

It was Desmond.

+25 Bonus

Rebecca stared in surprise. She had not expected to see him at all. “How did you know I was here?”

He smiled, and she immediately understood. Lauren must have told him.

“I’m here on behalf of the entire tour troupe to check on you,” Desmond said with a warm grin. “I’ve been given quite an important mission.”

Rebecca laughed, her spirits lifting. She didn’t know every member of the troupe well, yet they had all shown her genuine kindness.

“How did you end up hitting your head?” he asked, eyeing the thick bandage wrapped around her skull.

“The bathroom floor was too slippery,” she replied lightly. “I wasn’t paying attention.”

She had no desire to explain the messy details of her family drama. They were nothing to be proud of.

Desmond brought her some fruit. The early summer strawberries looked vibrant and tempting.

They sat together, popping the juicy fruit while they talked about the European tour, moving easily from the repertoire to every detail of the itinerary.

Rebecca’s eyes sparkled with pure longing as she listened. That was the life she had dreamed of for so long. She could no longer dance, but simply returning to that world and being part of the group again would fill her with uncontainable joy.

That was where she truly belonged.

When Vance reached the hospital room, the door stood half-open. Through the gap, he first noticed the bright light in Rebecca’s eyes. Then he realized those lively, shining eyes were fixed on Desmond.

He lingered in the doorway, but Rebecca never noticed him. She kept chatting with Desmond, gesturing animatedly and laughing freely.

Vance’s face darkened. He pushed the door open and strode inside, stopping beside her bed.

Rebecca frowned, wondering what had brought him there. Then it clicked that he must have called Nancy when she ignored his calls.

He carried a paper bag stamped with the logo of an outrageously expensive Western restaurant. Without a word, he set it on the nightstand, but his arrival instantly drained the warmth from the room.

The air grew heavy, and Desmond fell silent, unsure what to say. An awkward tension settled over everything, but Rebecca barely glanced at Vance.

Instead, she turned back to Desmond with an easy smile that cut through the discomfort. “Anyway, where were we? How did you finally break that bad habit with your instep?”

1/2

Chapter let

+25 Bonus

“Oh, right.” Desmond picked up the conversation smoothly and began sharing stories from his own dance training.

Every hurdle he described resonated deeply with her.

“Oh my God! Me too!”

“Yeah, that hurt like hell!”

“Exactly! I used to cry in secret because the teacher was so strict and intimidating. But later, I was so grateful. Those rigorous years shaped us into who we are today.”

“Totally, and cravings were the worst part.”

For every point Desmond made, Rebecca chimed in with heartfelt agreement.

They had both started dancing as children and had endured the same hardships, the same tears, as well as the same hard-won glory and applause.

They spoke the same language, and Vance did not.

He understood none of it. The specialized terms like double jeté, assemblé, pirouette, and tour en l’air were completely foreign to him.

The two of them grew more animated. Rebecca even pounded the mattress in delight. “Yes! When I was controlling my weight, I got so hungry I wanted to gnaw on the bed frame!”

Vance’s expression grew stormier by the second, yet they showed no sign of stopping. Finally, he cut in, his voice cold. “Mr. Schroeder, this is a hospital. Kindly remember to be quiet.”

Rebecca’s brows drew together. How rude could this man be?

“Come on!” Her tone sharpened. “It was me who got carried away chatting.”

Comments

ப