Chapter 6

After running through the full routine several times, it was almost 6 in the evening when Oliver sent Tina a message.

[We're here.]

Tina got up, changed in the locker room, then took the elevator down.

On the first floor, a group of girls from the rehearsal rooms had gathered behind a wide column, peeking toward the entrance, their faces flushed with excitement.

A man stood there, tall and lean, waiting quietly. He had broad shoulders, a narrow waist, and long legs outlined by tailored slacks. His gaze was lowered, his posture relaxed but composed, carrying an easy, natural presence.

Most of the girls at the arts center had high standards and rarely paid attention to ordinary men. Now, they couldn't look away.

"He's ridiculously hot. Who's he waiting for? If no one claims him, I'm going over!"

"I want to, too, but that back… It kinda looks like Tina's husband."

"No way! If her husband looked like that, she wouldn't just post some random back-view photo. That had to be from the internet."

It hit Tina then. This was the first time Jonathan had come out to wait for her. Before, he stayed in the car.

She had never complained. As long as he showed up to pick her up, she would get in happily every time, leaning into him.

Ignoring the whispers, she walked over.

"Wait… That's Tina. No way."

People recognized her immediately.

When she first came to the arts center four years ago, her striking looks had drawn countless male dancers to sneak into rehearsal rooms just to watch her.

Back then, she had been like summer sunlight, bright and dazzling.

She had shut it all down with one sentence.

"I'm married."

Everyone had assumed a woman like her, married so young, must be happy.

Over time, though, things had started to feel off.

Her husband had never once come to watch her perform. She never seemed to get calls from him. Even when she drank too much at group dinners, it was always a friend who came to pick her up.

Rumors followed. Maybe Tina had married some rich older man.

Then a child came running out from the hallway, chasing after a butterfly, focused and intent. Sadie followed behind him, smiling. The two of them walked up to Jonathan as if it were the most natural thing in the world.

"You're here already?" Sadie said.

The group behind the column broke into whispers.

"He's married? What is Tina doing? Isn't she married, too?"

"Guess she's that desperate. Unhappy marriage, huh."

"Bet she didn't expect the wife to show up with a kid. This is gonna get messy."

Tina saw that Sadie had come out from inside the arts building. Quentin sure moved fast.

But it didn't matter anymore. She was leaving anyway.

The thought that Jonathan had come out to wait, just not for her, settled somewhere in her chest. It didn't stab. It just sat there, heavy.

"I'll take a cab to the estate," she said.

Jonathan looked at her.

Her skin, flushed from practice, carried a soft pink that made her look more alive than usual. But when she met his eyes, there was no light in hers, no warmth.

After a moment, he asked, "Are you sure?"

"Yeah."

She didn't hesitate.

Before, if any woman got too close to him, she would step in right away, staking her claim.

Now, it didn't matter. They were getting divorced. After that, he could be with anyone he wanted.

"Your call." He lowered his gaze, his expression flattening, and turned to leave.

Tina stayed where she was and pulled out her phone to book a ride.

She didn't want to go to the Reed Estate, but Leonard still wasn't confirmed. For Rosalind, she had to.

By the time Tina arrived, Jonathan was already inside, sitting beside Eileen, listening as she spoke.

"You're not young anymore. You've been married four years, and still no kids. If Tina doesn't get pregnant soon, your uncle's side is going to start making noise."

The Reed family was large, with dozens of relatives in Jonathan's generation alone.

But almost none were like him, 30, married, and without children. Eileen had been pressing him for a while.

Tina steadied herself, walked in, and greeted Eileen with a smile.

"Tina, why didn't you come back with Jonathan?" Eileen turned to him. "You didn't pick her up? You're just like your father. Don't tell me you're going to…"

She cut herself off, her expression tightening.

"Let's eat," Jonathan said.

Eileen pulled Tina along to sit.

Out of the corner of her eye, Tina saw Jonathan circle around and take a seat beside Eileen instead.

Before, she would have gone straight to him, sitting close.

Now, she lowered her gaze and said nothing.

Eileen noticed. She cleared her throat. "Why are you sitting next to me? Go sit with your wife. I'm saving this seat for Joyce."

Jonathan paused, then said casually, "It doesn't matter where I sit."

At that moment, Joyce Wainwright ran in from the backyard.

"Tina! I missed you so much!"

The six-year-old threw herself at Tina.

Tina caught her, smiling for real this time. "I missed you, too."

The Wainwrights and Reeds were close. Eileen loved children and often had Joyce come over.

Joyce was lively, always climbing and running, getting into trouble, a lot like Tina had been. They had grown close quickly.

But Jonathan preferred quiet. Tina used to keep Joyce from bothering him too much, worried he would get annoyed.

Now, she didn't care.

She was about to have Joyce sit beside her when Eileen called her over.

"Joyce, come sit with me."

Eileen shot Jonathan a look, and he finally stood and moved to Tina's side.

Joyce avoided him and ran back to Eileen. "We got a new student at school. His name's Andy. He's really smart. The teacher says he's the smartest in the whole school, a genius…"

Tina froze.

Joyce attended one of the top international schools in Avensburg, with small classes and elite education. Every student came from wealth or influence, and tuition ran into the millions a year.

When Tina had first arranged school for Andy, it had been a public elementary school.

Jonathan had transferred him.

Which meant he intended to raise him as an heir.

Tina pressed her lips together. So he had already decided on the divorce and started planning ahead.

The Reeds would like Andy. He was smart and well-behaved.

Since it was all ending anyway, she didn't dwell on it and turned to Eileen instead.

"What about Leonard?" she asked.

Eileen smiled. "Don't worry. I've spoken to Samuel. He'll set up dinner with Leonard when he's back from his trip. They'll talk it through. I had the chef make this soup just for you. Drink more."

"Thank you." Some of the tension in Tina's chest eased. She took the bowl from the maid and sipped slowly, her thoughts still on Rosalind.

"You don't need to thank me. You're too thin. Eat more." Eileen had another bowl brought out for Jonathan. "Bring Tina around more often. You young people never eat properly."

Jonathan lowered his eyes, stirring the soup with his spoon. "I'm busy. Tina has her own things, too."

Eileen snapped, "Busy? Or because of that Farrow girl? You nearly got yourself killed over her back then, and I gave in and let you marry her. And what did she do? She turned around and married someone else! If you're still involved with her, don't expect my blessing."

The words hit Tina all at once. Her mind went blank for a second.