Chapter 5

However, as it turned out, the gigs I could get were not great.

At the fashion show, we discovered that the main model was Julia, and I was just her sidekick.

The show's co-organizer? Julia's sister, Silvia Lawson. They had set me up.

Silvia and I never got along. Ever since I started dating Evan, she had been a thorn in my side. However, with Evan looking out for me, she never got the upper hand.

Now that I was struggling, it was her chance to settle scores.

I sent Wendy to buy some snacks for the show's crew, hoping they would look out for us.

Meanwhile, I rushed to get changed and ready for the dress rehearsal.

Right on cue, trouble found me. The models usually wore high heels provided by the organizers, and we had all given our sizes beforehand. However, the heels they gave me were way too small.

When I asked for another pair, the staff member just sneered at me. "These shoes are made to order. Who do you think you are, asking for a swap? Put them on, or leave right now!"

Shane looked worried.

"I've got a bad feeling about this. Maybe we should just call it off?"

I whispered to calm him down, "Don't worry, I'll be extra careful."

I forced my feet into the shoes, feeling like they were trapped in a vice.

I walked on the runway, trying to ignore the pain. I noticed the stage was much higher than usual.

Julia did not have to practice with us, so it was just me up there, like a lone wolf.

I did not know if it had been on Silvia's orders. I walked back and forth to the music more than ten times, but the coach kept saying something was off and made me start over.

My feet hurt so bad, it felt like they were broken.

On the 20th try, my foot twisted, and I tumbled off the runway, spitting out blood.

The place went wild.

Wolves circled around me, curious about my injuries, but Silvia's presence kept them back.

Shane howled in pain. I tried to comfort him while standing up through the pain. "I was wondering why my nose was stinging. I must have hit it. Someone check if my nose is crooked, will you?"

They all relaxed a bit when they saw I could joke.

Then, my heel snapped, and I fell, but I unexpectedly landed in a warm, familiar hug.

It was Evan. He carried me out of there.

His touch brought my heart back to life, as it did a year ago. However, reality hit me fast.

He put me in the car, sounding distant. "I'll take you to the hospital. Today's show is a big deal for Julia, and I don't want you messing it up."

So, that was what this was about...

Shane whispered weakly, "What are you still waiting for?"

I forced a smile. How long did I have to keep lying to myself?

I bit my tongue to stay awake. "Don't worry about me. I'm okay. I just need to rest a little."

I fought through the pain, dodged his hand, and stumbled out of the car. I walked the other way.

Everything started to blur, but just in time, I saw Wendy rushing toward me. She was like a guardian angel, and I fell into her arms.

"Please, we have to go fast..."

…

When I woke up again, I was in a hospital bed.

Wendy's eyes were red, and her face was wet with tears as she scolded me, "I knew something was wrong with you, you dummy. Why didn't you tell me you were sick?

"When were you going to tell me!"

She gave me my test results and cried into her hands.

I looked at the report, and the words hurt my eyes. I had an infection in my brain!