Chapter 6

Three Years Later

The area outside the arrival lounge of the ABI airport swarmed with reporters from every major media house in the country.

They were waiting for the arrival of Cici Lane, a renowned contemporary dancer who was expected to judge the Mana Dance Competition, the biggest annual event in the industry.

On the first floor of the lounge, a young girl watched the crowd outside, her palms pressed to the glass. “Mommy, why are there so many people outside?”

Her mother stood behind her, assessing the crowd too. She hadn't expected such a huge crowd. In addition to reporters, there were also influencers and independent bloggers.

Each was hoping to get a shot of the famous Cici Lane leaving the airport. Some streamers had even been streaming for hours, keeping their fans on the edge of their seats in anticipation.

“Guys, Cici Lane should have landed by now. We expect her to walk through those doors at any moment. Don't miss out! As you all know, Cici Lane is the top judge at the upcoming Mana Dance Competition, the biggest dance competition ever. Whoever wins gets to become Cici Lane’s protégé, so it's going to be a fierce competition. Let's hope that today, we catch Cici without her famous stage mask and see the true face behind the best dancer in the world today. While we wait, let me mention a few of her most iconic performances…”

“They are waiting for someone,” her mother replied. “Come on, Aunt Maude is here.”

Mother and daughter went downstairs and towards the VIP exit. Outside, a woman wearing a cream pantsuit approached, smiling widely.

“Finally, the lady of the day,” she said, opening her arms for a hug. “Welcome back.”

Cynthia smiled as she hugged her longtime friend. “It's good to see you, Maude.”

“Good to see you too,” Maude replied. “Me and a hundred others right outside the doors.”

“Shh,” Cynthia warned. “I'm trying to get out of here without attracting any attention.”

“Well, given that you're the queen of disguise, I doubt anyone would recognise you if you walked right through them.” Maude squatted to her knees and hugged the little girl. “My little bean has grown so big.”

The little girl, Chloe, giggled as she put her small arms around her aunt's neck. It had been more than half a year since they had last seen each other.

“How are things?” Cynthia asked.

Maude rose with Chloe in her arms. “Perfect now that you're here. You have no idea how much I've missed you two. I was so lonely here without you.”

“I missed you so much,” Chloe announced, putting her palms on Maude's cheeks. “You promised to take me to the water park.”

“I'll take you anywhere you want,” Maude promised. “First, let's get out of here. You must be tired. I parked right outside.”

The three left through a discrete exit, far from the clamour of the waiting reporters. They were near the car when a sudden commotion occurred, and Cynthia turned to look. The reporters had turned their attention to a group of four–a man, a woman, and two young boys.

Cynthia froze in her steps as she recognized them right away.

“Alpha Kane and Miss Ramsdale, are you here to welcome Cici Lane?” one reporter shouted.

“Of course,” Aurelia replied with a huge smile. “We are so excited that Cici Lane is coming back to her home country, and it'd be a great honour to welcome her back. She's the best dancer in the world right now, and if I could receive a little guidance from her, it would be my life's biggest blessing.”

“Our city is thrilled to host Cici Lane,” Kane added. “If there's anything we can do to make her stay here comfortable, she only needs to say the word.”

Cynthia was shocked to see the two of them there, looking like a match made in heaven. She never would have thought they'd trouble themselves to come to the airport to welcome the mysterious Cici Lane. Not only that, but they also brought the twins along.

The boys were now eight years old, much taller than they had been when she left. Three years later, her ex and sons orbited around Aurelia as if she were the centre of their world. They must have enjoyed life with her out of the picture.

“Hey, we have to go, or the dinner I prepared will go cold,” Maude said, taking Cynthia's arm and turning her away from the spectacle.

Cynthia followed her lead and continued towards the car.

Meanwhile, amidst the crowd of reporters, Kane's gaze wandered to the left. His eyes singled out a tall, feminine figure making way through the flow of people towards a row of parked cars. She was wearing a long black coat, and he could only see the back of her head, yet he felt a strong sense of familiarity. There was something in the way she walked that reminded him of someone he knew.

“Cynthia?” he whispered.

“Hey,” Aurelia's voice brought him back to the present. “Did you see someone you know?”

He pulled his gaze from the disappearing figure and shook his head. “No.”

Aurelia sighed and looked around. “When is Cici Lake going to arrive? According to her flight details, she should be here by now.”

Just then, Kane received a call from Parker. “Cici Lane has already left the airport.” He hung up and told Aurelia, “Let's leave. She has already left.”

“What?” Her face fell in disappointment. “Where did she leave through? We've been waiting for hours.”

Kane put an arm around her shoulder and gave her a comforting squeeze. “Don't worry, we'll meet her. There are other opportunities.”

Aurelia nodded, but she wasn't satisfied. She had wanted to make a first impression before anyone else could get hold of Cici Lane. She was determined to become Cici’s student, and she wasn't going to let anyone else get that spot.

After getting in the car, Chloe slept almost immediately. It had been a long flight, so it was no wonder she was tired and sleepy.

Sitting in the passenger seat, Maude kept throwing glances at her friend. Finally, Cynthia asked, “What is it?”

Maude, who had been dying to address the scene at the airport, didn't beat around the bush. “You saw them, right?

Cynthia nodded, appearing unaffected.

“Aurelia is taking part in the competition,” Maude added.

“Is that so?” Cynthia asked, still appearing uninterested. When Maude kept looking at her expectantly, she smiled. “I don't care what they are up to. They are nothing more than strangers to me now. I'm here for my job, not to get tangled up with them.”

She had expected to run into some old acquaintances in the dance industry on her return, and she had prepared mentally. Of course, she hadn't expected to run into those two at the airport.

“That's good to hear,” Maude said.

“I have a new life with Chloe,” Cynthia said. “I won't let them disrupt that.”

Knowing her ex-husband and sister, if they discovered her true identity, they would not let her live in peace.

Maude was relieved to see that her friend was otherwise unaffected, so she relaxed.

Cynthia leaned back in her seat, her fingers gently stroking Chloe's hair. Her eyes were glued to the scenes outside the car, watching the cars and buildings flash by.

Memories of the past three years flashed through her mind, reminding her of everything she had gone through after divorcing Kane and running abroad.

Those first few months, she had wished she hadn't left behind the check Grandpa Rowan had given to her. She had wanted to build everything for herself without depending on the Radcliffe family, but it had not been easy.

From getting scammed as soon as she landed abroad to dealing with unscrupulous studio owners, it had taken blood, sweat, and tears to regain her glory as a dancer. She had worked odd jobs through the day and practiced until her legs gave way every night.

She had several scars to show for it, marks she refused to get rid of as a reminder of everything she had gone through to get to where she was.

After fighting so hard to get her life back, she wouldn’t let anyone ruin what she had built for herself and her daughter.