The Ballet

I'm Cindy Scott. In my previous life, I died backstage during the ballet 'Swan Lake.' It wasn't an accident. Rachel Xavier hid shards of glass in her ballet shoes. She was smiling when they pierced my artery. Rachel Xavier is Tim Luke's cherished white moonlight, a somewhat famous ballet dancer in the country. And I was nothing more than the "Mrs. Luke" he married just to appease a family alliance. After I died, Rachel posted a video online, crying and accusing me of bullying her for a long time. The comment section was filled with insults directed at me; some called me "heartless as a viper," others said I was "unworthy of Tim Luke." What crushed me even more was that my daughter Nina Scott, who has albinism and is sensitive to light, was deliberately taken by Rachel out into the harsh sunlight. By the time I found her, she had already stopped breathing, her little face still showing dependence on me. Until the day I was buried, Tim Luke stood in front of the tombstone, his voice soft yet cruel. "Cindy Scott, only if you die will Rachel Xavier's luck improve. The master said your fate is pure and you can help her change hers." I froze behind the tombstone, my whole body chilled. It turned out that the deaths of my daughter and me were all planned by them. When I opened my eyes again, I was sitting at the premiere of the ballet 'Swan Lake,' where Rachel was dancing the Black Swan solo on stage. The mobile phone vibrated in the dress pocket, heating up, the screen flashing "Hospital Emergency." My heart clenched suddenly—it must be Nina, her illness must have flared up again. Tim Luke sat beside me, his gaze fixed on Rachel on the stage, not even turning his head. I clenched the phone and stood up, my voice trembling, "Tim, Nina is in the hospital, I have to go see her." He finally shot me a sidelong glance, eyes full of impatience, "Nina Scott's illness has been going on for a while, so why make a fuss now?" "Tonight is Rachel Xavier's debut. Mrs. Luke, you walked out halfway—how do you expect others to see her?" I looked at him in disbelief, my fingertips icy cold: "Tim Luke, Nina Scott is your own biological daughter!" He frowned and waved his hand. "Don't make a fuss. Wait until Rachel finishes performing." Rachel received thunderous applause on stage, while my mobile phone kept ringing nonstop. I was so anxious I nearly cried, standing up to rush outside, but Rachel stopped me. She was wearing a white ballet tutu, an innocent smile on her face. "Cindy Scott, why are you leaving? Don't you like my dancing?" I saw the coldness she couldn't hide in her eyes and suddenly remembered the look she had when she killed me in my previous life. "Step aside, I want to see my daughter."I reached out to push her away, but she grabbed my wrist. Rachel Xavier leaned close to me, her voice low and hushed: "Cindy Scott, guess if Nina Scott will hold on until you get to the hospital this time?" My whole body stiffened. That tone, that look—it was exactly the same as in my previous life. She was reincarnated too; she had known all along that Nina would be in danger. "Let go of me!" I couldn't hold back and raised my hand to slap her. The sharp sound pierced the quiet backstage. Rachel Xavier covered her face, stunned, tears instantly streaming down her cheeks, then turned to look at Tim Luke rushing over. "Tim, Cindy Scott hit me..." she clung to Tim Luke's sleeve, crying bitterly. Tim Luke's veins bulged instantly as he glared fiercely at me: "Cindy Scott, are you crazy? Apologize to Rachel!" Watching him defend Rachel, my heart ached like it was being pierced by needles: "I'm not wrong—she's the one who should apologize!" The mobile phone kept ringing, but I had no time to argue with them. I yanked my hand free from Rachel's grip and ran toward the underground garage. I rushed into the underground parking lot, started my car, and sped to the hospital, my palms drenched in sweat. My mind was filled with Nina's pale little face; she hated pain the most, and this time she must have cried again. When I arrived at the hospital, Dr. Clark was already waiting for me at the entrance of the emergency building, his expression grave. I followed him inside. In the ward, Nina lay on the bed, as white as a little angel, her breathing shallow. "Mommy..." she reached out her tiny hand, her voice so weak it was barely audible. I threw myself beside the bed and held her hand, tears immediately streaming down my face: "Nina, sweetheart, Mommy's here, Mommy's right here." Dr. Clark said that luckily it was delivered in time; any later and it would have been dangerous. I breathed a sigh of relief and sat by the bedside watching Nina until she fell asleep—it was already dark. Footsteps came from the doorway, and I looked up to see Yale Gabriel. He was wearing a black trench coat, tall and straight, his face expressionless—just like when I pushed him away in my previous life. Yale Gabriel is my childhood sweetheart. In my previous life, I cut off all contact with him in order to marry Tim Luke. I even said many hurtful things, telling him not to bother me anymore.