###Chapter 29: Who Dares Touch Him?
So of the people in the dance-off had professional skills, while others had no clue what German folk style was. They just got up and flailed around, clearly drunk and just goofing off. This type of person was surprisingly popular with the crowd.
Nina Wainwright was captivated by the atmosphere. Sitting in the crowd, she watched everyone laugh without a care in the world, and a sudden pang of sadness struck her heart.
For a mont, she felt a bit lost.
But soon enough, Catherine Grant, who was swaying her body and dancing wildly to the beat, grabbed her hand and pulled her up from her chair.
"Hurry up, hurry up, it’s your turn!" Catherine urged.
Nina glanced at Adrian Pemberton. The alcohol and the electric atmosphere made her emotions surge. She didn’t feel relaxed at all; in fact, she felt an urge to go all out.
Adrian imdiately stood up and followed her onto the stage.
"Dance with " was a pure German folk song. As the lody began, the bartender raised an eyebrow, her attention imdiately drawn to Nina and Adrian.
Seeing that they were a stunning pair, she was even more pleasantly surprised.
As the song looped through its climax to give the dancers a mont to prepare, Nina whispered to Adrian, "You haven’t been dancing professionally. Do you still rember the steps from back then?"
"I rember them clearly enough," Adrian said.
The Nina from that ti had been so beautiful, and the lyrics so seductive, that he was still haunted by the mory of her back then.
Nina felt a sense of relief. She gave the bartender a hand signal, and the song officially began.
Nina began to dance, her steps as graceful as a swan. She moved toward Adrian with a tentative, lifelike elegance that made many in the audience sit up and take notice. Yet, their movents involved no actual physical contact, focusing instead on creating a sizzling, flirtatious atmosphere.
From the mont she started dancing, Nina felt as if she had returned to her high school days—the carefree ti when she learned to dance, the days she and Adrian poured all their energy into a single performance, sweating on stage... It all ca flooding back.
Back then, her dream was to beco a professional dancer.
The crowd couldn’t help but gasp in amazent. Even so of the Germans, who deeply loved their own culture, let out cries of admiration and nodded in appreciation.
The two were like swans nuzzling intimately, entwined yet never physically touching, charging the atmosphere to its absolute limit.
When the dance was over, Nina’s heart was full of a bittersweet ache. She bowed to the audience and imdiately left the stage.
She had just sat down when she heard Catherine whisper, "So many people put money down for your dance! And your vote count just shot way up!"
Hearing this, Nina couldn’t help but ask, "Is it enough to secure first place?"
"That depends on if anyone better cos along," Catherine said, though she felt it was a sha. ’She’s trying so hard, but it’s all just for money.’
God knows how moving their dance was. Paired with the sensual lyrics, it was enough to make one’s blood boil.
Adrian, sitting beside her, said in a low voice, "I hope we can get first place."
Nina had originally just wanted the fifty thousand, but now she realized they’d have to split it. After all, he had put in the effort too.
"Right! The prize money, we’ll—"
"Don’t. Just treat to a al when you have ti," Adrian said, interrupting her before she could finish.
Nina looked embarrassed. "How can I...?"
"We’ll talk about it later." Adrian didn’t want to ruin such a wonderful mood by discussing how to split the prize money.
Just as they were focused on critiquing the next dancers, Nina’s phone rang again.
She took out her phone and looked down. Seeing it was Zachary Hawthorne, she frowned. She wanted to reject the call, but rembering he had called before the dance, she worried it might be important and pressed the answer key. "Hello..."
It was noisy on Nina’s end, but she made no move to find a quieter spot.
"Nina, you said you were going to the hospital, but you went to a bar to dance with your childhood sweetheart?" Zachary hissed through gritted teeth.
"I told you before, I want a divorce. You’re the one who won’t agree." Nina had made up her mind tonight. She had to get away from Zachary and build her own career.
Zachary said coldly, "You’ve been making a scene about divorcing just to be with your childhood sweetheart. Did he give you money?!"
Without another word, Nina hung up the phone.
’Zachary just didn’t want her to have a mont of peace.’
Tonight was supposed to be a happy ti, but a few words from him had ruined her mood.
After hanging up, her eyes t Adrian’s worried gaze. "I’m fine. Don’t worry about ."
Adrian asked softly, "Was that Zachary?"
"Yes, but I’m not going to give in to him anymore." Nina’s voice was firm.
The two of them went back to watching the dancers on stage.
Just as one dance ended, the bar’s sound system seed to break. The bartender imdiately called the backstage staff to ask what was wrong.
Catherine ca over with her drink, clucking her tongue. "No one’s as good as you. The championship is probably yours!"
The sound system suddenly malfunctioning wasn’t a huge deal. While everyone was waiting, Zachary arrived at the bar with Silas Sinclair.
A young man from a wealthy family sitting at the bar near the entrance imdiately hopped off his stool, approached him, and said in a low voice, "Zach."
The mont Zachary appeared, Nina saw him.
She stood up, their eyes eting from across the room.
The music in the bar started up again.
Catherine quickly stood up as well, but Adrian had already stepped in front of Nina.
When Zachary saw this, his eyes practically shot flas. But he controlled his temper, took a few steps closer, and said coldly, "It’s late. Co ho with ."
Nina rembered he had said sothing similar twice before, and both tis, her job had disappeared.
"I thought you’d long forgotten we even had a ho," Nina said, her lips twisting into a sneer.
Suppressing his rage, Zachary bit out each word, "Are you coming ho or not?"
"I’m not. I want to relax tonight. Please don’t ruin my good mood," Nina said coolly.
Zachary moved forward to drag her away by force, but Adrian blocked his path. "She’s a person, with her own rights!"
Zachary’s eyes turned icy. He suddenly threw a punch straight into Adrian’s face.
Caught off guard, Adrian was knocked into the nearby bar counter. He recovered instantly, however, and still managed to shield Nina as she rushed to his side.
"Are you okay?!" Nina asked anxiously.
Hearing the concern in her voice, Zachary suddenly roared, "Nina! Have you forgotten who you are?"
"This ’identity’ is sothing you forced on ! You think I care about it?! What gives you the right to hit people?!" Nina stood in front of Adrian, her chest heaving with anger.
"What gives the right?" Zachary sneered. Silas Sinclair, who was beside him, imdiately stepped forward, grabbed Adrian by the collar, and started to drag him out.
As Adrian struggled, several of the young n with Zachary rushed over to help.
Furious, Nina lunged forward, shoved Silas Sinclair hard, and pulled Adrian behind her. Her voice cracked as she scread, "I’d like to see who dares touch him!"
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