Chapter 10: The Dance That Never Was
Chad stormed in front of Amelia, his expression cold as ice. “She is still legally my wife. What do you think you’re doing?”
Amelia rolled her eyes.
How ironic, she thought. She had just announced their divorce on stage, and now he was playing the role of the jealous husband.
“Relax, man,” one of the men said, raising his hands in mock surrender with a teasing grin. “Haven’t you two ended things? This isn’t like you.”
“Mind your own business,” Chad said icily. “Unless you want to cross the Weatherfield family, I suggest you just leave.”
A tense silence fell over the group. Recognizing the warning in his tone, the men backed off.
Chad leaned in closer to Amelia, his voice low, sharp, and deliberate. “Until those papers are finalized, you’d better remember who you are. I won’t tolerate my wife flirting with other men in public.” She let out a sharp, cold laugh. “Oh, this is rich. And where was this sense of identity when you were cozying up with Vianna?”
“That’s different.”
“Oh? Because you were the one cheating?”
Her eyes burned with fury. “Listen to me, Chad. I am not your possession. I’ll dance with whoever I please.”
“This is outrageous!”
Without another word, Amelia turned on her heel and headed for the refreshments. She needed a drink to steady her nerves.
She picked up a glass of Krug champagne and walked over to the floor–to–ceiling windows. The glittering New York skyline stretched before her like scattered diamonds. Lost in thought, she stared at the city lights, only to notice a reflection in the glass–a figure approaching her.
“Mind if I join you?” Richard’s voice was smooth but tentative, a matching glass of champagne in his hand. The bubbles in his drink rose lazily.
He clinked his glass against hers. “That speech earlier my God, it reminded me of your freshman address in law school. You had the entire room captivated back then too.”
Spare me, Richard,” Amelia replied coldly.
His Adam’s apple bobbed as he swallowed. “I just… I want to make things right.”
He extended his hand toward her. “One dance. Let me finish the dance we never got to have at Stanford”
Amelia noticed Chad watching them. His familiar glare bore into her, the same look he always had when she defied him. His face was a stormcloud, dark and heavy.
That discovery made her decision. She raised her voice deliberately. “Alright, I’ll accept your invitation.”
Richard’s face lit up with surprise and delight
As her hand rested in Richard’s palm, she felt the weight of Chad’s gaze, burning like a brand against her back.
2
*
Across the room, Chad downed a glass of whiskey in one furious gulp. The glass hit the table with a loud clink, drawing curious glances from nearby guests. His knuckles whitened as he gripped the glass, staring at the pair.
He wanted to intervene, but the stakes were high. The city govemment project, his family’s business, his promise to his father–all of it relied on his maintaining a delicate balance. He couldn’t afford to antagonize Richard
But the sight of Amelia with another man was unbearable. His pride and jealousy warred within him, the tension sparking like a live wire.
Chad poured another bourbon, the amber liquid swirling in the glass before he tipped it back in one go. The tumbler hit the table with a crack, the sound sharp in the room’s quiet hum “Amelia!” he barked, striding forward. He grabbed her wrist. “This dance is mine.”
The banquet hall fell silent…
Amelia turned slowly, her gown catching the light and shimmering with an icy brilliance. Her voice was calm but carried a steel edge. “Let go.”
Richard stepped forward. “You’ve had too much to drink, man,” he said, reaching out to separate them. But Chad slapped his hand away and grabbed his silk tie instead, twisting it into a crumpled knot. Stay away from my wife,” Chad growled through clenched teeth.
Turning back to Amelia, his voice cracked with gravelly determination. “Until the divorce is signed, you’re still Mrs. Weatherfield.”
A collective gasp rippled through the crowd.
Amelia smiled coolly, prying his fingers from her wrist one by one. “Then I guess I’ll see you in court, dear.”
Richard handed her a handkerchief, and she wiped the spot where Chad had touched her with deliberate precision. “Now, if you’ll excuse us, we have a dance to finish.”
Richard clapped Chad on the shoulder with a pointed smile. “Anger won’t solve anything, my friend.”
Chad stood motionless, watching as Amelia and Richard walked to the dance floor.
He grabbed a bottle of whiskey and drank straight from it, the liquid spilling onto his shirt. 7 won’t agree to this divorce he shouted after them. “Never!”
The crystal chandeliers dimmed, and a soft waltz began to play. No one noticed the redness in Chad’s eyes or the sound of glass shattering as he crushed his tumbler in his bleeding hand.
In the center of the dance floor, Amelia and Richard moved gracefully to the music
Amelia caught his gaze for a moment. “I should apologize for dragging you into this mess.”
“Then make it up to me with this dance, Richard said with a playful smile, striking a formal pose.
She took his hand, and they began to glide across the floor.
“When I couldn’t sleep, I used to dance this waltz alone, Richard confessed softly. His movements were fluid, his charm effortless, like a prince from a fairytale.
“You have no idea how many times Elise and I practiced this. I could do it in my dreams.”
He lifted his hand, and Amelia spun, her gown unfurling like a blooming flower. The fiery red silk lining flashed briefly, echoing the vibrant red of her pendant and earrings. In that moment, she was breathtaking.
give the rest of my life to make it up to you Richard said, pulling her close. His expression was solemn, like a knight pledging loyalty to his queen.
Amelia spun away their arms forming a perfect line. Their eyes met–his full of longing, hers steady but unreadable.
The other dancers stopped and stepped aside, captivated by the pair’s flawless performance.
th the corner of the room, Chad watched them, his bloodshot eyes locked on their every move. His jealousy bumed brighter than the alcohol coursing through his veins. th a sharp crack, his glass shattered in his hand, shards slicing into his palm. Blood dripped onto the floor, but he didn’t feel the pain.
“She’s mine” he muttered to himself. “Mine. Not his ”
As the song ended, Amelia and Richard came to a gentle stop. Applause erupted around them, loud and enthusiastic
Everyone in attendance knew this party would be the talk of New York’s elite for years to come.
Chad gave Amelia one last glance before slipping away, his confidence shattered. For the first time, he doubted himself.
