Lahat ng Kabanata ng The Dream of a Dying Swan: Kabanata 1 - Kabanata 10

Julius froze mid-motion. For a split second, panic flashed across his deep, dark eyes.“That’s ridiculous. We work at the same company. It's impossible not to run into each other. If you don’t like her, I’ll have her transferred. Okay?”I took a deep breath, ready to throw the photo in front of him and demand an explanation. However, before I could speak, a shrill scream suddenly came from outside.“Mr. Carter! I'm scared! Please don't leave me alone!”A flicker of concern appeared in Julius's eyes. Yet, just as quickly, he lowered his gaze. When he looked at me again, he was once more the gentle, attentive fiancé everyone admired.“You weren’t frightened, were you? Don’t worry about her. You don’t look well. You should go back to the room and get some rest.”As he spoke, he guided me toward the bedroom, but his eyes kept drifting toward the door. Watching his distracted expression, I couldn’t help but smile bitterly.“Go check on her. A young woman came all this way at night be

“It’s nothing,” I said calmly. “She just congratulated us. She said she’ll attend in person.”The moment Julius heard that, he visibly relaxed, and a relieved smile returned to his face.“That’s good. It means she’s finally moved on. I can’t wait to see you in your wedding dress.”Looking at the anticipation in his eyes, I couldn’t help but smile back.Over the next few days, Julius settled down and focused entirely on preparing for the wedding. Every detail, down to the flower bouquet and even the wedding music, he personally oversaw. At the same time, I quietly made a trip to the courthouse and obtained a divorce decree, waiting for the wedding day to arrive.That afternoon, while Julius was out handling some business, Lea’s social media was updated. In the corner of one of her photos, a man’s hand was visible, and I immediately recognized it as Julius’s hand. I stared at the image for a long moment, then calmly printed out all the previous posts I had saved and packed them ne

National Performing Arts Centre was packed to capacity. It was the final night of a world-class international ballet company’s tour, and tickets had been nearly impossible to get. Under the spotlight at center stage, a dancer in a black tutu rose onto pointe. In that instant, the entire world seemed to fall silent. In the first row of the VIP section, a man rested his head on his hand. His expression was almost weary, as if nothing on stage could truly hold his attention. Carter Corporation was the main sponsor of this tour, so Julius had no choice but to attend.I could almost picture him there. Over the past three years, I had occasionally seen him in financial magazines looking more withdrawn and thinner than before, like a blade that had lost its edge.As the music reached its climax, I completed the iconic thirty-two fouettés. Each turn carried the power of a swan rising from the ashes, and the audience erupted into thunderous applause. During the curtain call, I looked up and

Two forces tore through me at the same time. One was Julius’s madness, like he wanted to crush every bone in my body just to keep me from leaving. The other was Dean’s warm and unwavering protection.Julius’s sharp and dangerous gaze was fixed on the hand Dean had around my waist. It looked like he wanted to rip Dean apart alive.“Let go of her!” Julius roared, losing his mind.Dean let out a soft laugh. However, behind his glasses, his eyes were cold and sharp, and he pulled me closer instead.His voice wasn’t loud, but every word cut deep. “Mr. Carter, if you can’t handle being in a substitute-related relationship, don’t. It’s pathetic.”Julius’s raging anger simmered in an instant. The color drained from his face, and he staggered back half a step, staring at me in disbelief.“No… Clara, it’s not like that. Listen to me. Let me explain…”Looking at his desperate, broken expression, I felt sick to my stomach. As I couldn’t be bothered to look at him anymore, I linked my arm th

One year later, at the Parise Opera House, my solo performance of Giselle came to an end. The deafening applause was so intense that it felt like it might lift the entire dome.Backstage, flowers piled up like a mountain, and the air was thick with their fragrance. Yet, my eyes were fixed on a single bouquet of white roses in the corner. It didn’t come with a card or a signature, just like every year for the past three years. However, I knew who it was from.After the performance, Dean draped a soft cashmere coat over my shoulders, and we walked side by side along the river. The night wind lifted my hair, carrying the quiet romance unique to Parise.“Are you really not going back?” he asked softly.Behind his glasses, his eyes reflected the shimmering lights on the river.I looked toward the Grand Tower glowing in the distance and slowly shook my head. “There’s nothing left for me there anymore.”Everything from the past—the love, hatred, and obsession—had been buried with that p