The cost

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He lifted his head, and Mia’s figure materialized before his eyes once more. He thought whether this was another hallucination.

Matthew’s unfocused eyes suddenly snapped into clarity. He thought, ‘It’s indeed Mia. But why is she here!

With a vibrant smile that he had never seen before, Mia approached the bar with an easy grace, and tilted her head as she playfully tapped a curly- haired woman’s shoulder.

Noticing Matthew’s fixated gaze on a woman with short hair, Vinson felt

It both

curious and astonished.

Five years ago, Matthew and Mia had merely signed a marriage license without hosting an actual wedding

Matthew hadn’t told any of his friends about his marriage. Aside from Elizabetis, no one had ever seen Mia in person, and Vinson was no exception

Vinson raised his brows and quipped, “Matt, changed your taste, have your

Matthew shot him a cool glance and remained silent.

Vinson responded with an awkward shrug.

At the bar counter, Queenie brushed back a lock of her curly hair and was putting dusty pink lipstick on her lips.

“Mia?” she uttered in rurprise while standing up, her beige dress swirling around her.

With a faint smile, Mia watched as Queenie circled around her and examined her from head to toe.

“Oh

my, it’s really you!” Queenie’s eyes reddened with emotion, her voice warm and soft. With a playful huff, she chided, “I thought you forgot the way home. If you’re going to vanish again, could you at least let me know?”

She had searched frantically for Mix for so long hack then, and the memory was still fresh.

“You’re as empathetic as ever,” Mia said, a calm smile gracing her features. She knew Queenie understood she had her reasons, so Queenie didn’t probe further.

Queenie shook her cocktail glass and offered it to Mia, “Would you try this?”

Inside the glass, clear liquid was mixed with slices of green kumquat, topped with a sprig of mint on the ice. It was a delicate yet robust mojito,

Suddenly, a large, defined hand gently pushed the glass back.

“She can’t drink.” A deep and raspy voice filled the air.

The familiar scem of pine filled Mia’s nostrils, altering her expression. She thought, Matthew? Why does he always haunt me!‘

Queenie pouted, eyeing the imposing man before her. If she was right, the man should be the head of the Blackwood Group,

“Mr. Blackwood? What a coincidence to meet you here” Mia stepped aside, explaining to Queenie, “This is Mr. Blackwood, currently partnering with the Eldona Group.”

With a single sentence, she clarified their association.

Matthew’s intense eyes turned gloomy in an instant

It was clear to anyone that they were more than just partners and Queenie was no exception. Yet, she refrained from prying but simply nodded and raised her glass in a friendly greeting

Irked by the sight of Matthew’s glowering expression, Mia impulsively grabbed Queenie’s hand and headed for the dance floor.

The vibrant lights danced across the diverse crowd, setting the dancing floor in a haze of ambiguity with the help of the lazy jazz.

With a graceful arm around Queenie, Mia let her lithe body sway with abandon. Her eyes shimmered with a bewitching allure as she moved. After all, she had been a star in a professional dance troupe since childhood, who earned awards every year.

Queenie fell into rhythm beside her, flawlessly syncing with Mia’s moves.

Together, they moved with precision and beauty that made every step seem like a scene from a musical, filled with strong emotion.

After pulling in, letting go, and stretching out, Mia held Queenie’s hand and made a spin..

Their compelling performance quickly drew the crowd’s attention,

As the music wound down, they earned a wave of applause.

“Never expected to watch such stunning dance moves at a bar”

“The emotion in that finale move was so powerful. It nearly brought me to tears.”

“Exactly! The intensity of their emotion, the rug and pull, was portrayed perfectly.”

Many eyes, some appreciative, some speculative, lingered on Mix

Matthew was visibly in a foul mood.

Vinson watched from a distance, and a mischievous grin played on his lips as an idea took not

Unfazed by the attention, Queenie and Mia shared a knowing look and graciously acknowledged the applause.

As they left the dance floor, a charismatic man in a leather jacket with sun–kissed chestnut hair stepped in their path.

“What an amazing dance. Ladies, I’d love to invite you to join me as backup dancers at my concert Vinson’s clear eyes twinkled, and his smile was disarmingly warm.

He noted that Matt, the usually stoic guy, seemed quite taken with the poised, short–haired lady. And he couldn’t bear to let his friend mopr around.

Plus, after years of support from Matt’s entertainment company, Vinson felt it was time to give back.

With a hint of confusion in her gaze, Mia studied Vinson’s profile, not recognizing him.

Queenie, however, couldn’t contain her excitement but yelled, “Oh my goodness! I know you! You’re Vinson, the songwriter who won’t let anyone clse make a dime

That was not exactly a compliment! His fans dubbed him a workaholic, and his critics called him a miser. Anyway, Vinson was satisfied to start the conversation with them.

He flashed a sunny smile and replied, “So, you know met But I haven’t got your name yet

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