The Kiss that Sparked it All

Chapter 2538

Ivy’s mind was a whirlwind of domestic chaos waiting to be tamed. Sparing another minute on this

trivial squabble was a luxury she simply couldn’t afford.

“If talking won’t cut it, I’ll just let my attorney do their thing,” Ivy thought, her patience thinning.

These weren’t bosom buddies or lifelong confidantes; they were just faces that occasionally blurred

past her in the mirrored walls of the dance studio. She could very well never see them again after

today, and frankly, she wasn’t too fussed about it.

Their opinions? They could keep them. Ivy’s world wouldn’t wobble on its axis for lack of their approval. Content bel0ngs to Nôvel(D)r/a/ma.Org.

It was at that moment that the dance instructor, Ms. Madison, burst from the innermost studio like a bat

out of hell. “What’s the hold-up here? I’ve been waiting since our call. I should’ve known you’d be the

roadblock.”

She stepped in front of Ivy, then turned to them with a mix of disappointment and ire. “As my students,

you ought to know better than to gossip and stir trouble. Especially you, Ophelia. The world doesn’t

revolve around your desires, you know. You’re all adults; it’s high time you acted like it.”

Ms. Madison continued, her tone sharp as a whip, “Instead of wasting your breath on pettiness, maybe

spend a moment considering why Ivy’s dance moves are the talk of the town.”

The murmurs of envy were no secret; Ivy’s natural grace had been the subject of much begrudging

praise. The simmering discontent finally boiled over when one of the dancers sneered. “Talent, talent,

talent-that’s all we ever hear. But what else does she have? I don’t get why she’s put on a pedestal. Is

it just because she’s a star?”

The room bristled with tension, the accusation hanging heavy as the dancer continued, “We see the

favoritism, Ms. Madison. Who’s to say none of us will be stars someday? You don’t have to look down

on us like we’re nothing.”

Though the words were meant to be a whisper they were as clear as day. Ms. Madison’s laugh was

cold, devoid of humor. “Seems I’ve been lax in my teaching if you think it’s okay to spew such

nonsense. Forget Ivy; you’d need to outdance me to even think about challenging her. And trust me,

none of you are even close to her effortless elegance. Maybe in a few years.”

Ophelia, stung by the rebuke, stood her ground. “If we’re all students here, why can’t we challenge

her? You keep talking about her talent, Ms. Madison, but she’s barely been here. We’ve been training

for years. It’s not fair to be so biased. Ivy, let’s settle this with a dance-off. If you win, you’ll have my

respect, and I’ll never say those things again. What do you say?”

The idea sparked a fire in the group. They were all trained dancers with years of hard work under their

belts. Surely all of them combined could take on Ivy.

Ms. Madison was about to intervene, but Ivy stepped forward, a gentle hand on her instructor’s

shoulder, “I appreciate your concern, Ms. Madison, but I need to handle this myself.”

Ivy understood the implications-she might leave this studio soon, but her instructor had to continue

working here, and siding with a student could jeopardize her reputation and future recruitment.

Plus, she would simply treat it as a warm-up.

“A dance-off it is, then,” Ivy took a step forward and said with a calm smile. “What’s the challenge?”

The crowd buzzed with excitement. Ivy’s acceptance of the dance-off was unexpected, especially

considering Ophelia’s prowess and the international accolades to her name.