Chapter 219

• Lily’s POV
• The lights in the rehearsal room slowly dimmed until a lone spotlight fell on me from above, casting a long shadow. A familiar flutter ran through my stomach, and I stopped mid-spin, clinging to a cold, ge stage pillar to catch my breath. Dinner? No. I’d rather keep my stomach empty than throw up on stage tonight with all eyes on me. The chatter of my colleagues who had gone to the restaurant fell silent. In the vast theater, I was now alone, and this stage, which had swallowed so much joy and heartbreak.
• Past successes were just a thin veil. They couldn’t hide how much I strove for perfection. Every glance. Every turn. Every tiny flicker of emotion. I wanted to make everything even sharper and offer the audience more. I slipped back into the role, letting her sorrow and joy flow through me, washing away my own fatigue and nausea.