The Black Swan's Final Revenge Pirouette: The 99th Game Was Mine All Along by Kylie Homme

Chapter 17

Just as Ariana turned to leave, a loud thud stopped her mid step.

Turning back, she found Michael Luigi’s executive assistant–staring at her with shock etched across his face, his dropped briefcase scattered across the hospital floor.

“Mrs… Maggiore?” he stammered, face draining of color. “Is that really you?”

Escape, it seemed, wouldn’t be so simple. Michael recovered quickly, positioning himself between Ariana and the exit with newfound determination.

“Please,” he implored, lowering his voice. “You can’t just disappear again. You have no idea what he’s been through since the fire. The man hasn’t slept through a single night in a year. Even if you want nothing to do with him now, at least stay until he’s out of surgery. He literally just took a car impact for

you.”

Ariana regarded him coolly, her expression betraying nothing of the calculations happening behind it.

“First,” she stated with clinical precision, “I am not Mrs. Maggiore. That person died in a fire last year–a fact your boss publicly confirmed.”

“Second, I’ll stay until he’s stable, but I’m leaving immediately after. My company has a performance

tomorrow.”

“Third, I have zero interest in rekindling any connection with Luigi Maggiore. Our relationship ended the moment he orchestrated my death.”

With each statement, Michael’s professional facade cracked further, revealing genuine distress, but he eventually nodded in reluctant agreement to her terms.

They settled into the antiseptic waiting room chairs, silence stretching between them as surgery continued behind closed doors.

checking her phone for the twenty–first time–nearly three hours had elapsed–the operating

emerged on a gurney, his head heavily bandaged, but surprisingly conscious. His unfocused gaze swept

The word escaped like

despite multiple fractures and internal bleeding, Luigi reached for her the moment the medical staff departed, his trembling hands gripping

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Final Revenge Pirouette: The 99th

12.24

breaking. “I was sure I’d hallucinated you. I kept telling them to make sure you were here

expecting her to evaporate at any

still within his grasp, her voice devoid of emotion: “Your

clouded his features.

from his grip,

died.” Her tone was conversational, as if discussing the weather. “It gave me the freedom to build a life without looking over my shoulder for your next

they trusted most and still remain standing in the same room with

struck with surgical precision. Luigi’s face drained of color as the full implications registered–she had known. All

he struggled upright, nearly tearing out his IV

her. “It wasn’t–it started that way,

her watch. “I have a performance tomorrow that requires my complete focus. This melodrama wasn’t

he pleaded, grabbing her wrist. “I can’t lose you again. Not

Her voice

He shook his head frantically, his grip tightening. “Please,

Ariana changed tactics. Her expression shifted subtly, taking on

Twenty–eight dancers and