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.

the twenty–first time–nearly three hours had elapsed–the operating room doors finally swung open.

emerged on a gurney, his head heavily bandaged, but surprisingly conscious. His unfocused gaze swept the waiting area until it found her, his eyes immediately sharpening with recognition.

The word escaped like a prayer.

her the moment the medical staff departed, his trembling hands gripping hers

17:23

Final Revenge Pirouette: The

12.24

sure you were here when I woke

closer, as if expecting her to evaporate

her voice devoid of emotion:

Confusion clouded his features.

methodically extracted her hands from his grip, stepping back

thing that ever happened to me, Luigi, was when everyone believed I died.” Her tone was conversational, as if discussing the weather. “It gave me the freedom to build a life without looking over my

ninety–eight calculated humiliations from the person they trusted most and still remain standing in the same room with them without screaming. I

precision. Luigi’s face drained of color as

his injuries, he struggled upright, nearly tearing out his IV

wasn’t–it

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

leave,” he pleaded, grabbing her wrist. “I can’t lose

go of me.” Her voice remained level.

shook his head frantically, his grip

wouldn’t work, Ariana changed tactics. Her expression shifted

dancers and