What the heck was he babbling about!

“I’m stiff as a board, can’t dance a step.”

Azriel would have none of it. “Just do the Bunny Hop.”

Phoebe froze for a moment, then her entire face suddenly turned beet red. “I… I don’t know how.”

Azriel reached over, grabbed his phone, and after a few taps, the familiar yet foreign tune filled the hospital room. The moment the intro hit, Phoebe wished the earth would swallow her whole.

“You… you…” She glared at Azriel, her face so hot she could probably cook an egg on it.d2

Out of all the songs in the world, why on earth did it have to be this one? She had been the butt of the joke in her family for years because of that dance.

Back in the day, she had performed it at a school event, showing off to her grandparents the day before. Everyone had clapped and praised her, except for one good-looking boy who had dismissively said, “It’s alright.”

To a child, there’s only pretty or ugly. She couldn’t accept such a lukewarm review, so her confidence took a nosedive, and on the following day, she was pushed on stage unwillingly and ended up crying through the entire routine.

She remembered the intermittent laughter from the audience and couldn’t understand why they found joy in her misery.

Little did she know, the performance was recorded and her grandparents had shamelessly flaunted it every chance they got. People would bring it up even now, years later. She wouldn’t be surprised if the video was still floating around online.

Why was this embarrassing memory resurfacing here and now?

“You really can’t dance?”

Azriel was undeniably bored and just looking for a laugh at her expense. Seeing her blush with mortification, he persisted, phone in hand, “Let me find you a tutorial video. You’ll pick it up after one watch.”

“No!” Phoebe shot out her hand in a stop sign, “No, no, no, no! I… I can do it, I just can’t do it well, but that doesn’t mean I can’t dance.”

Azriel arched an eyebrow, nodded, and after swiping on his phone for a bit, he said, “Alright, let’s see it then.”

The music from the phone started again. Phoebe, with her eyes closed, took deep breaths until the crucial moment when, resigned to her fate, she opened her eyes and started her stiff, awkward dance moves.

The sight was cringeworthy, and it made Azriel look like he had a twisted sense of humor. Once wasn’t enough; he had her do it a second time, and Phoebe was grinding her teeth.

You build up a tolerance for embarrassment, she thought. If at first, the prospect of dancing your most embarrassing dance alone in a hospital room made you want to vanish into thin air, by the second round, it felt like no big deal.

her resolve, the door to the room burst open

stiffened, staring blankly at

the entrance, hand still on the doorknob, equally stunned for

knees bent as if ready to bounce. Dressed in simple

wore an air of aloof detachment but now sported a faint, almost

odd message he had received not long ago, Jace suspected that

of water, her eyes glaring through the clear glass at

just entered, and his face slowly became

Azriel’s cool eyes met hers. “What are you

her lip, set down the glass, and shook her head,

Jace handed over some documents, Azriel gave

about to escape, Azriel’s voice, chilly as ice, followed her, “Come back in half

took a deep breath, then turned with a forced smile, “Okay,” she said before slipping out and softly shutting the door

the embarrassment from earlier came flooding back. Her cheeks burned with shame as she grimaced, covering her face as

the Alonso family’s latest antics and the mishap at the Bowles’ dim-witted heir’s birthday

Phoebe off, especially during their recent close

the Harper family a lot lately. Someone must’ve tipped her off, or else with

tip-off, she would have likely fallen into

narrowed, and Jace felt a chill

exchanged polite greetings. Remembering the chill in the room and seeing Phoebe enjoying ice cream despite the cold, Jace couldn’t help but comment, “Ms. Alonso, it’s chilly

much fire inside. This

words seemed to be squeezed through clenched teeth. Jace couldn’t help but find it slightly amusing. He paused before adding, “Anyway, Ms. Alonso, it might be better to eat a bit less. Do you have plans

Phoebe paused and looked up at the

this, she suddenly felt her stomach growl

Azriel’s side, and had missed breakfast altogether. Thinking about

said, “I might need to take care of Mr. Azriel for a few more days,

them for Mr. Azriel?” Jace couldn’t help but ask, his gaze sweeping across the hospital lobby before

you know. The incident was just an accident. It’s not about my cooking skills,

instant noodles, taking

him to arrange lunch, he guessed he might as well do as she asked. “Alright, I’ll have someone bring

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