Claire nodded approvingly. "Are you really set on joining the dance troupe,
Yolande?"
Getting into the national troupe was an incredible achievement, but the environment wasn't exactly known for its freedom.
Yolande, however, had it all figured out.
"Yeah. If I join the troupe, I'll be traveling for performances all the time. Plus, I get to move into the dorms, which means I'll have way more freedom than I do at home."
Claire studied Yolande's striking features.
"You're gorgeous, you have an incredible figure, and your technique is flawless. You'll definitely secure a top spot in the troupe."
"But I've heard the drama and infighting in the national team can be intense."
Claire was naturally protective, worried her cousin might get bullied.
Even though Yolande had been raised in the Churchill family with the kind of upbringing that ensured she wouldn't crumble under petty sabotage, she still had a very pure, trusting heart.
Yolande knew Claire was just looking out for her, and she offered a warm, reassuring smile.
"Don't worry. I'm a Churchill. If I can't handle a little backstage drama, I definitely wouldn't survive the entertainment industry."
"That's fair," Claire agreed, realizing Yolande had a very clear vision for her future.
Entering showbiz had been Tiffany's grand plan for her all along.
Tiffany wanted Yolande to follow Karla into the entertainment world.
Karla had endless connections in the industry-she could make anyone a star, so why not her own family?
In Tiffany's mind, if Karla could produce award-winning actors, she could effortlessly turn Yolande into an A-list celebrity.
Unfortunately for Tiffany, Karla wasn't playing along.
Yolande had secretly met with her aunt, explicitly stating that she had zero interest
in showbiz and asking her to ignore whatever her mother suggested.
Karla, of course, had no intention of listening to Tiffany anyway.
If her niece genuinely wanted to act, Karla would have gladly paved the way.
But Yolande was a Churchill girl; she wasn't about to be blinded by the superficial glitz of Hollywood.
The women of the Churchill family would never want for money, so why dive into an industry so notoriously toxic?
Even with Karla's power to protect her, the entertainment world was deeply unpredictable.
Tiffany seemed to think handing her daughter over to Karla was a guaranteed golden ticket.
She just wanted to sit back and collect the cash!
It was obvious to Karla that Tiffany viewed her own daughter as nothing more than a cash cow.
And Yolande knew it too.
Her disappointment in her mother hadn't happened overnight; it was a slow, crushing accumulation.
"Look at you, you're younger than
me, yet you're the one constantly
worrying about rayife,
mylife," Yolandes
teased, gently poking Claire's
forehead.
Soon after, Claire's classes began, leaving her with no free time to fret over Yolande.
Unexpectedly, on her very first week of school, she ran into Waylon Hudson.
The guy had actually tracked her down and cornered her on campus.
"Claire, I was hoping to take you out for dinner. Would you do me the honor?"
To Claire, Waylon's slick attitude was incredibly repulsive.
She had just walked out of the campus gates with Priscilla Hastings.
With classes just starting and their schedules light, Priscilla had asked if Claire wanted to graba few things off campus
Claire didn't really need anything, but seeing Priscilla so excited, she agreed to tag along.
She hadn't anticipated running into Waylon the second they stepped out.
Her brow furrowed in deep
annofore? If you keep bot
annoyance. "Didn't I make myself et
clear
mexi'm calling the hotline
Claire pulled out her phone. She wasn't talking about a random tip line—she was
talking about the Mayor's private number.
Dane had given it to her.