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Married Before Midnight - Married Before Midnight by Sienna Quinn - Chapter 58
Author: Novels Audio
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Married Before Midnight
Chapter 58: The Offer
Charlotte sat cross-legged on the floor of her bedroom, her laptop balanced precariously on her knees. The email stared back at her, the words blurring as she read them for the fifth time. Dear Ms. Carter, We are pleased to invite you to audition for the lead role in our upcoming production of "Echoes of the Heart." Given your exceptional talent, we believe you would be a perfect fit. However, please note that this role requires a partnered performance, and your assigned dance partner will be Liam Calloway.
We look forward to your confirmation. Liam. The name alone sent a sharp twist through her chest. Liam, who had kissed her goodbye with promises of letters and phone calls, only to vanish into the glittering lights of Paris without so much as an apology. Liam, who had once been the center of her world before he walked away without looking back. A soft knock at her door startled her. She snapped the laptop shut, but not fast enough. Jamie stood in the doorway, his dark brows furrowed as he took in her tense posture, the way her fingers curled too tightly around the edge of the laptop. "You okay?" Charlotte swallowed. "Fine." Jamie didn’t move. He leaned against the doorframe, arms crossed, watching her with that infuriatingly patient expression of his. "You’re a terrible liar." She exhaled sharply, then relented, flipping the laptop open again and turning it toward him. "I got an offer." Jamie scanned the email, his expression unreadable. When he finished, he looked up, his gaze steady. "This is what you’ve wanted, isn’t it?" "Yes." The word came out too quickly. "But—" "But Liam." Jamie finished for her. Charlotte nodded, her throat tight. She didn’t trust herself to speak. Jamie stepped into the room, sitting beside her on the floor.
He didn’t touch her, didn’t offer empty reassurances. Instead, he asked quietly, "What’s the real problem?" She frowned. "What do you mean?" "Are you afraid you won’t be able to perform with him… or that you’ll perform too truthfully?"
The question hit like a punch to the gut. Charlotte stiffened, her fingers digging into her palms. "That’s not—" Jamie waited. She exhaled, shoulders slumping. "I don’t know." He nodded, as if he’d expected that answer. "Then figure it out. But don’t let fear make the decision for you." Before she could respond, her phone buzzed. A message from the theater’s production manager: Emergency meeting.
Now. --- The director, a sharp-eyed woman named Margot, wasted no time. "We’re changing the final scene," she announced, tapping her clipboard. "And we want you two to try it." Charlotte blinked. "Me and Jamie?" Margot smirked. "The energy between you lately has been… interesting. Let’s see if it translates onstage." The scene was a silent farewell—no words, only glances and the barest brush of fingertips. A test of restraint, of emotion conveyed through the smallest movements. Charlotte took her place, heart pounding. The stage lights dimmed to a soft gold, casting long shadows. Jamie stood across from her, his expression unreadable. The music began. She moved first, stepping toward him, then away, her body telling the story of a love slipping through her fingers. Jamie mirrored her, his movements deliberate, his gaze never leaving hers.
And then— His hand brushed hers, just for a second. A whisper of contact. Charlotte’s breath caught. Because Jamie wasn’t acting. The look in his eyes was too raw, too real. It wasn’t the character saying goodbye—it was him. She turned away before the audience could see her waver. The auditorium fell utterly silent. --- Later, walking home beneath the streetlights, Jamie broke the quiet. "Are you going to accept the ballet company’s offer?" Charlotte shoved her hands into her pockets. "I don’t know. Performing with an ex was never part of the plan." Jamie glanced at her. "Maybe you should consider rewriting the plan." She didn’t answer. But when she got home, she reopened the email. And clicked Reply.