Chapter 97
What are you saying?
Going to complain?
Evelyn didn't care, but Gregory's expression changed slightly.
On one side was Benjamin's fiancée, on the other was Benjamin's sister - he couldn't afford to offend either of them.
He couldn't help cursing Benjamin's indecisiveness in his heart, putting him in such a difficult position. Fine beads of sweat appeared on his forehead.
"What are you talking about?"
Evelyn lowered her head slightly, not looking at them, her voice carrying a hint of mockery: "He doesn't even want to deal with you anymore, yet you still have the nerve to stand here."
"Ms. Thomas!"
Freya seemed to be angered, couldn't help but raise her voice, her breathing becoming rapid, her chest heaving dramatically.
Her face showed a perfectly calibrated expression of being wronged.
Unfortunately, Evelyn didn't raise her head at all, completely missing Freya's performance, and instead continued speaking casually.
"If you leave Star Dance Troupe, I definitely won't put in a good word for you."
"Having annoying people out of sight is a good thing."
"If you want to stay..." she paused, her eyes narrowing slightly, "then behave yourself. I'm not some kind person who'll let you off again and again."
Last time, Freya and Jeremy conspired to set up Evelyn, even using drugs.
Just for that alone, Freya was completely blacklisted in Evelyn's mind.
As for Benjamin, she didn't think he would blindly protect Freya.
He wouldn't before, and he definitely wouldn't in the future.
Meeting Evelyn's cold gaze, Freya's heart tightened, filled more with resentment.
Why, after all she had done, did Benjamin's eyes still only see Evelyn?
Taking a deep breath, Freya suppressed her emotions.
"Ms. Thomas, I came to the dance troupe to use my abilities."
"Benjamin has helped me so much before; now I have a chance to give back to him, I'm very happy."
As she spoke, her face lifted slightly, showing an earnest and positive expression.
Evelyn just sneered: "Stop acting in front of me, will you?"
"Ms. Thomas..."
"I'm the principal dancer of Star Dance Troupe, so naturally, the troupe will be arranged according to my needs. Whatever your ideas are, however brilliant, I'm not interested. Get out."
This was completely the attitude of a superior toward a subordinate, disdainful and contemptuous.
Gregory obviously hadn't expected Evelyn, who was usually easy to talk to, to be so impatient with Freya.
He stood there, extremely embarrassed.
He rubbed his hands, wanting to say something, but when Evelyn's gaze fell on him.
She didn't say anything, yet that sense of pressure made him momentarily see Benjamin, and he didn't dare voice any objection.
It looked like Evelyn's complete victory, but her enthusiasm for stage design vanished at that moment.
After Freya left, she handed her requirements and venue design drawings to Gregory, then got up and left.
Over the next few days, Freya could be seen at every dance rehearsal.
What's more, by bringing gifts and making herself noticed from day one, she made everyone go out of their way to be nice to her.
Although no one dared to do anything to Evelyn openly, during breaks, they all gathered around Freya, making her, the principal dancer, seem like an irrelevant presence.
As time went on, nearby departments began spreading rumors that Evelyn and Benjamin's relationship was on shaky ground.
Not to mention, Celeste deliberately arranged for coffee and snacks to be sent several times.
A senior executive of The White Group Branch, and the daughter of the Harris family, was going out of her way to please Freya - this was a signal being sent.
People were already starting to make indirect jabs.
"My brother's wife has been married to him for years and still hasn't gotten pregnant. She won't take the hint and divorce my brother voluntarily. So annoying."
"Really annoying, can't recognize her own position at all."
Someone caught the hidden meaning and continued, almost explicitly glancing at Evelyn: "Won't leave on her own, has to wait to be kicked out. Talk about thick-skinned."
When the laughter reached Evelyn's ears, she was holding coffee, her eyebrows raising slightly.
Had she been too easy-going lately?
They were saying this right in front of her. She took a sip of coffee and spoke lazily.
"Freya."
"Ms. Thomas."
Freya still had that cautious appearance, as if she would never speak ill of Evelyn.
But if Freya was so afraid, why didn't she stop them from talking like that just now?
"This coffee tastes terrible. Go to 'Café Aurora' and get me one." She casually put the cup on the table, giving orders as if to an assistant.
"I should go buy coffee?" Freya froze, then her eyes reddened.
Even though their positions in the troupe were different, they were both dancers - how could she be made to run errands?
"Is there a problem?" Evelyn leaned back lazily in her chair, seemingly not noticing any issue at all. "The coffee doesn't taste good, I can't drink it, so I won't have energy, which will affect the rehearsal later."
She raised her eyebrows slightly, her gaze sweeping over the people around Freya, and after appreciating their expressions of anger they dared not voice, added another line.
"Of course, if you don't want to go, that's fine too."
"At worst, everyone can stay late today and practice more with me."
"Maybe if we practice long enough and get into it, the effect will be the same."
Dancing is extremely physically demanding, and once the time is extended, various problems become more prominent.
More importantly, with the performance approaching, suddenly increasing the training intensity could trigger old physical injuries, possibly preventing them from performing.
Pleasing Freya was important, but their own careers were more important.
Immediately, those who had just been praising Freya looked at her with expectation.
"Everyone's looking at you like this, you won't refuse, will you?"
"After all, you just need to help me buy a coffee, and everyone can go home early."
Passing the buck is simple, but surprisingly effective.
No matter how dissatisfied Freya was, she couldn't refuse, or the persona she'd carefully built up would collapse.
"I'll go right away, Ms. Thomas. Don't take it out on everyone because of me."
Freya's voice carried a sob. She didn't dare delay and ran off, as if afraid of wasting everyone's time.
Evelyn sat there, narrowing her eyes and calculating the time.
Forty minutes later, Freya walked in breathlessly, holding a cup of coffee.
"Ms. Thomas, your coffee."
Evelyn held a coffee identical to the one in Freya's hand and chuckled.
"Why so long? And all sweaty? Don't tell me you actually went to 'Café Aurora'?"
"I just wanted you to go downstairs and pick up my delivery."
Evelyn finished her coffee and casually tossed the paper cup in the trash: "Be smarter next time, or you'll just tire yourself out and waste everyone's time. Let's start practice."
Evelyn stood up and walked toward the stage, while Freya stood there, her eyes full of resentment.
Evelyn hadn't mentioned delivery at all just now.
Evelyn was deliberately making things difficult for her, without leaving any room!
Her fists clenched, her temper about to explode: "Ms. Thomas, can you really not tolerate me?"