Chapter 80 He Treats Her Like a Stranger
Alice hadn't expected to run into Scarlett here. When she saw how close Scarlett and Vivienne seemed, jealousy and resentment flashed quickly in her eyes.
Scarlett was like a ghost that wouldn't go away!
Scarlett's gaze only paused briefly on Alice and Daniel before calmly looking away.
And Daniel, from start to finish, didn't glance at Scarlett once, as if she were a stranger.
"Daniel, why is Scarlett here too?"
Alice asked Daniel in a low, puzzled voice.
Daniel had one hand in his pocket and responded coldly, "No idea."
Seeing that neither Scarlett nor Daniel had any intention of greeting each other—so distant they didn't seem like husband and wife at all—and with Daniel's answer making it clear that Scarlett's presence here wasn't his doing, Alice relaxed completely. A bright smile spread across her lips as she looked at Scarlett with a challenging expression.
"Ms. Mae, that's Mr. Wilson and his friend."
A man accompanying Daniel stepped forward and whispered a few words to Vivienne, who nodded toward Daniel.
Only then did Daniel walk over and greet Vivienne in fluent Aetherian.
As Daniel and Vivienne conversed smoothly, Scarlett listened quietly and learned that Vivienne's husband and Daniel were business partners.
Daniel was using this connection to introduce Alice to Vivienne.
Alice wanted to join Vivienne's tour accompaniment team as a violinist.
Vivienne's tour in the country might not generate as much buzz as a popular celebrity, but it was a big deal in the dance world.
If Alice could join the accompaniment team, it would be recognition of her abilities and instantly elevate her status.
This was the condition Daniel had previously agreed to with Alice.
Alice would keep the baby, and Daniel would do his best to pave the way and provide resources for her.
"Alice, Ms. Mae has agreed to listen to you play later. Come over and thank Ms. Mae in person."
Daniel turned and said to Alice.
Alice didn't speak Aetherian at all. She hadn't understood the conversation between Daniel and Vivienne just now.
Hearing this, Alice quickly stepped forward and expressed her thanks in clumsy language.
However, Vivienne's response was quite cold—she only nodded briefly.
Then Vivienne looked at Daniel again and said, "Mr. Wilson's Aetherian is very fluent. I really didn't expect Shadow City to have so many people skilled in Aetherian. Just like Ms. Lewis—her Aetherian is also very authentic, which made me feel so welcome the moment I got off the plane!"
Vivienne turned and pulled Scarlett to her side, looking curious as she asked.
"But do you two know each other? Your accents are really very similar!"
Scarlett looked at Daniel, her eyes flickering slightly.
Scarlett and Daniel's Aetherian came from the same teacher, so of course they were similar.
Back then, the Wilson family had hired a language teacher for Daniel. Scarlett was only eight or nine years old and was very attached to Daniel. Whenever he was home, she would follow him around like a little tail.
Because of this, Scarlett learned all four foreign languages that Daniel knew.
Daniel's cold gaze swept over Scarlett for the first time.
His look was neither cold nor warm, just politely brief, and he quickly turned back to Vivienne and said.
"We don't know each other. So, is Ms. Lewis the traveling interpreter?"
Scarlett didn't want Daniel to know about her studying abroad, so before Vivienne could speak, she nodded and said.
"Yes, I'm an interpreter. But since Mr. Wilson's Aetherian is so good, it seems I'm not needed here."
Vivienne had brought a traveling interpreter, but that interpreter had missed the flight and would arrive on a later one.
Scarlett happened to speak Aetherian, which delighted Vivienne. On the way to the hotel, Vivienne had already temporarily hired Scarlett as her interpreter in Shadow City.
Alice stood to the side, completely unable to understand what the three of them were saying.
This made Alice feel redundant, as if Scarlett had crushed her completely. The humiliation was unbearable.
Alice lowered her head, clenched her fists, filled with hatred.
Scarlett soon accompanied Vivienne into the room. After the door closed, Alice asked.
"Daniel, Scarlett and Ms. Mae seem quite close. Scarlett is really impressive. Not like me—I'm clumsy with words and bad at networking. I have to rely on Daniel for everything."
Daniel didn't look at her and walked forward, responding casually.
"She is indeed excellent."
She was excellent enough to earn that thirty million dollars, and now she was working as an interpreter too.
She really was working hard, Daniel thought mockingly.
But Alice was taken aback. Was that the point of what she'd said?
"So Scarlett is here to...?"
"She's the traveling interpreter," Daniel said dismissively.
But Alice frowned. An interpreter?
Previously, Scarlett had shown her that divorce agreement. Scarlett needed to raise thirty million dollars for the divorce, which was why Alice had agreed to give back that prime dance opportunity to Scarlett.
Scarlett should be busy trying to raise money now. How much could an interpreter make?
Alice felt there was more to this than met the eye. When she got to the lounge, she had Laura go find out.
Laura found out quickly. Alice stood up from her chair. "Daniel, I'm a bit nervous. I'm going out for some air."
Daniel sat by the window reading emails and didn't even look up when he heard this.
Alice left the lounge and took Laura to the end of the hallway, where Laura whispered a few words.
Alice's expression changed. "What! She's interviewing to be Ms. Mae's student? That can't happen!"
This absolutely could not be allowed!
Laura frowned. "Alice, if her interview goes well, she'll go abroad. Isn't that a good thing? Once she's gone, Mr. Wilson will be yours."
But Alice clenched her hands. "You don't understand!"
Scarlett going abroad would naturally be best.
But not as Vivienne's student. That would put Scarlett on a higher platform, giving her a bright path to career success.
Thora was a dancer. Once Scarlett stepped onto the international stage and let her long-hidden brilliance shine through...
A pearl covered in dust, seeing daylight again, would overshadow all of Alice's own light.
Daniel would only look down on Alice even more, and Thora and Reid would regret abandoning such an excellent adopted daughter as Scarlett.
They would all regret it.
Alice would never allow that to happen!
Malice flashed in her eyes as she lowered her voice. "You go..."
Scarlett chatted with Vivienne for a while before leaving the room. Vivienne had a tight schedule—after a brief rest, she would watch Scarlett's dance first.
Scarlett had booked an hourly room at this hotel earlier. After leaving Vivienne's room, she returned to her own.
She changed into her dance clothes in the bedroom, did two sets of stretches, then walked out of the room and picked up the thermos on the table, opening it to drink some water.
It wasn't time yet, so Scarlett sat cross-legged on the sofa, closed her eyes, and cleared her mind.
This was her habit of many years before going on stage. But...
Her head gradually became foggy, and her eyelids grew heavier and heavier.
Scarlett's body tilted and she collapsed softly onto the sofa.
After a while, her phone on the table kept vibrating, but Scarlett was completely unaware and didn't hear it.
"What's going on? She's not answering her phone."
Vivienne's assistant Anna had called Scarlett three times and looked helplessly at Vivienne.
Vivienne hated people who didn't follow rules or keep time, and she had already made an exception by waiting an extra five minutes for Scarlett.
"Scarlett definitely wouldn't ignore the calls on purpose."
Beside her, Alice anxiously communicated with Anna in English.
"Ms. Mae seems upset. I'll go find Scarlett. Can you please ask Ms. Mae for some patience?"
Alice turned and ran to ask a server. Soon she ran back, saying with difficulty.
"The server said he saw someone who looked like Scarlett leaving in a hurry about half an hour ago. Scarlett must have had something very important come up to leave like that."
Just then, Daniel walked over with Tom.
Seeing Vivienne's displeased expression and no sign of Scarlett, he looked at Anna and asked.
"What happened?"