Chapter 33 Little Beauty
Three years had gone by, and she was finally back at this irresistible place—the Rebel Nightclub.
Her stiletto heels clicked rhythmically on the marble tiles, sounding almost like a percussion instrument. Alison smiled naturally as she approached the entrance of Rebel.
With grace, she lifted her LV bag, gently unzipped it, and pulled out a hundred-dollar bill. She softly asked the doorman, "How much is the cover?" Even though she hadn't been here in three years, she pretended not to know if the club still only charged men for entry.
She wanted people to think it was her first time at Rebel.
The doorman, a handsome young man, whistled loudly before looking her over. "Miss, we don't charge ladies at Rebel, especially not someone as beautiful as you. Please, go right in."
Alison smiled slightly, elegantly put the bill back in her bag, and walked into the main hall of Rebel.
The sound of singing echoed through the hall, and the rotating lights created a dreamy, surreal atmosphere.
On the dance floor, people swayed gently to the slow rhythm, couples holding each other close, blurring the line between dancing and intimate conversation.
That night, in Rebel, the sound of a whistle rang out again.
"Miss, may I have this dance?" A well-dressed man approached Alison, extending his hand in invitation.
Alison smiled faintly and shook her head gently. "Sorry, I don't dance." She turned to leave.
The man persisted. "Then why are you here?"
Alison walked to the bar, elegantly perched on a high stool, her heels making her even more alluring. "Oh, I'm here looking for a job."
"A job? Not as a dancer?" The man sat next to her and snapped his fingers at the bartender. "Two whiskeys, one with ice, and the other..." He looked at Alison.
"Also with ice, but I'll pay for mine," Alison said.
The man looked at her curiously. "What's your name, miss?" He hadn't expected a woman dressed like her to suggest splitting the bill.
"Alison Bruce." Alison deliberately used Emily's last name.
"Miss Bruce, the owner of Rebel is a friend of mine. Whatever job you want, consider it done!" The man pounded his chest confidently.
Alison smiled slightly and accepted the glass from the bartender. She gently swirled the glass, watching the clear liquid form a beautiful arc before taking a small sip.
In Rebel, she had to be careful.
Three years ago, she had been careless and someone had taken photos of her. She had always feared that person would use the photos to blackmail her, but strangely, he never contacted her again, and the photos were never exposed.
Sometimes, she thought maybe that person had a bit of a conscience.
At least, he hadn't pushed her to the brink, forcing her to jump into the sea or take her own life.
But she would never forgive him.
Because he made Jack hate her to the core, causing her to lose everything she held dear.
As Alison turned, she noticed the man beside her was now focused on a woman in the center of the dance floor.
The men here spent their money on drinks and laughter, but true affection was something they couldn't buy.
Her glass tilted, and the liquid quietly spilled onto the carpeted floor.
Setting down her glass, Alison listened to the singer on stage. Her voice wasn't much different from her own.
She pretended to be drunk, softly humming along with the singer, just loud enough for the man beside her to hear.
The man was drawn back by her singing. "Miss Bruce, you have a beautiful voice."
"Ha, I've always wanted to be a singer. Do you think Rebel needs one?" Alison seized the opportunity, hoping to stay at Rebel as a singer.
She had to become a singer here.
The man snapped his fingers, and a waiter immediately came over. "What's up, bro?"
"Go ask the manager if we need a singer. This lady is a talent we can't afford to miss."
"Got it." The waiter nodded and left. It seemed this guy had some pull around here.
The waiter quickly returned. "The manager invites you both to the VIP room. Drinks are on him tonight."
The man smiled, giving Alison a look that made her feel exposed. The men here always seemed to want to see through a woman's clothes... but she had to endure it.
Thanks to her patience, that night the man went out of his way to help her. No matter what she asked, he clinked glasses with the manager, and soon the manager agreed to everything.
The manager readily signed a contract with her. She would only sing, performing one set each on Monday, Wednesday, and Friday at midnight, paid per performance, each lasting about half an hour.
She wanted to perform before midnight because she was busy during the day, but the manager said those slots were already taken by other singers. So, she signed the contract. The manager promised to consider adjusting her schedule if any singers left or changed their times.
Three years ago, she hadn't become a singer at Rebel, but now she had succeeded.
If she had become a singer here three years ago, would the events that followed have happened?
Time, once lost, can never be regained, no matter how capable you are. The past becomes a memory, like a cup of bitter coffee. And Alison's memories were always tinged with bitterness.
Although she had become a singer at Rebel, it wasn't her ultimate goal. She needed to get into YD, to become part of YD.
She always felt that the events of that year were connected to the Winston family.
Three years had passed, and Jack had left YD because of that incident. But he hadn't been defeated; instead, he had built his own company, becoming a rising star in the construction industry, known by everyone.
Alison knew all this well. She followed the news daily, keeping a close eye on Jack and the Winston family.
That day, Alison was getting ready in front of the mirror, feeling uncertain. Besides running a flower shop, she had no other work experience and wasn't sure if she would succeed in the YD interview. But she had to succeed, just like she had to get into Rebel. She had no other options.
At that moment, Ethan and Sophia came over. Ethan asked mischievously, "Mommy, you look so pretty today. Where are you going?"
Sophia chimed in, "Mommy, are you going to find our daddy? I really want a daddy." The two children looked at Alison with hopeful eyes.
Alison fastened the last button on her blouse, turned gracefully, and walked towards Sophia and Ethan with a smile.
"What, thinking about daddy again?" she asked, bending down.
"Yeah, everyone else has a daddy. We want one too, to be fair," Ethan said.
Fair? There's no such thing as absolute fairness in this world.
If there were, she wouldn't have had to struggle alone to raise two children to the age of three. They had been so difficult to care for when they were little, one crying and the other following suit, both clinging to her. When they were sick, her heart ached terribly.
But now, she had made it through. The children were three, walking and talking, no longer needing her to carry them both at once.
Alison began to praise Ethan deliberately. "Ethan, you're the big brother, a little man. With you around, why worry about no one taking care of mommy and your sister?"
Sophia was well-behaved, as long as Ethan wasn't causing trouble.
Sure enough, Ethan's sense of pride swelled. "Mommy, and Sophia, don't worry. I'll protect you both. I'm grown up now, and I won't let anyone bully you!" He said, waving his little fist as if the bully was right in front of him.
Seeing her goal achieved, Alison smiled and said, "Ethan, you're so good. Mommy is going to find a job today. If I get it, I'll take you both out for ice cream to celebrate."