Chapter 258: Chapter 258: Obstacle

With his guidance, Naomi Kenway tried a few more times, but her movements were still a bit stiff.

She then tried another method—emptying her mind and dancing to the music, just like she had on the variety show. But it still wasn’t working. She would occasionally forget the moves, and her dancing always came across as somewhat listless.

After several failed attempts, Naomi Kenway grew discouraged and tugged hard at her clothes in frustration.

’Is that vile man, Jackson Kensington, really going to be an insurmountable obstacle in my life?’

She felt herself being pulled in two directions. One was her rational mind, telling her not to be affected by such scum. The other was her body’s memory, which subconsciously kept returning to the day of Jackson Kensington’s cold taunts.

Naomi Kenway took a few sharp breaths. ’Perhaps the shadow Jackson Kensington cast over me is even larger than I imagined.’

Resentment flashed in Naomi Kenway’s eyes.

“You still can’t seem to settle your mind.” A hint of disappointment flickered in the man’s eyes. “It’s a real shame.”

Naomi Kenway’s heart sank. “What am I going to do?”

“Perhaps you could share what’s on your mind with me?”

Naomi Kenway hesitated. “When I was very young, a relative—who was worse than an animal—constantly drilled it into my head that I was a terrible dancer. He told me that a random beggar pulled off the street would be more interesting to watch.”

Naomi Kenway’s voice grew increasingly cold as the memories resurfaced.

It wasn’t the only time Jackson Kensington had torn her down, but that instance had been particularly devastating. She had been brimming with joyful anticipation, hoping for praise, only to be told she was worthless. Jackson Kensington had even compared her to a “beggar.”

The man frowned slightly. “Are you sure this was a relative?”

“Not a relative. An animal.”

The man thought for a moment. “That person said you’re a bad dancer. What do you yourself think?”

A look of confusion crossed Naomi Kenway’s face. Her friends always said she was a great dancer, but Jackson Kensington’s words would always creep into her mind. The look of utter disgust on his face back then—as if he were seeing something repulsive—hadn’t seemed fake.

“You don’t know? Then let me tell you: you’re a very good dancer, very gifted. In fact, there aren’t many people who I praise like this; you’re one of a select few.” He gave a small smile, the ice in his eyes melting as he adopted a serious tone. “And I’m not just saying that to flatter myself. How about this? Every instructor who comes to help you, just ask them what they think of your dancing. I can guarantee, with absolute certainty, that their feedback will be ’good’ at the very least.”

He shook his head and sighed. “I’m not one to meddle, but the fact that I’m even here is a testament to your ability. A dance talent like yours shouldn’t be buried. Perform well during the auditions. I hope you get the result you’re looking for.”

With that, he turned to leave.

“Wait!” Naomi Kenway called out to him. “Is our dance lesson over already?”

“Lesson?” He turned back. “I suppose so. But I forgot to mention—I’m not the instructor you were waiting for. You’ll have to wait a little longer for them.”

With that, he strode away, his figure disappearing from sight completely.

Naomi Kenway was still processing what had just happened when the glass door opened again. A slender, elegant woman in a cheongsam appeared. She smiled and said, “You must be Nicole, right? I’m the instructor Ms. Grant sent over. My apologies for the wait.”

Naomi Kenway snapped out of her daze. “I haven’t been waiting long.”

“Alright, then let’s begin today’s lesson.”

After finishing her training for the day, Naomi Kenway went to Laura Grant’s office. Seeing Laura’s concern, Naomi told her what had been troubling her.

Laura Grant frowned slightly, her expression turning serious. “This sounds like a psychological issue. I’ll arrange for a therapist for you.”

Having known her for some time now, Laura Grant was familiar with Naomi Kenway’s childhood. Her mother was gentle but tended to let love cloud her judgment, while her father was an absolute scoundrel who constantly manipulated and belittled a young Naomi.

Laura Grant sighed, walked over, and gently patted Naomi Kenway’s shoulder. “You’ve been through so much. I can’t imagine how you endured growing up with an inhuman piece of trash like that.”

*

Back home, Naomi Kenway was melancholic. She managed to keep a smile on her face for her son, but once she was back in her bedroom, her mood grew increasingly sullen.

Naturally, Ethan Shaw noticed Naomi Kenway’s mood. He got into bed beside her and asked softly, “What’s wrong? Why the long face?”

Without even realizing it, Naomi Kenway had come to trust Ethan Shaw completely. “I’ve been practicing dancing for the auditions, but I just can’t settle down. The memory of Jackson Kensington mocking my dancing keeps playing in my head, and I can’t stop thinking about it…”

Ethan Shaw gently draped an arm over her shoulders. When he felt no resistance, he pulled her into his embrace.

“Jackson Kensington…” Ethan Shaw murmured the name, a chill entering his eyes.

He lowered his gaze to see her small face tense with worry, and a pang of protectiveness shot through him. She was far from being as indestructible as she seemed.

“I’ve seen you dance on your livestream. You were being a little casual then, but your form was beautiful.” A nostalgic look entered his eyes, and his expression softened even more. “How can I describe the feeling? It was a wonderful surprise. I realized you have so many hidden talents I have yet to discover.”

Naomi Kenway found herself gazing into his eyes. His expression was the polar opposite of Jackson’s, and it filled her with a feeling of being loved and unconditionally accepted.

“I know you can’t control your subconscious thoughts. Don’t blame yourself for it.”

Suddenly, Ethan Shaw opened his phone. To her surprise, his photo album contained pictures of her dancing from the variety show recording. The video icon was gone; these were professionally retouched stills.

“Maybe this isn’t clear enough,” Ethan Shaw muttered to himself. He then found a replay of her livestream and expertly navigated to the episode where she had danced in the center position, sliding the progress bar to just the right moment.

Naomi Kenway’s gaze was fixed on the video. She felt a dazed sense of wonder; this was the first time she had ever watched herself dance so intently.

Her on-screen self moved with light, nimble steps, every motion landing perfectly on beat.

She was nothing like the awful dancer Jackson Kensington had claimed she was.

There were also viewer comments on the screen, almost all of them gushing with praise, complimenting how delightful her dancing was to watch.

Naomi Kenway’s tense body slowly began to relax. She wished she could go back and tell her poor, younger self that she was, in fact, a wonderful dancer.

Ethan Shaw watched her reaction the entire time. He reached out and gently ruffled her hair. “See? Everyone is praising you. The problem was never your dancing; it was Jackson Kensington’s prejudice against you.”

Naomi Kenway’s shoulders trembled.

Her practice sessions went much more smoothly after that. The nagging voice in her head grew much quieter.

*

「In what felt like the blink of an eye, the day of the final selection arrived.」

In the parking garage, just as Naomi Kenway stepped out of her car, she saw Jackson Kensington. He was there with Jeanette Kensington, who was also participating.

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