Chapter 5 : A Ballerina's Deal with the Devil
The Ripola Hotel was not a place just anyone could enter. It was a luxury establishment reserved for the elite class only.
As the golden elevator doors opened, Karen took a deep breath and stepped inside. After pressing the button for her floor, she leaned against the wall, taking repeated deep breaths to calm her anxious heart.
Karen, who didn’t belong to the upper class, had come to this hotel due to a complicated entanglement with high society.
“To grow the business, we need a powerful investor.”
In truth, Swan Ballet Company—acquired by Baron Theron and where Karen performed—wasn’t in a good state. The baron had recklessly expanded his arts investments without achieving enough success.
Coincidentally, a wealthy man had been pursuing Karen. Baron Theron arranged a forced meeting between Karen, who had been refusing all sponsorships, and this man.
‘Apparently, he promised to sponsor the ballet company if I agreed to be tied to him.’
In the end, Karen proposed a deal to the baron.
“Instead, please invite Duke Clouin to the performance. I’ll try to earn his trust in our ballet company and convince him to invest in you, Baron.”
The baron knew Duke Clouin had no interest in the arts. Still, even the slightest chance of obtaining an investment from the Duke was worth considering.
Regardless of money, the Duke’s name alone would bring massive influence.
Swan Ballet had the finest skills of any ballet troupe across Gloretta.
Yet, even after a performance in which everyone gave their all, Duke Clouin remained unmoved.
The result was far from favorable for Karen.
“Do you know how long it took just to deliver the invitation to the Duke? Despite your confidence, he didn’t budge an inch.”
“Can’t you invite him again? The other members don’t even know how bad the company’s situation is.”
“I don’t want to waste more time on a hopeless cause. Karen Shanner, don’t you also want to save Swan Ballet from disappearing?”
“Baron, you can’t possibly mean…”
“It’s for your good—and all of ours. Meet that businessman, Joseph Malone, and try to convince him.”
As a price for failing to sway Arcturus Clouin, Karen now had to sell herself willingly.
‘This is truly disgusting.’
She was merely a dancer. Karen loved music and loved dancing—releasing herself to its beauty. That was all.
But the gazes of the upper-class men, who couldn’t accept ballet as a respectable art, looked at her like prey.
Her company owner, who pushed dancers toward these men willingly for his own benefit.
And herself—powerless, swept away by all of it.
As always, her life had never entirely belonged to her. While she had grown used to this reality, there were still moments where tears threatened to escape.
This was one of those moments.
Ding.
Just as Karen’s heart began to crumble, the elevator doors opened with a soft chime.
She stepped forward hesitantly, as though someone were pushing her from behind.
Finally, Karen stood before the door of the room where the man awaited her. After two deep breaths, she raised her hand to knock.
Then, a voice from inside told her to enter.
‘It’s okay, Karen Shanner.’
Nothing will happen.
Karen opened the door.
Passing through a short hallway, she was greeted by a man in a bathrobe. He looked damp, as if fresh from a shower.
“Welcome, Miss Karen.”
Karen scratched the back of her hand, nervously clenching her fingers.
What this man expected was painfully obvious.
“Mr. Joseph Malone.”
“I told you to call me Joseph. That’s disappointing.”
“Today, the reason I came—”
“Come, sit. Wine? Or whiskey?”
“Well…”
“Haha. Seeing the usually cold Karen stammer like this does something to me.”
She had refused his sponsorship and romantic proposals many times.
Yet he would wait outside her practice room late at night, flirt, and insist on taking her home even when she said no.
Once, when she voiced her discomfort, he stopped appearing publicly—only to follow her home in secret.
Joseph Malone, despite his business fame, was an idiot who didn’t understand the word no.
Karen had no energy to waste on such a man. Ballet training alone was draining enough.
In her daily life, he was a nuisance. But maybe—just maybe—today, he might be useful.
“Mr. Malone, please listen to me.”
“First, sit down. I won’t bite.”
Joseph Malone approached Karen, gently placing a hand on her shoulder. Her trembling eyes met his. He took this as a cue to lean in.
He tried to kiss her, pretending it was natural.
“I didn’t come here for this, Mr. Malone!”
Karen raised her voice with bravery.
Baron Theron’s pressure, the troupe’s financial state…
She had reasons for being here.
But that did not mean she intended to spend the night with Joseph Malone.
“Then why did you come?”
He asked, colder than before.
“Mr. Malone, you said you loved me, didn’t you?”
A man’s strength and a woman’s were different. If Joseph forced things, the situation would escalate. Karen didn’t want that.
“Then can’t you help me… without expecting something in return?”
“Just help you?”
“Yes.”
Still, it was unlikely that a man who had harassed her for nearly a year would quietly back off after finally having her alone in a hotel room.
“Why should I?”
Joseph Malone gripped her shoulder tightly.
“That hurts, Mr. Malone…!”
“You give me what I want, and I’ll give you what you want. Isn’t that fair?”
Joseph, who had pretended to be a harmless romantic, finally revealed his true nature.
“Please don’t do this! Let me go!”
“You think I’ll miss this chance? Do you know how long I’ve waited for this!”
His touch, disgusting even at its gentlest, tightened around her shoulder as he pulled her toward him.
Karen had never wanted to cause a scene.
But sometimes, causing a scene was absolutely necessary.
And for Karen, this was one of those times.
“Ahhhh!”
At last, the sound of someone screaming echoed.
Above all else, Judd Clouin was a family man. In other words, he had no concept of respecting the personal time of his adult grandchildren.
“Separate rooms? No chance. You think this old man doesn’t know you’re planning to work all night again? It’s been so long since we gathered—let’s spend the night together.”
Because of his grandfather’s insistence, Arcturus had to rent a large suite.
Although it had several separate rooms where they could sleep individually…
“What are you doing here?”
As expected, he knew this would happen. Arcturus asked, leaning against his door, practically grinding his teeth.
“What do you mean? I was waiting for you.”
“Leaving your fiancé behind.”
“He’s in the bathroom.”
The old man had fallen asleep drunk on whiskey, and his half-brother Kytro was in the bathroom…
This was a golden opportunity for Sierra.
Arcturus clicked his tongue.
“You’re annoying, Miss Miller.”
“What did I do?”
“It’s also annoying how casually you speak.”
He yanked off his tie with a rough hand. Sierra blatantly stole glances.
“You’re really overreacting, Arctur.”
Sierra, calling him by his nickname without permission, was a beautiful and charming woman by anyone’s standards.
With her fiery red hair, curvy figure, and dazzling, flirtatious smile…
It was no wonder she was called the Golden Rose of the Gloretta Empire.
Sierra had always drawn attention, starting from her background.
A war orphan adopted by a count, now engaged to Kytro Clouin.
More than that, she had once been among the empire’s citizens taken as war captives. Arcturus had freed them himself.
For a time, gossip columns had linked Arcturus and Sierra because of this connection.
Of course, it was Sierra who had spoken publicly about this so-called “connection.”
In truth, Arcturus didn’t even remember her from back then.
“You know I love you.”
“…..”
“Not Kytro. You.”
