Billionaire's Gilded Cage

SIMONE’S POV

My dreams of becoming a dancer nearly ended when the man bumped right into me.

He came out of nowhere, nearly pushing me off the curb. I tried to break my fall, but my foot slipped out from under me, bending so savagely that pain sliced through every tendon and muscle in my leg.

I would have broken my ankle if I hadn’t grabbed a woman for support.

Thankfully, my hold on her was strong enough to support us both, but when I turned around to confront my assailant, he bolted away, charging like a bull down the crowded sidewalk. He ran as if the devil were on his heels, shoving pedestrians out of his way as he moved.

“Stop him!” someone shrieked through the crowd. “Stop him! Police! Anyone! Stop him!”

A small woman ran out of a shop, pointing at the running man. “Stop him!” she continued to scream at the top of her lungs.

I tried to regain my balance. “What happened?” I asked, heart racing.

The woman I had reached out to hold dipped her head in concern. “Are you okay?” she asked instead of answering my question.

She had salt and pepper hair and was beautiful. She looked to be in her early 50s.

“I – uh… yeah, I think so,” I answered.

A small crowd had gathered around the screaming shopkeeper. She was crying and narrating a story of how the fleeing man had stolen from her.

The only person who cared about me was the 50ish woman.

“Are you sure?” she asked.

I looked down in embarrassment, my backpack hanging loosely off my shoulders. “Yes, I am. Thank you.”

Satisfied that I was doing okay, she turned and went about her way.

I stepped away from the oncoming tide of pedestrians, trying to regain what was left of my composure. I was late, and I had already spent too much time standing on the sidewalk.

I had to hurry.

But when I tried to step, a sharp pain shot through my right leg from my ankle.

I winced.

“No. no. God, please no,” I cried, feeling panic well up inside me. “Excuse me,” I said as I pushed past people trying to make my way to the road.

Snowflakes melted on my face. I looked up at the sky to see clouds drifting over the sun. No doubt the snow would give way to a very chilly rain soon.

I sighed, squaring my shoulders and straightening my spine, determined not to let my achy foot nor Gem Hills storm steal my joy away.

Today is the day I made my dreams come true.

Determined to make it to the audition of my dreams, I pushed past more people. The morning was alive with the honking of cars and the buzz of motorcycles. An SUV sped down the road blasting Hip-Hop loud enough for the whole city to hear.

I shoved my hands deep into the pockets of my jeans and kept going. I had saved up for these jeans when I left home months ago to chase my dreams in the city.

The freezing wind lifted my thick locks from my shoulders. Thankfully, I had slicked the unruly locks down and tied them into a ponytail before leaving home. It could not be tamed.

I sidestepped people as I crossed the road, avoiding a woman pushing a cart while ignoring the pain in my ankle.

I finally spotted the dance theatre up ahead, the place where my dreams would come true.

I hurried up to it and stopped right in front of it.

For a moment, I could only stop and stare at the sign. My heart fluttered in my chest as I looked up at it, imagining my name sparkling across the marquee. A crazy mixture of hope and fear passed through me. I stood there savouring the moment, lost in my dreams.

This audition will change my life forever.

“Well? Are you going in or what?” a snarky voice snapped from behind me.

Startled, I jerked back to the present only to realise that while I stood there daydreaming, I was blocking others from passing.

The narrow space of the sidewalk before the studio doors left little room for the person anxiously trying to access the front steps.

I stepped aside with an apologetic smile. “Sorry,” I said.

The girl was definitely a dancer. She was petite and blonde.

She rolled her eyes at me before disappearing through the door without even acknowledging my apology.

That wasn’t surprising. I’m used to being snubbed.

I’ve been at many auditions before. When you’ve been snubbed more than 10 times, you gradually develop a thick skin. I watched the girl go, but soon my attention was drawn back to the sign.

Now that the illusion of my fantasy was gone, I re – read the marquee. Today’s casting call was strictly by invitation.

As I stood there looking up at it, I couldn’t help but feel the painful memory washing over me.

“You will not go to Gem Hills with that skanky friend of yours. What is it you called her? Connie? No daughter of mine is going to become a street dancer. Hell, what difference does that make you from a stripper?!”

Those harsh words of disapproval always surfaced when I was on the precipice of reaching my dreams.

Ever since I left Hollow Ravine, my father hasn’t spoken to me.

Not a single word.

It’s been a year and a half since I left home. Mom had said that things would change, that Dad would miss me and forgive, but it only seemed to get worse.

I miss Dad, but I cannot sacrifice my dream to please him. I have chased my dreams and become a dancer; only then will the walls of disappointment between dad and me come down. Only then will acceptance melt the pain between us.

The studio door opened again, and another person rushed through.

I s*ck*d in a deep breath and followed, deciding that I had been standing outside for far too long.

I removed the scarf around my neck and quickened my steps only to wince again when pain shot through my ankle. I softened my footsteps, making it to the elevator in time.

The elevator rode to the third floor, and as such, the ride was, my palms got sweaty, and I got nervous. Hope still fluttered in my belly, but it didn’t make me any less nervous.

That was until the elevator doors opened. The long line of people waiting at the registration desk killed the hope in my belly.

As I stepped out of the elevator, heads turned in my direction, making me even more conscious of my limp, which I was trying so desperately to hide.

The sight before me was a familiar one. It wasn’t the first time I would meet a large crowd hoping for a chance on the stage.

The crowd gathered here today was from the best of the best dance schools, while I was only a young girl from a small town.

I made my way to the end of the line, and as I did, my eyes travelled to the registration table at the front of the line where a blonde woman sat.

She was in her late twenties. Her blonde hair had a half – part so that her thick blonde tresses hugged both sides of her heart-shaped face. She was beautiful with an aquiline nose and a pouty mouth.

Sitting beside her was a handsome, bejewelled man ticking names off the list in his hands.

That was when it hit me like a train.

My goodness! It was her, Kathie Everglade.

She greeted each dancer personally. Suddenly, her eyes fell on me, and I nearly froze in my tracks.

Oh my God, I can’t mess this up!

I straightened my spine and smiled. The line was moving quickly now. Soon it was my turn to register.

I stood before Kathie Everglade, the star maker, my body thrumming with hope once again.

“Hi,” I said, sounding starstruck.

The man responded, and he was unimpressed with my obvious enthusiasm. “Yes?” he asked.

My nerves got the best of me. “Uhm, I’m Simone Johnson. I – I think I have an audition today.”

His brows were bleached blonde, and dark eyeliner ringed his eyes.

He drew those blonde brows in a frown. “You think? You aren’t even sure, honey?”

“Uhm, sorry, no, I’m sure. I have an audition today,” I said, keeping the smile on my face.

He looked down at the paper and just as he was about to tick my name on the list, his face lit up with recognition. “Simone Johnson? Wait, you are the one Louise told me about, right?”

With a bright smile that sharply contrasted the frown he wore earlier, he reached over and offered his hand for a handshake.

I took his hand, noting that he had a French tip on his nails.

“Julian. You can call me Juilliard because I am the man who will make your dreams come true,” he laughed loudly.

I smiled, noting from my peripheral line of view that Kathie didn’t seem pleased, and when she opened her mouth to speak, my suspicions were confirmed. “I let Juilliard bring his strays in here from time to time,” she said with a flick of her blonde hair. “I’ve found some talent that way. But I warn you, don’t think that just because Juilliard invited you here today, you have a free pass to stand on my stage.”

I nodded, feeling nerves in my belly.

She extended her hand. “I’m Kathie Everglade.”

Like, I didn’t know who she was. I was starstruck when I reached forward to shake her soft, well – manicured hand.

“Thank you so much, Ms Everglade,” I gushed.

She raised her brow and laughed. “Why? You haven’t even gotten through the door yet. Can I see your ID?”

I gave her my ID, nearly tripping over myself giddily. This is it! This is the moment when all my dreams come true!

Kathie Everglade scanned my ID, wrote my number and address and handed it over. As she did, she narrowed her eyes at me, her blue eyes cold and piercing.

I swallowed.

“Happy birthday, Simone,” she said suddenly.

The woman’s eyes didn’t miss anything. Wow, was the pressure on or what?

I crossed my fingers, hoping that when I got to the stage for my audition, those sharp eyes of hers would catch me favouring my weak foot.

I smiled.

Juilliard squealed. “It’s her birthday?”

His excitement caused every eye to turn toward us. I suddenly felt conscious as I nodded.

“Sure is,” Kathie said. “Let’s hope that brings you luck today because you are going to need it.”

Didn’t I know it?

She passed me my number tag to wear on the front and on the back. “Go into the changing room and get changed. Juilliard will call your group after you meet up with your choreographer.”

I stopped short. “Choreographer? But I thought we were going to do our own routine?”

Kathie looked annoyed at my interruption. “First, I need to know that you can follow instructions, then I’ll decide if you can audition or not. I’m not looking for a stripper, Simone. I can find that on the corner of any street in Gem Hills. I am looking for a trained and disciplined dancer. Can you handle that?” she asked, her blue eyes piercing.

Was this a test?

I nodded. “Yes, ma’am.”

“Now go get changed.”

I turned at her command and made my way to the changing room, but just as I was going, I heard Juilliard say, ‘I like her.’

I looked back to see him smiling in my direction. Kathie was frowning, but Juilliard gave me a thumbs up.

I tried to hide my smile as I walked away from the table toward the changing room.

I have a chance at making it! Now I just need my throbbing ankle to cooperate and not give up on me.

KADE’S POV

From the top floor of the 50-floor high-rise building, Kade Nicholson glared out of the window of his office.

At 27, he had accomplished more than his peers, swimming through seedy waters to make it to the shore of success.

He was ruthless.

The company he founded ranked 3rd, just behind Goldman Sachs. Two years ago, he was the face of 30 under 30. That was 2 years ago, and a lot has changed since then. He was richer, he was powerful.

He had started his investment – banking firm 8 years ago when he arrived in Gem Hills. He refused to be like every other investment banker; he made a difference, and he stood out. His job was simple: he helped the richest of the rich manage, build, and multiply their wealth using the skills he had learned from his father in the casinos and poker rooms.

Over the past 8 years, he had become a household name, the best investment banker in the city.

And he had done it all without his father’s help.