No Way Back

Chapter 9

Chapter 9 Jane On The Dance Floor ConTEent bel0ngs to Nôv(e)lD/rama(.)Org .

Peter’s childhood friend, Larry, spread his hands wide as he leaned against the couch, watching Peter down one glass of beer after another.

Larry rolled his eyes when he saw that Peter wasn’t responding and continued to drink. Suddenly, Larry reached out and grabbed Peter’s arm, saying, “All right, that’s enough. Don’t drink yourself into a stupor. I’m not taking you home like that. Your dad will bite my head off.”

“It’s just beer. I’m still in control,” Peter replied, but he didn’t continue drinking. Instead, he leaned back against the couch and looked up at the night sky, feeling the breeze coming off the river.

Larry fiddled with his pink tie and shot a flirtatious glance at any attractive woman who happened to pass by. With his stylish outfit and glistening purple diamond earrings, he exuded the confidence of a young man who knows how to attract women’s attention.

However, it was clear that the women were more drawn to Peter. The Fowler family had excellent genes. All seven of Jack and Anna Fowler’s sons inherited their parents‘ great genes, and each had his own unique charisma.

Peter’s features, including his high, straight nose and sensually cold lips, were chiseled with the precision of a master carver. Though his hairdo was simple, his good looks were undeniable.

“Every time we go out, the girls never pay attention to me. Boo hoo hoo,” Larry said jealously, shooting Peter a glance.

Peter didn’t respond, continuing to keep his eyes closed.

Seeing that Peter was honestly bothered, Larry put away his playful grin. “I saw the news that’s been trending. Is that what’s got you so worked up? Are you worried that would hurt little Maddie’s feelings?”

“That’s part of it,” Peter replied, his eyes fixed on the drink in his hand.

“And the other reason is that yesterday our whole family misunderstood Jane and hurt her deeply. She said she wanted to sever ties with us and has already packed her bags and moved out,” Peter continued. Larry arched an eyebrow. “You wouldn’t think she’s the one behind the trending news, would you?”

Peter didn’t respond, lost in thought.

“Well, think about it this way,” Larry said, trying to lighten the mood. “It’s a blessing in disguise. The Fowler family had given up on Jane long ago, and now she’s back, which I don’t think was a nice surprise for your family, right? Plus, You do like Maddie more, don’t you?”

Peter let out a sigh. “Yeah, that’s true. Maddie was adopted when she was just a baby. We grew up together and had a strong bond. But as for Jane… I don’t have the same feelings for her. I even think it would be better if she never returned so Maddie wouldn’t get hurt.

Larry clapped a hand on Peter’s shoulder. “Well, there you have it. Jane’s out of the picture now. She’s cut ties with the Fowler family. You should be happy. Come on, let’s drink to it.”

Even though Peter knew he should be happy, he was still burdened by the thought of Jane leaving the Fowler family yesterday because Anna was unwilling to change her mind. He couldn’t get over the fact that he had misunderstood her and that they were related, even though he didn’t want to admit it.

If Jane were really to blame for everything, he would have been happy for her to leave.

However, since she was wrongly accused and leaving, he felt like the Fowlers owed her something.

As he walked around the University of Oricle, he couldn’t help keeping an eye out for any news about Jane. He heard that she hadn’t been to classes, and nobody seemed to know where she had gone.

Jack had said that she would return once she had calmed down, and everyone, except for Anna, seemed to have given up trying to bring her back.

They all felt that having Maddie in the family was enough, and all of the Fowler brothers felt this way.

Just then, Peter caught a glimpse of a familiar figure out of the corner of his eye and froze.

“Jane!” Lila called out, waving at her. Jane gave her a small smile and walked over to her.

Today, Jane changed into a white lady’s blouse paired with jeans and sneakers.

Her natural beauty shone through even without makeup, and she quickly became the center of attention. Her eyes were like stars, and they twinkled like diamonds.

Peter, too, was taken aback, wondering aloud, “Jane. Is that Jane?”

At school, Peter never paid attention to Jane. He first learned of her existence in college when he learned that Jane was his sister that had been missing for 19 years.

When Jane first came to the Fowler family, she was timid, fearful, and too humble, which made Peter really dislike her.

So, Jane’s first impression of Peter was definitely bad. Peter couldn’t figure out why Jane, who was from the Fowler family, wasn’t at all noble or elegant. At that time, Jane was totally different from Madelyn. Not only did Peter think this way, but everyone in the Fowler family also did.

Peter also worried that Jane would hurt Madelyn’s status, so he never treated Jane well. Jane looked the same from the outside, but she was acting in a very different way at the moment. She exuded an air of assuredness, and her every action seemed to draw attention from all directions.

“Wow, a stunning woman. Peter; even you’re staring. That’s rare!” Larry exclaimed excitedly.

After Jane walked into the rooftop bar on the second floor, Larry couldn’t take his eyes off of her. The normally calm Peter was suddenly seething, “That’s my sister, Jane!”

“What? Jane… Well. How could she be so different from the photo!” Larry said in surprise.

Larry thought Peter was drunk and mistook someone else for Jane. However, after looking again, Larry couldn’t help but gasp, because he found that the person was indeed Jane.

She had just undergone a radical makeover that made it look like she was someone else entirely. Jane didn’t notice Peter and Larry. She walked straight to Lila, saying, “Sorry, Lila, for keeping you waiting.” Lila shook her head. “I just arrived here, too… Hey, Jane, how come you seem to have changed so much?”

Lila was dressed in white, and her long black hair flowed freely, making her look innocent as a little white rabbit.

When Lila first found out that Jane and the Fowlers had broken up, she was concerned that the news would have a negative impact on her mood, but instead, Jane seemed upbeat and positive right now.

“Yeah, I’ve changed,” Jane replied with a smile. She just came to realize the true nature of so–called family ties and became her true self again.

“I was still a little worried about you, but now you seem to be doing much better,” Lila said.

Jane smiled and said, “Cheers, let’s toast my new life… Or should I say ‘escaping from the wolf den‘?”

Jane picked up the Bloody Mary in front of Lila, clinked glasses with her, and then took a big sip.

The cold liquid, mixed with alcohol, stimulated her senses.

At that moment, with the nighttime river view, the breeze, and her best friend by her side, Jane felt the beauty of life all around her.

She felt terrible about the time she held on to things that were never hers, to begin with.

Jane spoke softly, but Peter, who had been listening to her the whole time, picked up on it and felt a mixture of emotions.

“Escaping from the wolf den?” Larry said with a scoff, “Looks like your family didn’t treat her very well.”

Larry’s comment was neutral since he had nothing to do with all this.

Many people would kill to be in Jane’s position as heiress of the Fowler family, but she had already given that

up.

And Larry knew Peter always disliked Jane.

Larry couldn’t help thinking about how much the Fowler family had mistreated Jane and how she had been able to move on despite all of that.

Peter sat in silence, picking up his beer and chugging it down.

Jane’s words echoed in his mind. He realized now that for her, going home was like being in “a wolf den.” Thus, Peter assumed that Jane must be thrilled when she finally decided to leave that place.

Peter now clung to the last bit of hope that maybe she was just being strong and putting on a brave face. Lila, noticing Peter’s silence, put a comforting arm around Jane. “Jane, don’t push yourself too hard. Remember, I’m always here for you as your best friend. If you need someone to lean on, my shoulder is always here,” Lila said.

Lila’s heart ached when she learned of what had happened to Jane.

Lila had known Jane for a long time and knew how much Jane yearned for a family.

When the Fowler family came to do a genetic test and adopted Jane, Lila saw Jane happier than she had ever been before. Jane even cried a few times. When Jane was drunk, she hugged Lila and cried out, “I have a family now, finally! I have a father, mother, and brothers, and they will protect me. I’m not an unwanted wild child anymore!”

“Okay, I need your shoulder now,” said Jane as she moved to Lila and hugged her.

Then Jane closed her eyes and sighed deeply. “I’m so lucky to have you.” Lila felt a lump form in her throat, and her heart ached for her best friend.

“Don’t be sad. I’ll always be here for you,” Lila comforted Jane, trying to hold back her own sadness.

“Yeah,” Jane responded, feeling a bit teary–eyed, not because of the Fowler family but because she felt stupid. She regretted not valuing the people in her life and giving up so much in her past life, but she also felt lucky to have a second chance.

The bar started playing music.

“Come on, I want to go dance,” Jane urged. In her second chance at life, Jane decided to do only those things that brought her joy, regardless of the approval or disapproval of others.

“Sure, I’ll watch you from down here,” Lila said.

Jane stood up, ruffled Lila’s head, and unbuttoned her shirt, revealing a black vest over a toned stomach. Moving to the center of the dance floor, she began to let loose to the pulsating beats of the music.

She was so stunningly beautiful that many men couldn’t help staring at her and start whistling.

Jane ignored them and spun, jumped, and closed her eyes. She danced beautifully, not just with coordinated and fluid movements but with wild energy in every step.

Even Peter was a bit mesmerized, as he didn’t know Jane could dance and she looked so good doing it. With her captivating performance, Jane lifted everyone’s spirits and brought the evening to a crescendo.

The crowd burst into an uproar. All the audience was yelling, asking her to come back and dance once more. Even Larry was applauding Jane. He looked so excited.

Just then, in a chamber on the fourth floor at Nightshade Bar, a pair of deep and sharp eyes spotted Jane dancing passionately on the dance floor.