Mrs Hale, I Surrender
Chapter 105: Mr. Hale, you are here as a family member.

Chapter 105: Mr. Hale, you are here as a family member.

In the distance, the moon was obscured by flowing clouds, casting a faint halo.

There was a typhoon in the south, affecting the weather, and forecasts indicated that it would rain in Greenland soon. Zac Cruz was driving when he turned to look at the person in the back seat during a traffic jam.

William Hale leaned back in his seat, his eyes closed, resting his mind.

"Sir, it will probably take another forty minutes to get to the venue. I’m not sure if we will make it in time for your wife’s competition," he said.

"Which order is she performing in?"

"There are 30 contestants, and they haven’t drawn lots yet."

Kyle Lowe would notify him if there were any updates.

Recently, William Hale had condensed several days of work, slightly overloaded and emotionally off, making Zac Cruz tense every day.

He was afraid of upsetting his boss and losing the Mid-Autumn Festival bonus.

**

At the competition venue at that moment, the contestants were waiting backstage for the draw. Seeing Zoe Bell coming, their eyes filled with hostility and displeasure.

After all, she was the only one with a private makeup room.

Zoe Bell was unaware of this as she had been led directly to the makeup room upon arrival at the venue and only found out later that the room was reserved for her.

The organizers wanted to please William Hale with this gesture.

Because of this, Zoe Bell faced much criticism.

"It looks like we’re just extras in this competition; the champion must have been predetermined," remarked one contestant.

"Well, it helps to have the right connections," another added.

"Her dancing is actually quite good, very strong," someone defended.

"At her age, having not competed for many years, and with a leg injury, how much of her skill can she really display? The competition is about to start, and that ’important person’ hasn’t even arrived. Looks like she won’t show up."

...

"Who even brings bodyguards to a competition? She really thinks she’s something," someone sneered.

No sooner had the person finished speaking than Zoe Bell was staring straight at her.

Her gaze was direct and unflinching, making the sarcastic contestant a bit uneasy.

"A few years ago, when I competed, you were there too. How come you’re still circling in Greenland’s dance scene? Haven’t gone to international competitions, is it because you don’t want to, or you’re not capable?" snapped Zoe.

"Zoe Bell, what are you implying!" the person snapped back in an instant, "What’s that got to do with you!"

"So, who I’m with, what does it have to do with you?" retorted Zoe.

"Who are you to point fingers?"

The person was left speechless.

In Greenland’s ballet circle, which was quite small, Zoe Bell was known for her good temperament. So her sudden outburst naturally surprised everyone.

"First, I didn’t arrange the makeup room; second, I have bodyguards because I want to; third, my business is none of your business!"

Kyle Lowe touched his nose:

Lately, his wife seemed to be in a bad mood.

The girl had walked into the line of fire unexpectedly.

She probably didn’t expect Zoe to hit back.

With no one coming to her aid, she found herself at a loss for words, her eyes welling up, nearly in tears.

The staff came forward to soothe and calm the situation, avoiding a conflict. After the draw, Zoe Bell was placed in the 20th position, quite late in the order.

When the competitions between contestants 10 and 20 finished, other dancers arranged by the organizers would perform in sequence.

Zoe Bell returned to the makeup room, looked at her phone, and saw no messages from William Hale; she pursed her lips, staying silent.

In her heart, she hoped:

She hoped he could still make it!

Her phone vibrated, and she felt a burst of joy.

Wyatt Hale: [Sister-in-law, good luck in the competition.]

[Every time you step on stage, it’s a learning experience; participating is growth. It’s great that you’ve made it to the finals, and you must perform your best.]

[Don’t be nervous, the results aren’t important, what matters is showing your grace and standard in the competition.]

Zoe Bell chuckled softly.

She got up to stretch and warm up, only then noticing a faint pain in her right foot.

It seemed, the heavens were not favoring her tonight.

—

Until the competition started and was halfway through, William Hale had still not shown up, which made many big shots uneasy, some even left early.

Lucas Bell arrived late and only then discovered that his father was still relentlessly persuading.

He hoped for someone to lend him a hand.

Ethan Stone couldn’t watch any longer and pulled him aside, whispering, "Kevin, you should try somewhere else."

"I’ve thought of every possible method... How about you help me? We’ve been friends for many years, can you bear to watch me go bankrupt?"

"I am willing but powerless. I’ve just finalized a deal with Mr. Hale, and it requires a large investment early on. This is our company’s core project for the next five years; I simply don’t have any spare cash."

Ethan Stone wasn’t foolish and understood that the Bell Group was like a vast abyss. Any amount of money thrown in wouldn’t make a splash.

Unless someone like William Hale actually decided to step in.

Kevin Bell just gave a wry smile, his eyes filled with despair, and slumped into his seat.

Soon, it was Zoe Bell’s turn to perform. Today, she was wearing a long white ballet dress, and while waiting backstage, she continuously adjusted her breathing. The soreness in her right foot became increasingly evident.

As another competitor just finished and during the judges’ scoring, the audience began to stir.

Zoe Bell couldn’t afford to be distracted and only heard Kyle Lowe come close and whisper,

"Sir is here."

Her breath hitched.

However, from her angle, she couldn’t see where William Hale was, until she went on stage. The stage lights were bright, the auditorium lights dim, making it impossible for her to see anyone beyond the judges.

The piece she performed was a segment from "Giselle," which was quite challenging.

As she struck her starting pose, the music began.

Graceful, light, and ethereal.

Like a sprite dancing atop the music, her form fluid and every movement radiating a unique charm.

The song of clouds held clear, the dance of snow swirls lightly.

Even those unfamiliar with ballet would be captivated by her elegant dance and exquisite skills, Zac Cruz included. But the lighter she danced, the harder she worked behind the scenes.

Zac Cruz was busy; aside from watching the performance, he was also recording.

Because Old Sir Hale wanted to see it.

But the old man himself didn’t wish to record, so his assistant had to do it.

The dance ended, she bowed in thanks, and the judges scored her as she finally could breathe a sigh of relief.

Her right foot hurt, and she didn’t perform very well.

She bit her lip, striving to maintain a smile. Her gaze swept across the audience and spotted Lucas Bell and Brandon Stone, but she didn’t see William Hale.

Everyone thought Zoe Bell would be the predetermined champion, but when her scores were released, unexpectedly...

As someone had already scored higher than her.

Even if no more high scores followed hers, she could only be the runner-up at best.

Zoe Bell had danced well, yet not flawlessly, so her score wasn’t high.

Possibly fearing criticism, the judges even slightly lowered her score.

A few contestants who had complaints about the competition fell silent now.

Given the difficulty of her dance and her execution, her being champion would have been deserved.

On the stage, beneath a spotlight, clad in a dance dress, she was always the proud white swan, smiling as she walked offstage. But the moment she did, the pain in her right foot became unbearable...

Her body faltered, she reached out to grab something to support herself.

The next second,

her waist was suddenly embraced, a firm body stabilizing hers.

A familiar woody fragrance enveloped her,

it was William Hale.

Zoe Bell’s breathing tightened, she turned to look at him.

At that moment on stage, as the dance crew changed, except for the stage, other places were shrouded in darkness.

This backstage area was too dark; only the stage lights passed over him, his distinct features becoming even more profound amidst the interplay of light and shadow.

His face rarely showed emotion, but now his lips curved slightly, as he said,

"The performance was wonderful."

"Thank you," Zoe Bell steadied herself, "When did you arrive in Greenland? You didn’t even tell me."

"Just arrived."

"Came here directly?"

His breath was eager, his voice pressed in her ear, "Such an important competition, as family, how could I miss it."