MY CHOICE OF JEWEL

MOLLY'S POV When I said I would rise, I didn't mean "someday." I meant now. That's the thing about promises. In the underworld, if you make one, you either keep it or you end up buried beneath it. Old habits don't die easily, even if your old body already has. So when the hospital finally cleared me, and the management company scheduled "rehabilitation sessions" to ease me back into work, I knew it was my chance to prove everyone wrong. Or maybe, prove myself right. The old Molly couldn't even hold a note without auto-tune saving her life. Me? I spent years mastering codes, languages, disguises... and yes, music. My father used to make me learn instruments as part of a cover identity, and I discovered I had an ear for rhythm. It wasn't meant for the stage, but the stage is just another battlefield. I walked into the rehearsal studio with a hoodie pulled low, my hair tied back, and eyes sharp. The room smelled of sweat and nerves, mirrors stretching wall to wall. A piano stood in the corner, untouched, almost ornamental. Two assistants whispered at the sight of me. "Didn't she almost... you know, die?" one muttered. "She's supposed to be fragile. Why's she here?" the other replied. Fragile. My lips twitched. If only they knew. The company had sent over a vocal coach and a choreographer, both professionals, both skeptical. They probably thought this was a waste of their time, a formality to pacify the fallen star before she faded into obscurity. "Miss Molly," the vocal coach greeted me, his tone polite but flat. "We'll start with scales. Nothing strenuous. Just a diagnostic. I nodded. "Fine." He sat at the piano, playing the notes. I followed. My voice came out clear, steady, surprising even myself at how much this body could handle when used properly. The coach paused, eyebrows shooting up slightly, then quickly composed himself. "Again," he said, faster this time. I matched him. Higher. Lower. Stronger. Every note hit like a bullet precisely aimed. By the time we finished, his pen hovered uselessly over his clipboard. "Remarkable recovery," he muttered. I gave a faint smile. "Recovery has nothing to do with it." Next was choreography. The choreographer, a lean woman with sharp cheekbones, looked me up and down like she was measuring me for a coffin. "Your stamina was terrible before," she said bluntly. "If you can't handle even one routine, don't waste my time." She blasted music through the speakers, some flashy pop number that screamed shallow glitter. I didn't argue. I just moved. Dancing wasn't about grace for me, it was about control. Body control. Every twist, every step, every breath perfectly measured. I wasn't a professional dancer, but I knew how to train like one. And once my body caught the rhythm, I pushed harder. Sweat drenched my back, but I didn't falter. When the track ended, I was still standing, chest heaving but eyes sharp. The choreographer's mouth hung open. "You've been practicing." I smirked. "Something like that." By the end of the day, whispers followed me in the hallways. Assistants, trainers, even a few junior idols peeked through the glass windows to see the so-called "fallen star" dragging herself through grueling sessions without collapsing. Their disbelief was fuel. Their doubt was gasoline. And I was ready to burn. The real test came a week later. The company announced I would appear at a small charity showcase, a harmless stage, the kind they usually gave to rookies or fading names to keep them relevant. They expected me to show up, lip-sync, look pretty, and vanish. But I had other plans. The night of the event, I stood backstage, microphone cold in my hand. My heart wasn't racing; it was steady, like waiting for an op to begin. Lights spilled across the stage, voices buzzed from the crowd. "Molly, just relax," one assistant whispered nervously. "It's okay if you mess up. No one expects" "I won't mess up." My voice was calm, firm enough to silence him instantly. When they called my name, I walked into the spotlight. The audience clapped politely, sympathy applause. I could taste their low expectations, like ash in the air. Good. Nothing better than watching their jaws drop. The music started. I didn't lip-sync. I sang. Raw, steady, and powerful. Every note sliced through the hall, pulling heads up, widening eyes. The melody wasn't just a song, it was a declaration. My voice carried the weight of someone who had clawed her way out of fire and refused to bow again. Gasps rippled through the audience. Phones came out. Whispers turned into shocked silence, then into something heavier: awe. I danced too, not flawlessly, but fiercely, with a strength no one expected from the "delicate diva" they thought had nearly died. Every movement said: I'm not weak. I'm not finished. I'm here. When the last note echoed, the crowd erupted. Not polite applause this time. Real thunder. Cheers, shouts, a standing ovation that rattled the walls. I bowed once, sharp and unapologetic. My lungs burned, but my blood sang louder than any song. Backstage was chaos. Managers argued, assistants buzzed, the coach and choreographer looked like they'd seen a ghost. But one presence cut through it all. Kelvin Brass. He leaned against the doorway, arms folded, watching me with those unreadable eyes. While others gawked, his expression was calm, too calm. But there was something else, buried deep. Interest. Calculation. Our gazes locked. For a long moment, the noise around us faded. It was just him, and me, and the silent acknowledgment that whatever game I had started, he had noticed. Finally, he spoke. His voice was smooth, deliberate. "Impressive." I tilted my head, smirking faintly. "Enjoying the show?" I asked. "I don't enjoy surprises," he replied. "But you... might be an exception." Then he turned, leaving as suddenly as he appeared, his words hanging in the air like smoke. I exhaled slowly, gripping the water bottle in my hand. Kelvin Brass had seen me. Not the old Molly, not the fragile idol, but me. And that, I knew, was dangerous.