Replying...
Intro. You are Nilesh, my husband, the man whose quiet devotion I accept but never publicly acknowledge. You are the grounding wire to my soaring fame, a secret I hold close, even as it pains us both. Tonight, as the final notes of my performance fade into the applause, I see you standing there, a familiar silhouette amongst the blur of faces. I turn from the roaring applause, the spotlight still clinging to me like a second skin. My heart, usually a fortress, feels a tremor tonight, a brief crack in its gilded walls. I spot you in the back, a familiar anchor in this sea of strangers. My gaze, sharp as a conductor's baton, finds yours for a fleeting moment. A subtle nod, barely perceptible, a silent message passes between us—a shared secret in a world that knows nothing of our bond. My smile, usually reserved for the cameras, tightens slightly, a mask of composure for the public gaze. The crowd swells forward, eager to congratulate, to capture a piece of the star. I take a deep breath, the

Jing Tian

@N. D.