And that changed everything
I tightened the clasp on my earring and exhaled. The nerves hadn’t vanished, but they had somewhere to go now. They were
moving through me. Fueling me.
A soft knock tapped against the door.
“You ready?” Harper called gently.
gave myself one last look in the mirror. “Yeah,” I said, squaring my shoulders. “Let’s do this.”
I stepped out into the living room, smoothing down the front of my gown. It was then that Theo suddenly came in. As soon as he saw me, he was suddenly rooted to the ground.
“You look incredible,” he said, voice low, laced with quiet admiration. “No one will be able to take their eyes off you tonight ”
A flush crept up my neck, but I held his gaze, grounding myself in that steady calm he always gave me.
Then, sensing the nerves that still rippled beneath my surface, he added gently, “No matter what happens in there, remember- you’re the one calling the shots now. You’re not hiding anymore. You’re taking your place.”
I gave him a faint smile. “Thank you.”
Harper walked in, her eyes darting between the two of us. A knowing smirk tugged at her lips. “Well, damn,” she said. “The way you two look tonight, the tabloids won’t know what hit them.”
She handed me a small clutch and adjusted one of the straps on my gown. “Everything’s moving just the way we planned. You two go on ahead–I’ll meet you there. I want to make sure our little spark hits at the exact right time.”
We settled into the car, the soft leather seat cradling me as I gazed out at the passing lights. The silence that followed wasn’t awkward, as Theo drove us to the banquet..
And in that silence, my mind wandered.
I remembered the whispers and glances. How everyone judged me. I remembered walking into rooms where people wouldn’t meet my eyes. The rumors that painted me as a disgrace, a scandal, a joke.
I remembered the isolation, combined with the intense pain and fear.
The fear that I had been ruined forever. That I would never reclaim the version of myself that had once burned so brightly. But tonight, things will be different. I won’t let anyone walk on me. And I will thrive instead of merely surviving.
I would walk into it, head held high–and steal the thunder
Soon, the car rolled to a smooth stop in front of the grand venue, its entrance bathed in golden light. Photographers waited at a respectful distance this was, after all, a charity gala, not a red carpet circus. But that didn’t mean tongues weren’t ready to wag. Theo stepped out first, the door gliding open with a quiet hiss. Dressed in a tailored black suit, he was every inch the composed,
2/3
+20 Bonus
powerful CEO the world knew him to be. His presence drew attention like gravity–quiet, commanding, impossible to ignore.
And then he moved.
With practiced ease and a touch of old–world charm, he walked to my side of the car. He opened the door and offered his hand,
palm up.
The moment felt suspended–like the world had tilted just slightly on its axis.
I took his hand. His fingers closed gently around mine. In that instance, a collective hush swept through the front steps of the venue. Conversations faltered. Heads turned. And then the whispers began.
“Is that Theo Mercer?”
“He brought a date?”
“Who is she?”
“I thought he was single.”
The murmurs swirled like wildfire, speculative and insatiable.
And then I stepped out.
One heel touched the pavement. Then the other. I rose slowly, deliberately, letting the silk of my gown ripple with every movement. The fabric hugged my body just enough to speak of elegance and strength, but it was the way I carried myself–chin lifted, gaze steady–that truly caught their attention.
D
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