Just as my breathing began to steady, just as the tension in my shoulders loosened enough for me to think clearly again, I heard it—footsteps. Not the soft, retreating kind from before. These were heavier. Multiple. Purposeful.
Coming back.
My body stiffened instantly, every nerve snapping back to attention as the door opened again, this time without hesitation. Voices followed—low, controlled, and unmistakably authoritative.
Men.
More than one.
I shrank further into the shadow of the shelf, pressing myself so tightly into the narrow space that the wood dug into my back. The notebook was still clutched in my hand, and I instinctively pulled it closer to my chest, hiding it beneath the folds of my dress as best as I could.
"Everything is ready," one voice said.
Deep. Professional.
"Good," another replied.
That voice—
My heart skipped.
Ezekiel.
There was no mistaking it. The calm dominance in his tone, the quiet authority that didn't need to rise to be heard—it was him.
I held my breath.
"Guests are already gathering," the first man continued. "They're expecting the announcement."
Announcement.
The word hit me again, sharp and heavy, echoing the conversation I had overheard in the elevator.
The younger brother.The Banks daughter.Tonight.
My grip tightened unconsciously.
"Then we won't keep them waiting," Ezekiel said smoothly. "Make sure everything is in place. I want this done… perfectly."
Perfectly.
My chest tightened.
This was it.
Whatever they were planning—whatever announcement they were about to make—it was happening now.
Which meant I had to leave.
Immediately.
If Alexander came looking for me and I wasn't there—
No.
I couldn't risk it.
I stayed frozen, barely breathing, as the men moved further into the room. Papers shifted. A glass was set down. The faint clink echoed in the quiet space.
Seconds stretched unbearably.
And then—
Movement.
Footsteps again.
Retreating.
"Let's go," Ezekiel said.
The door opened.
Closed.
And just like that—
Silence returned.
But this time, I didn't wait.
The moment I was sure they had gone far enough, I moved.
Fast.
I pushed myself up from behind the shelf, my legs protesting slightly from the position I had been in, but I ignored it. My heart was racing again, louder now, more urgent.
Go.
I didn't even look around the room again. There was no time. No room for hesitation.
I slipped toward the door, my steps quick but controlled, my hand reaching for the handle. For a split second, I paused—listening.
Nothing.
I opened it just enough to slide through, then closed it gently behind me, making sure it looked untouched.
The hallway greeted me with its eerie quiet once more.
But now, it felt different.
Heavier.
Charged.
I didn't linger.
I turned and began walking—quickly now—back toward the elevator, my heels clicking sharper against the floor despite my efforts to stay quiet. My mind was racing, thoughts colliding into one another.
The announcement.
The marriage.
The younger brother.
Alexander.
No.
I swallowed hard, shaking my head slightly as if that alone could push the thought away. I needed to get back downstairs. I needed to see for myself.
The elevator ride down felt longer than before. Suffocating. The mirrored walls reflected my face back at me, and for the first time that night, I saw it clearly—
Uneasy.
Uncertain.
Almost afraid.
I hated it.
I lifted my chin slightly, forcing composure back into place. I couldn't walk into that hall looking like this. Not now. Not when everything was about to unfold.
The doors opened.
And the world hit me all at once.
Sound.
Light.
Warmth.
The contrast was overwhelming.
The grand hall was alive—more alive than before. The chandeliers blazed brighter, their golden light spilling across every surface, reflecting off diamonds, glasses, polished floors. The air buzzed with anticipation, conversations louder, laughter sharper, energy thicker.
People had gathered closer now, forming clusters that subtly leaned toward the center of the room, as if drawn by an invisible force. Waiters moved faster, trays of champagne weaving through the crowd like flowing rivers of gold.
The warmth wrapped around me instantly, but it no longer felt comforting.
It felt suffocating.
I stepped forward, my eyes scanning quickly, searching.
Where is he?
My heart pounded as I moved through the crowd, brushing past silk and satin, catching fragments of conversation—
"…about to start…""…can't believe it…""…finally…"
Finally.
The word echoed.
My breathing became shallow.
I pushed forward, weaving through people more urgently now, barely noticing the way they glanced at me as I passed. My focus had narrowed to one thing—finding Alexander.
And then—
I saw him.
In the center of the hall.
Standing tall, composed, exactly as he always was. His presence alone seemed to command the space around him, people subtly orienting themselves in his direction without even realizing it.
Relief hit me first.
Sharp. Immediate.
He was here.
He looked… normal. Calm. Unbothered.
Not like someone about to—
And then I saw her.
My steps faltered.
No.
My entire world stilled.
Standing in front of him—
Lila.
My breath caught so violently it hurt.
She stood there like she belonged, like she had always belonged, her posture relaxed, her expression bright—
Laughing.
She was laughing.
The sound didn't reach me fully through the noise of the crowd, but I could see it—the tilt of her head, the curve of her lips, the lightness in her shoulders.
And Alexander—
He was looking at her.
Not cold.Not distant.
Present.
Engaged.
My chest tightened painfully.
What the hell just happened?
The question hit me like a shockwave, disorienting, impossible to process.
Lila.
Here.
With him.
Talking. Laughing.
My mind struggled to catch up, to make sense of the image in front of me. It felt wrong. Out of place. Like two separate realities had collided into one without warning.
The lights around them seemed too bright now, reflecting off everything in sharp, blinding flashes. The chatter of the crowd grew louder, overwhelming, pressing in on me from all sides.
I couldn't look away.
I took a step closer.
Then another.
Drawn in, despite the confusion, despite the tight, twisting feeling in my chest.
People brushed past me, their voices blending into noise, their laughter distant, muffled. The warmth of the room felt suffocating now, thick and heavy against my skin.
Lila said something—I couldn't hear it—but Alexander's expression shifted slightly, softer, almost amused.
And something inside me—
Cracked.
Not loudly.Not dramatically.
But enough.
Enough to make everything feel unsteady.
I stopped a few steps away, close enough to see clearly, but far enough to remain unnoticed.
My heart was racing again, but this time it wasn't from fear.
It was something else.
Something sharper.
Confusion.Jealousy.Disbelief.
All tangled together into something I couldn't name.
The chandeliers above cast golden light over them, making the moment look almost… perfect. Like a scene carefully arranged for everyone to admire.
And I stood there, on the edge of it, feeling like I had just walked into something I was never meant to see.
What are they doing? No, what was she doing?