Gerald guided Anna toward their table, his hand firm yet tender on the small of her back. The warmth of his touch anchored her in the room buzzing with chatter, laughter, and champagne flutes clinking under crystal chandeliers. Every step she took with him felt deliberate, as though he were telling the world, She’s mine.Across the table, Andy nearly spat his wine. He coughed hard, covering it with a clenched fist, though the bitterness rising in his throat was far from the wine. They came? His pulse raced. His mother had warned him Gerald might be invited, but Andy had scoffed, convinced Gerald wouldn’t show up. Gerald was notorious for dodging social events, preferring to stay cloaked in power rather than paraded in public.And yet here he was. Not just here—he was here with her.Andy’s stomach twisted. Anna.The moment she had swept into the hall through those massive double doors, Andy thought he had seen a vision. He blinked once, twice, convinced it couldn’t be her. But now, sit
Gerald guided Anna toward their table, his hand firm yet tender on the small of her back. The warmth of his touch anchored her in the room buzzing with chatter, laughter, and champagne flutes clinking under crystal chandeliers. Every step she took with him felt deliberate, as though he were telling the world, She’s mine.Across the table, Andy nearly spat his wine. He coughed hard, covering it with a clenched fist, though the bitterness rising in his throat was far from the wine. They came? His pulse raced. His mother had warned him Gerald might be invited, but Andy had scoffed, convinced Gerald wouldn’t show up. Gerald was notorious for dodging social events, preferring to stay cloaked in power rather than paraded in public.And yet here he was. Not just here—he was here with her.Andy’s stomach twisted. Anna.The moment she had swept into the hall through those massive double doors, Andy thought he had seen a vision. He blinked once, twice, convinced it couldn’t be her. But now, sit
Gerald guided Anna toward their table, his hand firm yet tender on the small of her back. The warmth of his touch anchored her in the room buzzing with chatter, laughter, and champagne flutes clinking under crystal chandeliers. Every step she took with him felt deliberate, as though he were telling the world, She’s mine.Across the table, Andy nearly spat his wine. He coughed hard, covering it with a clenched fist, though the bitterness rising in his throat was far from the wine. They came? His pulse raced. His mother had warned him Gerald might be invited, but Andy had scoffed, convinced Gerald wouldn’t show up. Gerald was notorious for dodging social events, preferring to stay cloaked in power rather than paraded in public.And yet here he was. Not just here—he was here with her.Andy’s stomach twisted. Anna.The moment she had swept into the hall through those massive double doors, Andy thought he had seen a vision. He blinked once, twice, convinced it couldn’t be her. But now, sit
Gerald guided Anna toward their table, his hand firm yet tender on the small of her back. The warmth of his touch anchored her in the room buzzing with chatter, laughter, and champagne flutes clinking under crystal chandeliers. Every step she took with him felt deliberate, as though he were telling the world, She’s mine.Across the table, Andy nearly spat his wine. He coughed hard, covering it with a clenched fist, though the bitterness rising in his throat was far from the wine. They came? His pulse raced. His mother had warned him Gerald might be invited, but Andy had scoffed, convinced Gerald wouldn’t show up. Gerald was notorious for dodging social events, preferring to stay cloaked in power rather than paraded in public.And yet here he was. Not just here—he was here with her.Andy’s stomach twisted. Anna.The moment she had swept into the hall through those massive double doors, Andy thought he had seen a vision. He blinked once, twice, convinced it couldn’t be her. But now, sit
Gerald stood in the foyer, broad shoulders squared, the overhead light glinting against the satin lapels of his tuxedo. The cut was sharp, hugging him like it had been tailored to his very skin. His shirt gaped open at the top, three buttons undone, exposing the sculpted ridges of his chest. He tugged at his cufflinks, impatient, and checked his Rolex with a low groan.“Anna,” he called, voice rumbling through the high-ceilinged hall. “Does it take this long to get dressed?”Her voice floated down from upstairs, sing-song, teasing. “Relax, Mr. Impatient. Some things are worth the wait.”His mouth curved into a smirk. “Worth the wait? You’ve had me standing here thirty minutes while you play hide-and-seek with your makeup.” His voice rose, rich with mock annoyance.From behind the door, she fired back, “Don’t be so dramatic!”Gerald shook his head, ready with another quip, but the moment the bedroom door opened, his words died.Anna appeared at the top of the staircase, and the world t
Anna picked up the phone from the passenger seat, squinting at the glowing screen as if her eyes were playing tricks on her.Gerald.Her heart skipped a beat. She hadn’t expected to see his name, not after she ended his call with Aiden abruptly.Her thumb hovered over the green icon, her chest tightening. She knew exactly what he wanted—to talk to her, to swoop in and play hero. But she wasn’t some helpless damsel waiting to be rescued. Not anymore. Not after Andy’s betrayal. Not after Gerald had fired her as if she were disposable.No, she thought, jaw tightening. I made a promise to myself. No more leaning on any son of Adam.With deliberate slowness, she placed the phone back on the seat. “He’ll get tired eventually,” she muttered, folding her arms across her chest as if bracing against the ache inside.Outside the car window, firefighters moved like shadows against the flames, their voices sharp over the hiss of water and the crackle of burning wood. Neighbors huddled together, so