Chapter 3

The luxury car rolled into the estate, camera flashes blowing up the night like daylight.

Inside, the gala sparkled with gold and crystal. Perfume and silk filled the air.

The second I walked in on Ezra's arm, every head turned our way.

He wore a black custom suit, his hair slicked back, sharp features impossible to miss.

Then he looked at me.

Surprise flashed across his face before he looked away fast, the tips of his ears turning red.

The comments exploded—

[Oh? Who's blushing? I'm not naming names.]

[Ezra's inner voice: My girl looks gorgeous. Every guy staring at her can lose their eyes.]

[The height difference. The visuals. They look straight out of a billionaire romance.]

I glanced down. My dress was a little too long.

I almost tripped.

Ezra caught me instantly and pulled me into his arms.

His warm hand settled against my waist, sending a shiver through me.

"Clumsy." He sounded annoyed but didn't let go. If anything, he pulled me closer. "Stay near me. Don't wander off."

I lowered my voice. "Ezra, you look really handsome tonight."

He stopped for half a second, swallowing hard. "Shut up. Don't butter me up."

"Oh."

We'd barely made it inside when Grace walked over with a wine glass in hand.

She was clearly dressed to impress, but next to my starry gown, she barely stood out.

"Ezra, Mia's dressed pretty expensively tonight. Rented, right? Better hope she doesn't ruin it. She could never pay for the damage."

She covered her mouth with a laugh, jealousy written all over her face.

I was just about to clap back—

Ezra beat me to it, voice cold. "My sister gave it to her. You got a problem with that?"

Grace stiffened. "Lisa gave it to her? Yeah right—"

"How's that impossible?" Lisa cut in as she stepped beside me. "Mia's my guest. I picked out everything she's wearing myself. Unlike you, showing up in a knockoff from last season. Aren't you scared people will notice?"

Grace's face went bright red.

Whispers and quiet laughs spread through the crowd.

She stomped off with watery eyes.

[That was insanely satisfying. Lisa's iconic.]

[Full female lead protection mode unlocked. I'm obsessed.]

[Grace came to start drama and got publicly destroyed instead.]

Lisa winked at me before heading off to greet the other guests.

I let out a breath and looked at Ezra.

He was staring at the diamond necklace around my neck.

"What?"

He reached up and brushed the center stone with his fingers. "That set belonged to my mom. She wore it at her wedding. Can't believe my sister gave it to you."

I froze and immediately reached for the clasp. "It's way too expensive. I can't take—"

Ezra caught my hand.

His fingers were cool.

His stare wasn't. "Leave it on."

"If she gave it to you, it's yours." He leaned in, voice low. "And if you're wearing my family's heirloom, that makes you one of us."

[Ezra's probably thinking: Perfect. One step closer to making her my wife.]

[That's not jewelry. That's basically a proposal.]

[Mia, don't take it off! Be brave for the $500,000 and keep wearing it!]

My face burned.

I slowly lowered my hand.

Halfway through the gala, a few older guests pulled Ezra away to talk.

I slipped into a corner and ate cake by myself.

Out of nowhere, a server "accidentally" slammed into me.

Red wine splashed across my skirt.

"I'm so sorry! I'm so sorry!" His face went white.

I was about to tell him it was fine—

Then I caught the panic in his eyes.

Like someone had told him to do it.

So yeah. Definitely not an accident.

Across the room, Grace watched with a smug little smile.

She walked over and raised her voice on purpose. "Wow. You stained a dress that expensive? How're you gonna explain that to Lisa?"

Loud enough for the whole room to hear.

Heads turned. Whispers started immediately.

I frowned.

This was so painfully predictable.

I was about to fire back when comments flashed across my vision—

[Don't panic! Plot point incoming!]

[Take the left hallway! There's a lounge there. Ezra prepared a surprise for you!]

[Go! Don't waste your time on these clowns!]

I shot Grace a cold look. "Worry about yourself."

Then I grabbed my skirt and headed for the lounge.

I pushed the door open—

And froze.

The walls were covered in paintings.

Every single one was me.

Carefully framed. Hung like they mattered.

At the center was a huge oil painting.

Me by the studio window, focused on my canvas.

Sunlight spilled across my hair, turning it gold. Outside the window, hidden in the shadows of the trees, was the faint silhouette of a boy.

Signed in the corner:

[E.E.]

Ezra Everton.

I covered my mouth.

My eyes started burning.

Every painting had a date in the corner.

Even the weather.

All those days I was barely getting by, insecure about being poor, rushing past his building without looking up—

There'd always been someone watching me quietly.

Gently.

I thought I was just some broke girl trying to survive.

I never realized I'd already become someone else's moon.

The sketches I thought were part of some one-sided crush—

Had never been one-sided at all.

The comments exploded again—

[I'm crying. The king of romance just destroyed me.]

[Who said Ezra was just some campus bad boy? He's down horrendous for her.]

[Mia, stop overthinking. This man's a keeper.]

Footsteps sounded behind me.

Ezra walked in and shut the door.

He glanced at the paintings, then rubbed the back of his neck. "I was gonna show you later."

"Didn't expect you to find out this early."

I turned to him. "You painted all of these?"

"Yeah." He nodded. "Been taking lessons for a few years."

"Why?"

He walked over and stopped in front of me, more serious than I'd ever seen him.

"Because I wanted to be closer to you. Mia, I don't actually like racing. Or drinking. I only did that stuff to get your attention."

He paused.

"Every time I revved my car downstairs, you'd look out the window. Even if it was just one annoyed glance, it still made my day."

My heartbeat stumbled.

So all those roaring engines—

Had been his silent confession.