The sharp sound of a phone ringing broke the silence in the room. Gavin slowly opened his eyes, still half-asleep. The bright morning light peeked in through the curtains, making him squint. He rolled over and reached out with one hand, trying to find his phone on the bedside table.His fingers touched the screen, and he pulled it close to see who was calling.Sophie.He let out a deep yawn and stretched his arms wide before finally answering the call.“Hello?” he said, voice still thick with sleep.Sophie’s voice came through immediately. “Where have you been, Gavin?! I’ve been calling you for days! I've been so worried!”Gavin sighed again, rubbing a hand over his face. “I’m really sorry, Sophie,” he said with another lazy yawn. “I was on a boat cruise.”There was a pause on the other end.“A boat cruise?” Sophie repeated in surprise. “What do you mean? Since when?”Gavin scratched the back of his hea
As David stepped back into the banquet hall, Max trailed behind, his grin hadn’t left since the encounter with Maureen Williams. They barely made it a few paces into the hall before they ran into Felix, who looked mildly baffled as he walked toward them with a wine glass in hand."Hey," Felix said, a little breathless, eyes darting between the two. "Why'd you both leave the terrace so fast? I was just coming to join you."Max let out a chuckle, adjusting the cuff of his shirt as he stepped to the side. "Oh, you missed the fireworks, Felix. Our boy here just turned down Maureen Williams—flat."Felix blinked. "Wait, seriously?" His gaze shifted to David, who stood silent, slowly nursing what little wine remained in his glass.Max gave a dramatic sigh. "She practically served herself on a silver platter. Gown slit to heaven, eyes only for him, and he hit her with the coldest line I’ve ever heard.""Was he in a bad mood or something?" Felix asked, brows furrowing. He turned to David. "Yo
The moment David walked into the banquet hall, everything shifted. Conversations faltered, glasses paused mid-air, and necks craned as attention shifted toward him.He wore his usual color palette—muted, dark, and undeniably sharp. Nothing flashy, nothing overdone. Just enough to draw eyes and keep them lingering.The media noticed him immediately. Cameras clicked and lights flashed. In seconds, reporters and photographers rushed forward to catch a glimpse or a shot. Even amidst the glittering crowd, David stood out, effortlessly stealing the spotlight. But while the room pulsed with whispers about his appearance and presence, David’s mind was somewhere else entirely.The past few days had taken their toll on him. Drowning himself in work had become his convenient numbing agent. Better to drown in back-to-back meetings than sit alone with his thoughts about someone.In fact, he hadn’t even planned to come. When the Whitmores sent the invitation, he had made up his mind not to go.He w
Christian couldn't stop staring.Sitting in the backseat with Emma, he tilted his head slightly and let his eyes rest on her for what felt like the hundredth time. She hadn’t noticed — or at least, she pretended not to — but Christian didn’t even try to be discreet anymore. How could he? The gown she had on tonight… it wasn’t the kind of clothes he'd seen Emma wear. It hugged her frame in a way that wasn’t too revealing for him, but still managed to leave just enough to the imagination.He caught her shifting awkwardly, pretending to fix a nonexistent wrinkle in the fabric. Her hand moved, slightly tugging the hem of the gown. Christian’s lips twitched, barely suppressing a smile.Ah, this had to be Sophie’s doing.Emma wasn’t the type to pick out something like this on her own — not because she couldn’t pull it off, but because she was too modest to wear anything that put her in the spotlight. Sophie, however, had no such rest
Emma stepped into the sitting room, brushing her hand down her plain jeans as she looked at the two people curled up on the couch.“All right, I’m ready,” she said.Sophie and Claire turned to look at her at the same time. The moment Sophie saw Emma, her face changed into a frown.“Terrible,” she muttered, shaking her head.Emma raised an eyebrow just as Sophie nudged Claire. “What do you think, Claire?”Claire looked a bit uncomfortable, caught between standing by her mother and staying loyal to her godmother. Her eyes paused briefly on Emma’s simple jeans and T-shirt before she gave a small smile. “Mum has other… nicer clothes.”Sophie quickly held up her palm and high-fived Claire with pride.Emma rolled her eyes at both of them. “You two are unbelievable. I’m not going on a formal date or anything. Christian’s just taking me to pick out a dress for the banquet.”“And?” Sophie replied with a wave of her hand. “Does it matter where you’re going? If Christian is TAKING YOU OUT, you
Emma took a deep breath for what felt like the hundredth time. Her fingers trembled slightly as she reached out toward the doorbell of Christian’s apartment.She paused, her hand hovering just inches from the button, hesitating.It wasn’t like her to hesitate this much. But this time, the uncertainty gnawed at her more than usual.Since last night, Christian had barely said anything. Not a single word after that final, quiet dismissal — "What I don’t need most is your apology.”The drive home had been filled with an uncomfortable silence, neither of them speaking. When she’d invited him into her apartment for dinner, he’d turned her down, saying he’d already eaten earlier.That moment had lingered in her mind all night.Emma hadn’t slept well. She’d tossed and turned, the weight of guilt settling deeper into her chest.She hated not being able to ascertain Christian's feelings. Was he angry? Disappointed? Did he simply not care anymore? She didn’t have answers, only speculation, and t