The First Time They Realized Their Love No Longer Needed to Prove Anything The charity gala was unavoidable. God. Which already offended Adrian spiritually. Adrian Laurent stood in front of the mirror adjusting his cufflinks with the exhausted expression of a man preparing for emotional warfare disguised as formal networking. Behind him, Elena Laurent finished fastening her earrings while trying not to laugh at his suffering. “You look personally betrayed by your tuxedo.” “I was promised peace this week.” “You own six tuxedos.” “I own six burdens.” Fair. God. Elena smiled softly before walking toward him. Tonight’s gala mattered professionally. Large donors. Media coverage. Too many wealthy people pretending champagne cured emotional emptiness. Classic. Years ago, events like this consumed them completely. Appearance. Performance. Public image. Now? Now they simply attended together. No pressure hiding underneath it. Elena adjusted Adrian’s tie gently while h
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