Amelia
The car ride to the gala was silent at first, the tension between us sitting thick in the air. The city lights flickered past the tinted windows, a blur of gold and white against the dark sky. Ethan sat beside me, his posture as composed as ever, one hand resting on his knee while the other adjusted his cufflinks. The wedding ring on his finger caught the light, a stark reminder of the roles we were about to play tonight.
“You look beautiful,” he said suddenly, his voice even, almost careful.
I turned to him, surprised by the unexpected compliment. His gaze was already on me, and for a moment, something unreadable flickered behind his eyes.
“Thank you,” I murmured, unsure of how to respond.
Ethan wasn’t the type to offer unnecessary flattery, and I could tell by the way he was
