THE WOMAN OF MY DREAMS

CHAPTER THREE

The Grand Ballroom of the Plaza Hotel was a sea of flashing cameras, cascading crystal chandeliers, and the muted, dangerous murmur of the world's most powerful elite. Every billionaire, politician, and cutthroat executive in the city was in attendance, but the moment the heavy double doors opened, the room fell into a collective, breathless hush.

Xavier King had arrived. And by his side, looking like an absolute vision of lethal elegance, was Elena.

Elena felt the weight of a thousand judging eyes press into her skin the second they stepped over the threshold. She kept her chin high, her spine perfectly straight. Tonight, she had chosen a gown designed to provoke a floor-length, backless emerald silk dress that clung to her curves like a second skin, casting striking green reflections under the crystal lights. Around her neck sat the King family diamonds, a heavy, blinding collar of cold stones that felt less like jewellery and more like a beautifully polished collar.

Xavier stepped closer to her, his massive presence immediately shielding her from the predatory gazes of the crowd. He was clad in a bespoke black tuxedo that fit his broad shoulders and towering frame flawlessly. He looked completely untouchable, the epitome of old-money power and ruthless authority.

Without a word of warning, Xavier slid his large hand around her waist.

Elena caught her breath as his warm, calloused palm pressed firmly against the bare skin of her lower back, right where the silk of her dress dipped low. His fingers were heavy, digging just enough into her waist to pull her flush against his side. The contrast was staggering the biting chill of the ballroom’s air conditioning hitting her front, while his intense, radiating heat burned through her back.

"Smile, Elena," Xavier murmured, his head dropping down so his lips brushed the shell of her ear. To the photographers snapping pictures at the edge of the red carpet, it looked like a tender, intimate whisper between a doting husband and his adoring wife. But his voice was entirely dark, laced with a hard, unyielding command. "The CEO of Vanguard Capital is watching us from the balcony. Look at me like you actually love me."

Elena tilted her head back, forcing a bright, breathy smile to her lips as she looked up into his piercing grey eyes. She reached up, her small hand resting flat against the crisp lapel of his tuxedo, feeling the powerful, steady beat of his heart beneath the fabric.

"Oh, I'm playing my part perfectly, Xavier," she whispered back, her voice dripping with sweet defiance. "But what about you? Your hand is trembling against my skin. Is the great Xavier King nervous about a little fake affection?"

A dangerous glint flickered in Xavier’s eyes, the muscles in his jaw clenching tightly. In response to her provocation, his grip on her waist tightened significantly, lifting her slightly onto her toes so their chests brushed together. The sudden, forced proximity sent a violent jolt of electricity straight down Elena's spine.

"I don't get nervous, my lady," Xavier growled softly, his dark gaze dropping to her parted lips before snapping back to her eyes. "I execute strategies. And right now, the strategy requires the world to think I would ruin anyone who looks at you."

He guided her smoothly through the crowd, his hand never leaving her waist. Every step he took was a calculated display of absolute possession. When a powerful shipping magnate stepped forward to offer a toast, Xavier didn't just polite-talk; he kept Elena tucked securely under his arm, his thumb tracing slow, heavy circles against the bare skin of her spine. It was a sensory assault. The public display of intimacy was supposed to be a lie, a performance for the cameras, but the way his touch made her blood boil felt entirely too real. The s****l tension between them was building like a pressure cooker, suffocating and heavy.

As they moved toward the VIP lounge, the crowd parted to reveal a familiar figure standing near the champagne fountain.

Victoria Sterling.

Victoria was the daughter of a rival tech billionaire and a woman who had spent the last three years trying to secure Xavier’s hand in marriage before the sudden Vance alliance shattered her plans. Clad in a plunging crimson gown, Victoria watched their approach, her eyes sharp as glass.

"Xavier, darling," Victoria purred, stepping directly into their path and completely ignoring Elena’s presence. She held out a manicured hand, her lips curved into a glossy, predatory smile. "It has been far too long. I was beginning to think you were hiding away from the world."

Xavier paused, his expression instantly freezing into a mask of polite, corporate ice. He took Victoria’s hand, giving it a brief, formal nod before immediately dropping it. "Victoria. I've been occupied with expanding the King empire’s assets."

Victoria’s eyes finally flicked down to Elena, scanning her from head to toe with blatant condescension. "Ah, yes. Your new... asset," she sneered, her voice dropping into a venomous undertone. "I must admit, Xavier, everyone was shocked when you settled down so quickly. Especially with a family whose name is currently drowning in so much scandal."

Elena felt a hot flash of anger tighten her throat, but before she could speak, the hand around her waist shifted.

Xavier pulled Elena so close, their hips locked together. His arm wrapped completely around her waist, anchoring her to his side with a fierce, protective dominance that sent a clear message to everyone in the vicinity.

"My wife is not an asset, Victoria," Xavier said, his voice dropping into a low, terrifyingly calm register that made the smile instantly freeze on Victoria's face. The temperature in the room seemed to drop ten degrees. "She is the only person in this room who matters to me. And as for my family name, the King legacy has never been stronger. I suggest you remember that before you comment on my marriage again."

Victoria’s face paled, her fingers tightening around her champagne flute so hard the crystal rattled. She looked at Xavier’s dark, defensive glare, then at the heavy diamonds gleaming against Elena’s throat. Realizing she had completely overstepped, she took a shaky step back, her eyes burning with a mix of humiliation and deep, twisting jealousy.

"Of course," Victoria forced out, her voice tight. "Excuse me."

She turned and vanished into the crowd, but the look of pure malice she shot over her shoulder warned Elena that this was far from over.

Elena looked up at Xavier, her heart pounding wildly against her ribs. The anger from Victoria’s insult was completely eclipsed by the sheer intensity of how Xavier had just defended her. He was still staring out into the crowd, his breathing deep and even, his profile looking like a god carved from granite.

"That didn't sound like a performance, Xavier," Elena whispered, her voice suddenly trembling, stripped of its previous playful defiance.

Xavier’s dark gaze slowly dropped back down to her. The corporate mask was gone, replaced by that same raw, unhinged hunger she had seen in her bedroom the night before. His hand on her bare back felt like liquid fire, his thumb pressing hard against her spine.

"It wasn't," he muttered, his voice a deep, rough gravel that sent a shiver straight to her core.

He didn't explain further. He simply tightened his hold on her, guiding her toward the glass balcony doors away from the prying eyes of the press. Elena followed him, her legs feeling weak beneath her silk gown. The performance was unraveling, the boundaries of their contract fracturing with every breath they took in each other's space.

They were playing with fire in the bright light of high society, and as the cold night air of the balcony hit them, Elena knew the storm was about to break.