Rafael kept staring at her, his gaze fixed and intense.
“You look… incredible,” was all he could manage to say, his voice hoarse.
Rafael stepped forward, his eyes locked on her like he had forgotten how to blink. Then, without saying a word, he extended his hand.
Celia placed hers in his, and he held it with a quiet firmness that made her stomach flutter.
He guided her out of the house, down the steps, where a sleek black car waited at the curb. The driver, dressed in a dark suit, quickly stepped out and opened the back door.
Rafael helped her in gently, then followed, settling beside her in the backseat.
The door shut, the engine hummed to life, and the car pulled away.
The drive to the event was smooth, but silence filled the space between them like smoke, thick, warm, and hard to
