Company gala
1025 Words
The annual Sinclair Group gala was the kind of event people spent months talking about.
Luxury hotel.
Famous investors.
Expensive champagne.
Enough designer outfits to financially destroy an average person.
Unfortunately for Naomi Blake, it also meant spending an entire evening watching Vanessa Cole cling to Ethan Sinclair like she still belonged beside him.
Which was becoming extremely irritating.
Naomi stood in front of her apartment mirror adjusting the dark emerald dress Mia Thompson had practically forced her to wear.
“It’s too much,” Naomi complained.
“It’s literally perfect,” Mia argued through video call. “You work for billionaires now. You have to look emotionally expensive.”
Naomi laughed despite herself.
Then her smile faded slightly.
“I don’t even want to go tonight.”
Mia narrowed her eyes immediately. “This is about Ethan.”
“No, it’s about awkward corporate social interaction.”
“Liar.”
Naomi sighed dramatically.
Mia leaned closer to the screen. “Listen carefully. If Vanessa is there looking like a luxury villain, then you need to look unforgettable.”
“That’s concerning advice.”
“It’s effective advice.”
By the time Naomi arrived at the gala venue, the entire ballroom already glittered with gold lights and live music.
Everything looked unreal.
Crystal chandeliers hung from the ceiling while wealthy guests laughed around towering glass tables. Waiters moved elegantly through the crowd carrying drinks that probably cost more than Naomi’s monthly rent.
Naomi suddenly felt underqualified to breathe in the room.
Then she saw Ethan.
And completely forgot every intelligent thought.
He stood near the center of the ballroom speaking with investors, dressed in a perfectly tailored black suit that should honestly be considered illegal.
The second his eyes found her across the room, his entire expression changed slightly.
Not dramatically.
Just enough for her heart to notice.
Ethan’s gaze moved slowly over her dress before returning to her face.
And for the first time since meeting him, he looked genuinely speechless.
Naomi’s pulse stumbled.
Dangerous.
Very dangerous.
Then Vanessa appeared beside him.
Of course she did.
Vanessa followed Ethan’s line of sight toward Naomi before smiling knowingly.
Naomi instantly wanted to leave.
“You clean up nicely.”
Naomi turned to find Ethan suddenly standing beside her with two glasses of champagne.
She accepted one carefully. “That almost sounded like a compliment.”
“It was.”
Naomi blinked. “Are you feeling okay?”
Ethan’s mouth twitched slightly.
God.
That tiny almost-smile was becoming unfairly attractive.
“You look beautiful tonight,” he said quietly.
The words hit harder than expected.
Naomi stared at him for half a second too long.
“Thank you,” she replied softly.
For one dangerous moment, everything around them faded into background noise again.
Until
“Well, this is interesting.”
Vanessa’s voice cut smoothly through the tension.
Naomi internally screamed.
Vanessa stepped beside Ethan gracefully, her red dress practically designed to attract attention.
“You disappeared,” she told Ethan casually.
“I was talking.”
“So I can see.”
The meaning behind the words wasn’t subtle.
Naomi looked away awkwardly, suddenly fascinated by absolutely anything else nearby.
Vanessa smiled toward her. “Naomi, right?”
“Yes.”
“You look stunning tonight.”
There it was again.
That strange compliment that somehow felt dangerous.
“Thank you,” Naomi replied carefully.
Vanessa tilted her head slightly while studying her. “Ethan rarely notices people.”
Naomi nearly choked on her champagne.
Ethan’s expression hardened immediately. “Vanessa.”
“What?” She smiled innocently. “I’m complimenting her.”
“No, you’re provoking me.”
Interesting.
Very interesting.
Vanessa only laughed softly before someone else approached her from across the ballroom.
“Excuse me,” she said smoothly before walking away.
Naomi released a breath slowly the second she disappeared.
“She’s intense,” Naomi muttered.
“That’s one word for it.”
“You dated her voluntarily?”
Ethan looked mildly offended. “I make questionable decisions occasionally.”
Naomi laughed before she could stop herself.
Ethan watched her carefully afterward, something softer appearing briefly in his eyes again.
Then suddenly a tall investor approached Naomi with an easy smile.
“Miss Blake, correct?”
Naomi turned politely. “Yes.”
“I’m Daniel Ross.”
He shook her hand confidently before continuing, “I’ve heard impressive things about you.”
Naomi blinked. “Hopefully good things.”
“Very good things.”
Daniel stayed beside her longer than necessary after that.
Too long.
Naomi noticed immediately.
Apparently, so did Ethan.
At first, Ethan remained quiet while Daniel asked Naomi questions about work, her career, and how long she planned to stay at Sinclair Group.
But the colder Ethan’s expression became, the more amused Naomi secretly felt.
Was he jealous?
Impossible.
Probably.
Definitely.
Then Daniel smiled at Naomi again. “You should let me take you to dinner sometime.”
Silence.
Absolute silence.
Naomi felt Ethan stiffen beside her instantly.
Daniel either didn’t notice…
Or didn’t care.
Naomi opened her mouth carefully. “That’s”
“She’s busy.”
Ethan’s voice came out calm.
Too calm.
Daniel finally glanced toward him properly.
“And you would know that because…?”
Ethan stepped slightly closer to Naomi.
The movement subtle.
Protective.
Dangerously possessive.
“Because,” Ethan said smoothly, “she works for me.”
The tension became sharp enough to cut glass.
Daniel looked between them slowly.
Understanding flashed briefly across his face.
“Oh,” he said quietly.
Oh no.
Naomi’s heart started pounding.
Daniel gave a polite smile afterward before excusing himself almost immediately.
The second he disappeared into the crowd, Naomi turned toward Ethan.
“What was that?”
Ethan looked completely unbothered. “He was annoying.”
“You scared him away.”
“Good.”
Naomi stared at him in disbelief.
Then Ethan looked down at her with an expression far too intense for public settings.
“I don’t like the way he looked at you,” he admitted quietly.
Her breath caught instantly.
And somewhere across the ballroom, Vanessa watched everything with knowing eyes.
- Writer
