Love In The Shadows

The First Encounter

The next night, I went to a gala, more to distract myself than anything else. The ballroom was a dazzling display of wealth and power, the kind of place where deals were made with a handshake and broken with a whispered conversation in the shadows.

That’s where I saw him.

Dark suit, perfectly tailored. Sharp jawline, lips curved into a knowing smirk. And gosh! Those damn piercing eyes that made me feel like he had already read my every thought.

“Charlotte.”

I froze.

He held up a champagne flute, offering it to me. “I was starting to think you’d never notice me.” I thought.

His name was Adrian Blackwood. A name that carried weight in the business world, whispered in exclusivity and wrapped in mystery.

“You’ve been leaving me notes.”

“Guilty.” He took a slow sip of his drink, eyes locked on mine. “Did they frighten you?”

“Yes.”

“Yet you’re here.”

I swallowed. He was right. I should have run. Should have reported him or told him to leave me alone. But the truth was, Adrian intrigued me. More than he should.

“Why me?” I asked.

He leaned in, his lips mere inches from mine. “Because you’re the first woman in years who doesn’t already know everything about me.”