THE GALA..
2196 Words
By morning, the entire city was talking about Blackwood Holdings.
The annual Blackwood Gala was supposed to be the most anticipated social event of the year.
Business leaders would attend.
Politicians would attend.
Celebrities would attend.
Investors would attend.
And, of course, the media would be there.
But after the events of the previous night, the gala had become something else entirely.
A battlefield.
Amara stood in front of her wardrobe, staring at the dresses hanging inside.
She had never cared much about expensive clothes.
She preferred simple outfits.
Comfortable shoes.
Clothes she could actually afford.
But tonight was different.
Tonight, she would be entering Damian Blackwood's world in front of hundreds of people.
And everyone would be watching her.
She touched one of the dresses.
Black.
Elegant.
Simple.
She immediately rejected it.
Too serious.
She picked another.
Silver.
Too flashy.
Then another.
Deep blue.
She stared at herself in the mirror.
“Why am I even nervous?”
A voice came from behind her.
“Because you're going to a room full of people who think they're better than everyone else.”
Amara turned.
Noah stood at the bedroom door.
She smiled.
“Very encouraging.”
“I try.”
He walked closer.
“You're going with Damian?”
“Yes.”
“You trust him?”
Amara paused.
“Yes.”
Noah raised an eyebrow.
“Really?”
“Yes.”
“Even though he's terrifying?”
Amara laughed.
“He's not terrifying all the time.”
Noah looked unconvinced.
“He looked like he wanted to personally destroy the world yesterday.”
“He was worried.”
“For you?”
Amara became quiet.
“Yes.”
Noah smiled.
“I like him.”
“You've said that.”
“I know.”
“You're becoming annoying.”
“I'm your brother. It's my job.”
Amara smiled.
Then her expression softened.
“Noah.”
“Hmm?”
“Thank you.”
“For what?”
“For being okay.”
His smile disappeared.
“I was scared too.”
Amara immediately hugged him.
He hugged her back.
For a moment, they stayed like that.
Neither said anything.
Then Noah pulled away.
“You should wear the blue one.”
Amara looked at the dress.
“You think?”
“Yes.”
“Why?”
“Because Damian will stare.”
Amara's eyes widened.
“Noah!”
He laughed and ran from the room.
“Stop!”
His laughter echoed through the apartment.
Amara shook her head.
But she was smiling.
---
Across the city, Damian stood inside his dressing room.
His suit was already prepared.
Black.
Perfectly fitted.
Simple.
Expensive.
He stared at his reflection.
Mr. Harris stood behind him.
“Sir.”
“What?”
“The security arrangements have been finalized.”
“Good.”
“Three security teams will remain around Miss Cole.”
Damian's expression hardened.
“Four.”
Harris blinked.
“Four?”
“Yes.”
“Sir, that's excessive.”
“Four.”
Harris sighed.
“Yes, sir.”
Damian adjusted his cufflinks.
“And Noah?”
“Two officers.”
“Three.”
Harris stared at him.
“Three?”
Damian looked at him.
“Do I need to repeat myself?”
“No, sir.”
Harris hesitated.
“There is something else.”
Damian's eyes narrowed.
“What?”
“Miss Vane has confirmed her attendance.”
Damian's expression didn't change.
“I don't care.”
“She may attempt to approach Miss Cole.”
“Then security will stop her if necessary.”
Harris nodded.
“Yes, sir.”
He started walking away.
“Mr. Harris.”
The older man turned.
Damian hesitated.
“Make sure Amara is safe.”
Harris smiled faintly.
“Yes, sir.”
“And…”
Damian looked toward the window.
“Make sure she doesn't feel trapped.”
Harris paused.
That sentence told him more than Damian probably realized.
“Yes, sir.”
---
Amara arrived at the Blackwood estate shortly after seven.
The moment she stepped through the entrance, she felt like she had walked into another world.
Crystal chandeliers.
Marble floors.
Huge floral arrangements.
Servants moving quietly through the halls.
Everything looked perfect.
Too perfect.
She suddenly felt out of place.
Her fingers tightened around her purse.
Then she heard footsteps.
She turned.
Damian stood at the top of the stairs.
He had changed into his black suit.
His hair was neatly styled.
His expression was calm.
Cold.
Controlled.
But the moment his eyes landed on her—
he stopped.
Completely.
Amara noticed.
“What's wrong?”
He said nothing.
She looked down at herself.
“Is there something on my dress?”
“No.”
“Then why are you staring?”
Damian slowly walked down the stairs.
“You look…”
He stopped.
Amara waited.
“You look fine.”
Her eyebrows rose.
“Fine?”
“Yes.”
She laughed.
“That's the best you can do?”
Damian's eyes moved over her again.
“You look beautiful.”
Her smile disappeared.
Not because she disliked the compliment.
Because he had said it so sincerely.
“Oh.”
Damian stopped in front of her.
“Are you nervous?”
“A little.”
“Why?”
“Because everyone there knows you.”
He looked at her.
“They don't know me.”
“They know your name.”
“That isn't the same thing.”
She smiled.
“You're nervous too.”
“I don't get nervous.”
“Liar.”
He looked at her.
Then quietly said—
“I don't like people looking at you.”
Amara blinked.
“There it is.”
“What?”
“Your red-flag personality.”
He almost smiled.
“You knew what you were getting into.”
“I definitely did not.”
Damian offered his arm.
She looked at it.
Then at him.
“You're serious?”
“Yes.”
Amara placed her hand through his arm.
His posture immediately relaxed.
“Better?”
“Yes.”
She smiled.
“Good.”
---
The gala was already crowded when they arrived.
The moment Damian stepped through the doors, conversations changed.
People turned.
Whispers spread.
Cameras flashed.
But when they noticed Amara beside him—
the attention became overwhelming.
“Is that her?”
“The assistant?”
“That's the woman he announced as his fiancée.”
“She doesn't look like she belongs here.”
“Maybe she's only after his money.”
Amara heard every word.
Her smile faded slightly.
Damian noticed immediately.
His hand moved gently to the small of her back.
“Don't listen.”
“I heard them.”
“I know.”
“They don't even know me.”
“I know.”
She looked up at him.
“Why are you touching my back?”
“Because you're tense.”
“You're observant.”
“I notice everything about you.”
Her heart skipped.
Before she could respond, someone approached.
“Damian.”
A woman.
Beautiful.
Elegant.
Confident.
Celeste.
Amara's expression immediately changed.
Celeste smiled.
“It's been a while.”
Damian barely acknowledged her.
“Celeste.”
Her eyes moved toward Amara.
“So this is the famous fiancée.”
Amara smiled politely.
“Apparently.”
Celeste laughed softly.
“Apparently?”
Damian's eyes narrowed.
“Don't.”
Celeste looked at him.
“I was only being friendly.”
“You're never only being friendly.”
Amara almost laughed.
Celeste's smile tightened.
“I hope you're enjoying yourself.”
Amara nodded.
“I am.”
“Good.”
Celeste leaned closer.
“Because this world can be difficult for people who aren't used to it.”
Amara's smile remained.
“I've noticed.”
Damian's expression hardened.
“Enough.”
Celeste looked at him.
“You're defending her already?”
“Yes.”
The answer was immediate.
Celeste's face fell slightly.
Damian took Amara's hand.
“We're leaving.”
They walked away.
Amara looked up at him.
“You didn't have to do that.”
“I wanted to.”
“Still very controlling.”
“I know.”
She smiled.
“Progress.”
---
The evening continued.
Damian introduced Amara to several important business associates.
At first, she was nervous.
Then she relaxed.
She spoke naturally.
She smiled.
She asked questions.
People began realizing that she wasn't simply a pretty woman standing beside Damian.
She was intelligent.
Confident.
And genuinely interested in the business.
One investor laughed.
“You're quite different from Damian.”
Amara smiled.
“Thank you.”
Damian looked at her.
“That wasn't necessarily a compliment.”
“It was to me.”
The investor laughed.
Damian shook his head.
But there was a faint smile on his lips.
Amara noticed.
Again.
She leaned closer.
“You're smiling.”
“No.”
“You are.”
“Stop looking.”
She laughed.
For a moment, the danger surrounding them disappeared.
Then the lights went out.
The entire ballroom fell silent.
A second later, the giant screen behind the stage turned on.
Static.
Damian's expression changed.
“Amara.”
She looked at him.
“What?”
“Stay beside me.”
The screen flickered.
A man's face appeared.
Adrian.
The room erupted into whispers.
Damian's hand tightened around Amara's.
Adrian looked directly into the camera.
“Good evening.”
Nobody spoke.
Adrian smiled.
“Especially you, Damian.”
Damian stepped forward.
“What do you want?”
Adrian ignored him.
“For years, the Blackwood family has been celebrated as one of the most powerful families in the country.”
Images appeared on the screen.
Old newspaper articles.
Photographs.
Documents.
Then pictures of Mercer Development.
Amara's heart began pounding.
Damian's face became completely expressionless.
Adrian continued.
“But every empire has a foundation.”
The screen displayed financial documents.
“And sometimes…”
The screen changed.
“…that foundation is built on the ruins of other people.”
The crowd became restless.
Someone whispered.
“Is that real?”
Damian's jaw tightened.
Adrian smiled.
“Damian Blackwood knows exactly what I'm talking about.”
Cameras turned toward Damian.
He didn't move.
Amara looked at him.
He was calm.
Too calm.
Adrian continued.
“Three years ago, Mercer Development was destroyed.”
The room fell silent.
“Employees lost their jobs.”
More images appeared.
“Families lost their homes.”
Damian's hands clenched.
“And the man who benefited most?”
The screen showed Damian.
“Damian Blackwood.”
The crowd erupted.
Questions.
Whispers.
Camera flashes.
Amara's heart pounded.
But Damian remained beside her.
Then Adrian said something that changed everything.
“But tonight, I don't want Damian.”
The screen changed.
A photograph of Amara appeared.
Her blood ran cold.
“I want the woman he loves.”
Damian immediately stepped in front of her.
His body blocked the cameras.
The crowd gasped.
Adrian smiled.
“You see, Damian always believed money could protect him.”
Damian stared at the screen.
“But now he has something money cannot replace.”
The screen went black.
Then a final message appeared.
HER OR YOUR EMPIRE.
The lights returned.
Silence.
Damian looked at Amara.
She looked terrified.
He took her hand.
“Come with me.”
“Damian…”
“Now.”
They moved through the crowd.
People shouted questions.
Reporters followed.
Security pushed them back.
Damian never released her hand.
They reached a private hallway.
Amara turned toward him.
“What are you going to do?”
His expression was cold.
“I don't know yet.”
She stared.
That was the first time she had ever heard Damian admit those words.
“What does he want?”
Damian looked at her.
“You.”
She swallowed.
“And your company.”
He nodded.
“Then what happens?”
Damian stepped closer.
“I won't choose between them.”
She frowned.
“What does that mean?”
“It means I'll protect both.”
“Damian…”
He gently touched her face.
“I told you once that I couldn't lose you.”
His eyes held hers.
“I meant it.”
Amara's heart raced.
She placed her hand over his.
“You're not losing me.”
He stared at her.
“You don't know that.”
“Yes, I do.”
“Amara—”
She stepped closer.
“Because I'm choosing to stay.”
For once, Damian had no answer.
He simply pulled her into a protective embrace.
Amara closed her eyes.
Outside the hallway, the gala had descended into chaos.
The media had discovered Damian's darkest secret.
His company was facing its biggest crisis.
And Adrian had made his threat public.
But none of that mattered for those few seconds.
Because Damian finally understood something.
He could lose money.
He could lose his company.
He could lose his reputation.
But losing Amara—
was something he could not survive.
And somewhere beyond the gala hall, Adrian Mercer watched everything unfold.
His final message appeared on his phone.
THE FIRST MOVE IS DONE.
A reply came almost immediately.
GOOD. NOW DESTROY THE EMPIRE.
Adrian smiled.
The real war had begun.
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