Episode 7: Don’t Let Them See You Break
1354 Words
Six o’clock arrived way too quickly.
Elena stood in front of the mirror, her fingers hovering above the fabric of the dress as if she weren't sure it truly belonged to her.
Because, deep down, it didn’t.
Not really.
The jet-black material hugged her in all the right places—almost too perfectly. The neckline dipped just enough to feel edgy without crossing any lines.
This wasn’t her.
It was his world.
Somehow—
She found herself in it.
She took a slow, deep breath, trying to calm her racing heart.
This is just an appearance.
Nothing more.
Nothing personal.
Just a role.
A part she was expected to play.
A knock at the door broke her reverie.
Sharp. Precise.
Right on cue.
Naturally.
Elena exhaled and turned to open the door.
Instantly regretting it.
---
Adrian Voss looked like he walked out of a magazine in his tailored black suit, and honestly, it should be illegal.
Everything about him seemed… effortless.
Controlled.
Perfect in a way that felt almost surreal.
His eyes moved over her the moment the door swung open.
Slow.
Deliberate.
Not hurried.
Not careless.
And somehow—
That made everything worse.
Her heart raced.
Too quickly.
Too loudly.
Suddenly, she was painfully aware of it all—
How the dress fit.
How she stood.
How his gaze hadn’t left her.
“You’re staring,” she managed to say, trying to keep her voice steady.
“I am.”
No denial.
No apology.
She caught her breath for a brief second.
Then crossed her arms, trying to steady herself.
“Well?”
A pause.
Then—
“It works.”
Her brows knitted together.
“That’s it?”
“What did you expect?”
She didn’t have an answer.
Something more.
Something less.
Anything that wouldn’t tighten her chest in that oddly unfamiliar way.
“Nothing,” she muttered.
But that felt a little dishonest.
His eyes lingered just a fraction longer.
Then he stepped back.
“Come.”
No time wasted.
No unnecessary words.
Just action.
Expectation.
Elena grabbed her clutch and fell into step behind him.
Because that was her role now.
Apparently.
---
The car ride felt suffocatingly quiet.
Too quiet.
City lights flickered past the window, reflections dancing across the glass as Elena tried to avoid thinking about where they were headed.
Or what it all meant.
Or how many people would be there.
Or how many eyes would be watching them.
Her fingers tightened in her lap.
“You’re tense.”
She kept her gaze forward.
“Wonder why?”
“Because you’re overthinking it.”
Her jaw clenched.
“I’m about to walk into a room full of people who fit in your world. I don’t.”
“Wrong.”
That made her turn her head sharply.
“What?”
“They belong to themselves,” he replied calmly. “Not to me.”
“That’s not how it looks from the outside.”
“I don’t care about appearances.”
She let out a quiet breath.
“That’s ironic, considering tonight is all about appearances.”
A brief pause.
Then—
She noticed a slight shift in his expression.
Not quite a smile.
But almost.
“You’re catching on.”
Her chest tightened again.
She looked away.
Something about that was unsettling.
Something about the way he spoke lingered in her mind longer than it should have.
The car slowed.
Then came to a halt.
Her stomach dropped.
“Already?” she whispered.
“Yes.”
Naturally.
Her pulse raced harder.
Faster.
She reached for the door—
And suddenly, his hand was around her wrist.
Warm.
Firm.
Instantly grounding.
Her breath caught.
Her body froze on impact.
For a moment—
Everything else faded away—
Just that connection.
“Wait,” he said.
Her heart pounded.
She looked at him slowly.
“What?”
His grip didn’t change.
It stayed steady.
“Look at me.”
Her breath faltered.
Why did that feel way too significant?
But she did anyway.
Their eyes locked.
And just like that—
All other distractions faded.
The noise.
The city.
The nerves.
Gone.
“Tonight,” he said quietly, “don’t hesitate.”
Her heart raced sharply.
“I’m not planning on it.”
“Good,” he replied. “Because the moment you do—”
His thumb brushed lightly against her wrist.
Just enough to make her pulse quicken.
“You lose control of the room.”
Her heart stuttered.
Too fast.
Too aware.
“I’m not trying to control anything,” she countered.
“You are now.”
His words hung heavy in the air.
Unshakeable.
Her breath slowed this time.
More composed.
“You’re asking for a lot,” she stated.
“I’m expecting it.”
Of course he was.
Her jaw clenched.
“You really don’t hear yourself, do you?”
“I hear everything.”
A brief pause.
Then—
“And right now,” he continued, his tone softening, “I can hear your heartbeat.”
Her breath caught.
Her heart raced even more.
“That’s not—”
“It’s fast.”
Her pulse surged again.
Heat flooded her cheeks.
“You’re imagining things.”
“I don’t imagine,” he responded calmly. “I observe.”
Her throat tightened.
Words were suddenly hard to find.
Because he was too close.
Because his hand still held her wrist.
Because this moment—
Felt like it was slipping through her fingers.
And she hated it.
She pulled her hand back.
Not forcefully.
Just enough to break that connection.
“Let’s just get this over with,” she said.
Her voice came out softer than she intended.
But steadier than she expected.
Adrian studied her for a moment longer.
Then—
Nodded slightly.
“Stay close,” he said.
And stepped out of the car.
---
The moment Elena followed him—
Everything shifted.
Lights.
Voices.
Movement.
People.
So many people.
Dressed in a level of elegance she couldn’t even begin to match.
Conversations halted.
Heads turned.
Eyes focused.
On them.
Her chest tightened.
Too many.
Too fast.
Too overwhelming.
“Don’t stop.”
His voice cut through the chaos.
Low.
Controlled.
Right next to her.
Grounding.
She hadn’t realized he moved closer.
Only that he had.
Only that she could feel it.
That steady presence.
Unyielding.
Her steps matched his without thought.
One after another.
Keep going.
Don’t hesitate.
Don’t falter.
She felt their stares like heat on her skin.
Questions.
Judgment.
Curiosity.
All of it.
“Who is she?”
“Is that—?”
“I thought he didn’t—”
Whispers.
Soft.
But not quiet enough.
Her heart raced faster.
Her chest tightened.
Her breath—
“Relax your shoulders.”
She hadn’t even noticed they were tense.
She forced them down.
“Look ahead.”
She complied.
“Not at them.”
Her jaw clenched.
“I wasn’t—”
“You were.”
A pause.
Then—
“Stop.”
They came to a sudden halt.
Elena barely had time to react before—
His hand settled on her lower back.
Warm.
Firm.
Possessive.
Her breath was caught again.
Too quick.
Too sharp.
And before she could process it—
He turned his body slightly toward her.
Close.
Too close.
The rest of the world faded away.
Voices blurred.
Lights dimmed.
And all she could focus on—
Was him.
“Smile,” he instructed softly.
Her heart raced.
“What are you—”
“Trust me.”
Those words felt different this time.
Not a command.
Not a control.
Something deeper.
Something that made her hesitate.
For just a moment.
And in that moment—
He leaned in.
Close enough that anyone watching would think—
Would assume—
Would believe—
Her breath caught sharply.
Her body stilled.
Her thoughts scattered—
Because this—
This felt real.
Too real.
And when she smiled—
It was more than just an act.
---
Across the room—
Eyes sharpened.
Attention honed.
And just like that—
The game had begun.
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