Layla's POV
My breath hitched as Ezra's words echoed, "For you, Layla." The gemstone, a serpent series stone, pulsed with an inner light, catching and refracting the ambient glow from the chandeliers above. The room buzzed a hive of whispers and gasps, a collective breath held in anticipation.
My gaze locked with Ezra's, and for a moment, time felt suspended. His eyes, usually a cool grey, were alight with something warm, something that made my heart flutter- a flicker of mischief wrapped in deep sincerity
In that dizzying instant, I almost believed it. Almost believed he could buy the stars, wrap them in silk, and present them to me as if they were mere trinkets. He continued, his voice a steady rhythm amid the rising tide of excitement.
With each piece, each exquisite work
