The room fell silent as Damien’s voice echoed through the lavish venue. All eyes turned toward him, his commanding presence sending a ripple of tension through the crowd. Antonov, for the first time in Isabella’s memory, looked genuinely unsettled. His confident smirk faded, replaced by a calculating expression as he quickly assessed the situation.
Damien strode forward, his dark suit impeccably tailored, exuding authority with every step. His gaze locked onto Isabella, his expression unreadable, but she saw the flicker of relief in his eyes. Relief that she was unharmed, that she had managed to hold her own in this perilous game.
“Damien,” Antonov greeted, recovering quickly. His tone was smooth, but there was an edge of forced bravado. “I didn’t expect you to join us tonight. I assumed
