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1011 Words
Isabelle’s stomach twisted as she stepped out of the car and into the soft glow of the gala’s entrance lights. The prestigious Manhattan venue loomed before her, a palace of wealth and glamour she hadn’t dared to imagine herself walking into again. The crowd outside buzzed with chatter, camera flashes illuminating gowns and tuxedos that cost more than most people made in a year.
Adjusting the midnight blue dress she had carefully chosen—a simple yet elegant design that hugged her figure without drawing too much attention—she took a steadying breath. This wasn’t about her past. This was about her future, her business, and her children.
She glanced down at the silver bracelet on her wrist—a gift from Elliott and Amelia the night before, handmade from beads they had strung together. “For luck, Mommy,” they had said. Isabelle smiled at the memory, the warmth of their love anchoring her as she stepped inside.
The ballroom was a sea of shimmering lights, crystal chandeliers casting a golden glow over the crowd. Isabelle scanned the room, mentally rehearsing the names of potential investors she’d been told would attend. Her nerves simmered, but she pushed them aside. She was here to network, to secure the future she had worked so hard to build.
But as she moved through the crowd, her heart sank. Standing near the grand staircase, his sharp gray eyes scanning the room like a predator, was Sebastian Hale.
A Ghost from the Past
Sebastian hadn’t expected to see her. Not here, not tonight.
He had come to the gala to escape the suffocating weight of his life—his responsibilities, his regrets. But when he saw her, the air seemed to shift.
Isabelle Bennett.
Her name whispered through his mind like a prayer and a curse all at once. She was stunning, her midnight blue dress clinging to her in all the right ways, her hair swept into an elegant chignon. She looked like she belonged here, like she had been born to stand among Manhattan’s elite.
And yet, there was something different about her. A confidence, a quiet strength that hadn’t been there before.
Sebastian felt his pulse quicken.
A Tense Reunion
Isabelle saw him before he saw her, and for a moment, she froze.
Her heart raced, her palms growing clammy as a flood of emotions surged within her—anger, fear, and a flicker of something she couldn’t quite name. She had known this might happen, that moving back to Manhattan meant the possibility of crossing paths with him.
But she hadn’t expected it to be so soon.
And she certainly hadn’t expected him to look at her like that.
Sebastian’s gaze locked onto hers, and the noise of the ballroom seemed to fade. He stepped toward her, cutting through the crowd with ease, his commanding presence impossible to ignore.
“Isabelle,” he said, his voice low and steady, yet tinged with something she couldn’t place.
“Sebastian,” she replied, her tone measured.
He hesitated, as if unsure what to say. For a man who had always been so composed, so in control, it was a rare and jarring sight.
“You look…” He paused, his eyes flicking over her. “You look incredible.”
Her guard snapped into place. “What are you doing here?”
“This is my world, Isabelle,” he said, a faint smirk tugging at the corner of his lips. “The better question is, what are you doing here?”
“I’m here for business,” she said sharply. “And I don’t have time for small talk.”
She moved to step past him, but he caught her arm—gently, but firmly enough to make her stop.
“Wait,” he said, his voice softening. “Can we talk? Please.”
“About what?” she asked, narrowing her eyes. “The way you destroyed my life? Or the fact that you’re standing here now, pretending it didn’t happen?”
Sebastian flinched, the mask of indifference slipping for a moment. “I’m not pretending anything, Isabelle. I just…” He trailed off, his jaw tightening. “I’ve missed you.”
Her breath caught, but she quickly pushed the feeling aside. “You don’t get to say that. Not after what you did.”
“I know,” he said, his voice barely above a whisper. “But I need to explain—”
“You don’t owe me explanations, Sebastian,” she cut him off. “Not anymore.”
She pulled her arm free and walked away, her heels clicking against the polished floor.
The Watchful Eyes
Sebastian watched her go, a mix of frustration and longing twisting in his chest.
She was different now. Stronger. Fiercer. And yet, he could still see the vulnerability beneath the surface, the part of her that had always drawn him in.
He knew he had no right to want her back, no right to even hope for a second chance. But the thought of letting her walk away—again—was unbearable.
Sebastian downed his drink, ignoring the curious glances from those around him. He needed a plan. He couldn’t lose her. Not this time.
Isabelle’s Resolve
By the time Isabelle left the gala, her emotions were a tangled mess. Seeing Sebastian had been like reopening an old wound, one she had thought had long since healed.
But she couldn’t let him derail her life.
She had built something beautiful for herself and her children—something Sebastian could never be a part of.
As she stepped into her apartment later that night, she found Elliott and Amelia asleep on the couch, the television still playing softly in the background. Her babysitter smiled apologetically, explaining that they had insisted on waiting for her to come home.
Isabelle’s heart swelled as she carried them to bed, kissing each of their foreheads before tucking them in.
This was her world now. Her family.
And she would do whatever it took to protect it.
- Writer
