-POV Derby
The charity luncheon ended the way it had begun — with me standing on the edge of everything, watching the world move in perfect, choreographed circles while I remained just outside the frame.
I left the ballroom alone.
Jordan had tried to follow me, his hand brushing my lower back in that quiet, possessive way he had perfected, but Tamara had stepped in at the last second with another elegant smile and a soft comment about “family obligations” that left no room for argument. He had looked at me across the crowd, eyes dark with frustration and something deeper, something that looked a lot like the same pain I felt. But he hadn’t fought it. He had let her guide him toward the private exit where the board members were waiting, his shoulders tense, his jaw tight, but his feet st
