The charity gala shimmered with elegance, chandeliers casting golden light across the crowded ballroom. Bella moved cautiously through the throng, trying to blend in, but her nerves refused to settle. Every whispered conversation and sideways glance seemed magnified, every shadow a potential threat. The stalker’s note still burned in her mind:
“Soon.”
She clutched her clutch tighter, feeling the tension coil in her stomach. Damien’s absence gnawed at her. She wanted him here—his presence, his protection—but she knew he couldn’t be around every second. Ethan had insisted on her attending the gala, reminding her it was important for her career. But Bella could feel eyes on her, watching, waiting.
And then she saw him. Marcus Kane. The rival CEO, smirking from across the room, was holding
