Bella’s heels clicked against the marble floor of the hotel lobby, each step echoing sharply, betraying the nervous energy coiled tightly inside her. She had come to unwind, to drown out the constant whirlwind of thoughts about Damien and the chaos he brought into her life. A glass of wine in hand, she tried to steady her breathing, telling herself she was here for herself, not to run into him.
The lounge was dimly lit, intimate, a soft mix of jazz and murmured conversations weaving through the air. She settled at the bar, sinking into the curve of the leather seat as she traced the rim of her glass absentmindedly. The alcohol burned at first, then warmed, offering a momentary sense of escape. She closed her eyes, inhaling the faint scent of expensive perfume and polished wood, imagining
