CHAPTER 8 :THE INVITATION
769 Words
The room felt suffocating.
Salvador stood in my boutique like he belonged there, his presence wrapping around the space like a vice. Andrew, on the other hand, was coiled tight, every muscle in his body braced for a fight.
And I was caught in the middle.
“I asked you a question, Paloma.” Salvador’s voice was smooth, patient—too patient. “Have you given any thought to my offer?”
I swallowed hard, my gaze flickering between the two men.
Andrew was shaking his head slightly. A silent warning.
Salvador was watching me expectantly.
I hesitated. “I—”
The words stuck in my throat.
Andrew stepped forward. “She doesn’t need to give you an answer right now.”
Salvador’s gaze flicked toward him. The polite mask he wore didn’t slip, but I saw the briefest flash of irritation. “I wasn’t speaking to you.”
Andrew didn’t back down. “You don’t own her.”
Salvador exhaled, turning back to me. “Paloma, do you really need more time? It’s a simple decision. Say yes, and your name becomes known in every exclusive circle in Las Vegas. "Say no…” he shrugged. “And you stay exactly where you are. Working yourself to exhaustion with nothing to show for it.”
The words hit a nerve.
I was exhausted. I was struggling.
But something about Salvador’s tone made me pause.
I wasn’t sure if he was offering me an opportunity—or a trap.
I set my shoulders. “I need more time to think.”
"His lips curled into something that wasn’t quite a smile. “Of course. I’d expect nothing less from a woman as intelligent as you.”
Then, just as smoothly, he reached into his jacket pocket and pulled out a sleek black envelope.
“Consider this my way of giving you more to think about.”
I hesitated before taking it. The paper was thick, luxurious—whatever was inside, it wasn’t small.
“What is it?” I asked.
Salvador’s smile deepened. “An invitation. There’s an exclusive event this weekend—one of the most prestigious in the city. I’d like you to be my guest.”
I opened my mouth, but before I could respond, he lifted a hand.
“Don’t answer now. Just think about it.”
And then, with one last glance at Andrew—one that held the weight of unspoken warnings—he turned and strolled out of my shop like a king leaving his throne room.
The moment the door shut behind him, Andrew let out a sharp breath.
I stared at the envelope in my hands.
I didn’t know whether to open it or burn it.
The Fallout
Andrew didn’t speak at first.
He just stood there, running a hand through his hair, his jaw clenched so tight I thought it might snap.
Then, finally—
“You can’t go.”
I looked up. “Andrew—”
“I mean it, Paloma. Whatever that is, it’s not just an invitation. It’s a test.”
I frowned. “A test for what?”
“To see how much of you he can control.”
His words sent a chill down my spine.
I shook my head. “You don’t know that.”
Andrew let out a harsh laugh. “You think I don’t? You think I haven’t seen him do this before?”
I exhaled. “Then tell me. Tell me what he does. Tell me why you’re so afraid of me getting involved with him.”
Andrew hesitated.
For a moment, I thought he might actually tell me the truth.
But instead, he exhaled sharply and turned away. “Just… just trust me, okay? Don’t go.”
I looked down at the invitation.
It was just a party.
Wasn’t it?
The Decision
That night, I sat in my apartment, staring at the black envelope.
Andrew’s warning echoed in my mind.
But so did Salvador’s words.
Say yes, and your name becomes known in every exclusive circle in Las Vegas.
My dreams had always been bigger than my shop. I wanted more—I needed more. And Salvador was offering it to me on a silver platter.
But at what cost?
I exhaled.
Then, slowly, I opened the envelope.
Inside was an elegant gold-embossed card.
“You are cordially invited to an exclusive evening at Club M. Saturday, 9 PM. Dress to impress.”
My fingers tightened around the card.
I had a choice to make.
And no matter what I choose—
Nothing would ever be the same again.
- Writer
