Emily's POV
Emily was halfway through her second cup of black coffee when the unexpected knock came.
She opened the door cautiously, only to find Lexi standing there — flawless as ever in a cream silk blouse and fitted navy trousers. Not even the early morning sun dared to smudge her perfection.
Emily blinked, confused. "Lexi?"
"Good morning," Lexi said sweetly, holding up a small cream envelope. "I hope I'm not intruding."
Emily stepped aside, her walls inching up. "No… please, come in."
Lexi walked in like she belonged there. She took a look around the modest apartment with polite curiosity. "Cozy."
"Thanks," Emily said, still trying to make sense of her unexpected guest. "Can I offer you something?"
"No, I won't be long." Lexi extended the envelope with a faint smile. "I wanted to invite you to a charity gala we're hosting tomorrow evening. It's at the Aurora Hotel downtown. I thought since you're now part of the project, you should be there. Meet a few people. Social visibility, you know."
Emily hesitated, not taking the envelope immediately. "You want me… at a social event?"
Lexi tilted her head with an amused sparkle in her eyes. "Is that so surprising?"
Emily took the envelope, careful not to let their fingers touch. "I just didn't think—"
"That I'd be the one inviting you?" Lexi finished, still smiling.
Emily offered a diplomatic nod, watching her carefully. "Yes."
Lexi shrugged gracefully. "I believe in being civil. Besides, what harm is a little glitz and champagne, right?"
Emily didn't reply.
There was a tension dancing beneath Lexi's smooth words. Something sharp and deliberate. Lexi wasn't just being gracious — she was measuring her, weighing something invisible between them.
"I'll think about it," Emily finally said.
Lexi smiled wider. "I hope you say yes. Ethan will be there. Of course."
Of course.
With that, she turned and glided out the door like she'd never entered.
Emily's POV (continued)
That night, Emily sat on her couch, the invitation still untouched on the coffee table. A soft, gold-embossed card nestled inside the envelope read:
The Saintwood Foundation Gala
Formal Attire Required
Aurora Grand Ballroom | 8 PM
Her thumb brushed the edges of the card. She'd been to events like this before, but never with the weight of history crashing around her.
She knew what Lexi was doing. Inviting her into the lion's den with a silk-wrapped smile. She wasn't naïve.
But part of her wanted to go. Not for Lexi.
Not even for Ethan.
For herself.
To stop hiding. To stop shrinking every time his name was mentioned. If she was truly going to work with him — she needed to walk into that ballroom with her head high.
And maybe, just maybe, part of her wanted to see how Ethan reacted too.
Ethan's POV
He stared at the mirror as he adjusted his tie. The navy suit was one of his finest, tailored to precision. He looked like the man everyone expected him to be — composed, in control, completely unbothered.
He felt none of it.
When Lexi had casually mentioned Emily's name at breakfast — her voice laced with something unreadable — his fork had paused midair.
"She may join us at the gala," Lexi had said. "I invited her."
He hadn't asked why. He knew better.
Lexi wasn't just hosting a party — she was drawing lines in the sand.
And yet, a secret, unwanted part of him wanted Emily to come. He wanted to see her walk into the ballroom, radiant and defiant, so he could remind himself what it was that haunted his dreams.
Even if it hurt.
Lexi's POV
Lexi twirled in front of the mirror, the diamond earrings catching the light as she fastened them. Her gown — a soft champagne hue that skimmed her curves — made her look like a vision of delicate power.
She had carefully planned everything.
From the guest list to the seating arrangements. From the lighting to the music that would swell just as she walked in with Ethan at her side.
And now… she waited to see if Emily would come.
She needed to know what she was dealing with. Whether Emily was just a shadow of the past — or a threat clawing her way into the present.
If Emily showed up, Lexi would be ready.
And if she didn't?
Even better.
Emily's POV (the next evening)
The driver pulled up to the glowing entrance of the Aurora Hotel. Paparazzi flashed bulbs at arriving guests as violins swelled from within the ballroom.
Emily stepped out in a floor-length, emerald-green gown that shimmered like starlight. Her hair was swept into soft waves, pinned just enough to hint at elegance without screaming for attention.
She didn't come to impress.
But as heads turned and whispers followed her in, she realized — maybe she already had.
She entered the ballroom and paused beneath the crystal chandelier. The atmosphere was thick with perfume, money, and charm. Waiters circled with flutes of champagne.
And then she saw him.
Ethan.
In that impossibly perfect suit, standing beside Lexi, who smiled like a queen beside him.
But his eyes — they were on Emily.
Their gazes collided across the room.
And for one brief, shattering second, the entire ballroom seemed to disappear.