Emily's POV
The ballroom pulsed with elegance. Chandeliers sparkled like frozen stars, while the soft hum of string instruments filled the high ceilings. Emily stood near the bar, glass in hand, unsure if she'd made a mistake.
She wasn't here for him. She was here for herself.
Yet the moment Lexi caught sight of her, that resolve trembled.
Lexi glided across the room with practiced grace, Ethan in tow, his arm stiff at her touch. She was stunning—there was no denying that. The perfect wife in the perfect dress, hosting the perfect event.
Emily saw the moment Lexi's eyes met hers. Something glittered behind the politeness. Possession? Calculation?
"Emily," Lexi cooed as she approached, her red lips curving. "I'm so glad you came."
She didn't wait for a response before reaching for Emily's hand and gently squeezing it—more like a warning than a greeting.
Then she turned slightly toward the crowd that had gathered around her and Ethan. "Everyone, this is Emily Carter." she announced, her tone lilting like a hostess introducing the caterer. "She's part of the creative team on our new urban development project."
Emily felt her cheeks flush, though she kept her face still. "Nice to meet you all," she said evenly.
Lexi didn't stop smiling. "She's wonderfully talented. We're lucky to have her. Aren't we, Ethan?"
Ethan's eyes hadn't left Emily since she walked up. Now, when prompted, he nodded, voice stiff. "Yes. We are."
Lexi looped her arm tighter around his, pulling herself closer, as if to reassert ownership. The gesture wasn't missed by anyone nearby.
Emily took a sip of her drink, resisting the urge to roll her eyes.
Polite applause fluttered, and the moment passed. Lexi turned back to their audience, and Emily took that chance to quietly step back, blending into the edges of the crowd.
Ethan's POV
He could still feel the warmth of Emily's gaze, even after she'd disappeared into the sea of tuxedos and gowns.
She looked different tonight. Stronger. Poised. But there was still something soft in her eyes — a flicker of hurt she thought she was hiding.
And Lexi had seen it too.
He hadn't expected her to invite Emily, let alone parade her in front of high society like some pet project.
But Lexi was playing a game.
And Ethan hated that Emily had been dragged into it.
"Are you alright?" Lexi leaned in, her voice sweet, her grip on his arm deceptively gentle.
"I'm fine," he replied, though the lie tasted bitter.
He scanned the room again. Emily stood by the terrace now, her green dress catching the light like emerald fire.
Lexi noticed. Of course she did.
"She cleans up well," she said quietly. "Doesn't she?"
Ethan didn't answer.
Lexi's smile faltered for a fraction of a second. Then she turned to the waiter passing by. "Two champagnes, please."
Lexi's POV
Emily was good at pretending. But Lexi had spent years in boardrooms, banquets, and family tables where women spoke in silks and silences.
She'd seen the flicker in Emily's eyes when she introduced her—watched the flash of something that was quickly masked with poise.
Lexi didn't dislike her. In fact, in another world, she might've admired her.
But this wasn't another world.
This was the life Lexi had been handed, and she wasn't about to let a memory-wrapped ex from a small town unravel it.
She looped her fingers around Ethan's wrist more tightly as she accepted the champagne.
He hadn't looked at her once tonight. Not the way a man should look at his wife.
But he had looked at Emily.
Lexi didn't blame him.
She blamed herself—for letting him get too close again.
No matter. She would fix that.
Emily's POV
"Hey, stranger."
Emily turned and smiled as an old university friend, Olivia, stepped up beside her. "Liv. You're here."
"Of course. SaintWood sponsors half the arts in the city. These events are basically networking marathons."
They chatted a while, but Emily's attention drifted. Her eyes betrayed her every few minutes, drawn back to where Ethan stood. Trapped beside Lexi. Smiling on command.
He looked like a man in a beautiful cage.
And she wondered—had he built it himself? Or was he locked in by duty?
"Still haven't forgiven him?" Olivia asked softly, watching Emily too closely.
Emily stiffened. "There's nothing to forgive."
"Come on. You look at him like he's a ghost you can't bury."
Emily swallowed the lump in her throat. "He made his choice."
And yet…
When she caught his gaze across the room, her heart didn't listen to logic. It fluttered like a traitor.
Ethan's POV
The music shifted—softening into a waltz.
"Dance with me," Lexi said, lifting her hand to his chest.
He hesitated. "I don't—"
"One dance, Ethan." Her voice was low, urgent. "Please."
He gave in. What else could he do?
They moved to the floor, a vision of grace to those watching. But inside, his mind warred with every step. Lexi's touch felt practiced. Familiar. Expected.
And yet, he kept looking over her shoulder, trying to find Emily again.
When he finally spotted her, standing alone with her hands clasped before her, their eyes met.
And the world stilled.
He almost stepped away from Lexi. Almost.
But she leaned in, whispering in his ear like a vow. "She doesn't belong here, Ethan. Don't forget that."
Emily's POV
Watching them dance shouldn't have hurt.
But it did.
Emily backed away quietly, stepping onto the terrace, the night air cool against her skin. The lights inside blurred through the glass doors behind her.
Her heart thudded too loud in the silence.
Lexi's words, the possessive touch, the way Ethan hadn't objected — it all replayed like a cruel symphony.
She thought she had built enough walls.
She was wrong.