Elena stood in front of the mirror,
her fingers trembling as she clipped on her earrings. Her reflection stared
back at her—calm on the outside, but a mess on the inside. The gala tonight was
important. Not just for Hart Enterprises, but for her and Dominic too. It was
their first official event as husband and wife since the announcement of their
merger. Every eye would be on them. Every whisper would follow their steps.
But that wasn't what made her stomach
twist in knots.
It was the way Dominic had looked at
her this morning. Soft. Real. Vulnerable.
Something had changed between them
after their argument. After their kiss. That night had opened a door between
them—one neither of them seemed ready to close.
She smoothed her dress down, a sleek
black gown that hugged her curves and made her feel stronger than she was.
Sophie had picked it out, saying it screamed "powerful wife" and not "pity
bride." Elena needed every bit of that strength tonight.
Just as she reached for her clutch,
there was a knock on her door.
"Elena?" Dominic's deep voice carried
through the wood. "You ready?"
She paused, took a deep breath, and
opened the door.
Dominic stood there, dressed in a
tailored black suit, sharp as ever. But his eyes, those stormy eyes, softened
when he saw her. His gaze swept over her slowly, as if trying to memorize every
detail.
"You look…" He cleared his throat.
"Perfect."
Elena gave a small smile. "You clean
up well yourself."
They stood there for a moment—silent,
unsure—until he offered his arm. "Shall we?"
She hesitated for a heartbeat, then
slid her hand into the crook of his arm. "Let's get this over with."
But even as she said the words, she
wasn't sure if she wanted it to be over at all.
The Gala
The ballroom was a glittering sea of
gold and silver. Crystal chandeliers hung from the high ceiling, casting soft
light over the crowd of elites. Music played softly in the background, and the
clink of champagne glasses echoed through the room.
Everyone was dressed to impress. But
as Elena and Dominic walked in, all eyes turned to them. Conversations paused.
Heads turned.
"Elena," Dominic whispered under his
breath, "ignore them. Just look at me."
And she did. She looked into his eyes
and let the warmth of his hand on her lower back guide her forward. For the
first time, she didn't feel like the outsider trying to prove herself. With
Dominic beside her, she felt seen—even if she didn't fully trust what that
meant yet.
"Mr. and Mrs. Vance," a voice called
out. A man in his fifties with a shiny bald head and a wide smile approached
them.
"Richard," Dominic said, shaking his
hand. "You remember Elena?"
"Of course," Richard said, turning to
her. "You're even more stunning in person. Dominic is a lucky man."
Elena smiled politely, unsure how to
respond. Dominic's grip on her waist tightened just a little, as if he sensed
her discomfort.
"We're both lucky," Dominic said, his
voice firm.
It was strange hearing that from him.
Especially in public. It almost sounded real.
A Moment Alone
Later, after too many introductions
and forced smiles, Elena found herself standing by the large glass window,
looking out at the city lights. The ballroom buzzed behind her, but she needed
a moment to breathe.
"Elena."
She turned to see Dominic walking
toward her, two glasses of champagne in his hands.
"You disappeared," he said, handing
her one.
"I just needed some air," she replied,
taking the glass.
He nodded, standing beside her.
"You're doing well tonight. Better than I expected."
She raised an eyebrow. "Thanks… I
guess?"
He gave a small chuckle. "That didn't
come out right. I meant—you're handling all of this like someone who's been
doing it for years."
"Well, I've had years of pretending,"
she said softly. "Pretending the business was fine. Pretending I had everything
under control."
Dominic was quiet for a moment. Then
he said, "You don't have to pretend with me."
She turned to him, searching his face.
"That's funny, coming from you. You pretend all the time."
He didn't argue. He didn't deny it.
"You're right," he admitted. "I do.
It's how I've survived in this world. But I'm tired of pretending too."
Something in his voice made her chest
tighten.
"Then maybe we should both stop
pretending," she said, her voice barely above a whisper.
He looked at her, really looked at
her, and then leaned in slightly. "Are you saying that as my wife… or as
Elena?"
"I don't know yet," she admitted.
But her heart was already giving her
the answer.
Jealousy and Confessions
The rest of the night passed in a blur
of conversations and compliments. But one moment shattered the strange peace
Elena had found.
She had just stepped away to grab
another drink when a beautiful woman approached Dominic. She was tall, elegant,
and clearly familiar with him. Elena watched from a distance as the woman
laughed, touching Dominic's arm.
Then she leaned in, whispering
something in his ear.
Elena felt her chest tighten. Her jaw
clenched. She didn't even realize she was walking back toward them until she
was standing at Dominic's side.
"Dominic," she said, her voice sharper
than she meant. "We should go."
He turned, surprised. "Is everything
okay?"
"I'm tired," she said, forcing a
smile. "It's been a long night."
The woman raised an eyebrow but
stepped back. "Nice to see you again, Dominic."
Elena didn't look at her. She didn't
trust herself to.
Back at the Penthouse
The ride back to the penthouse was
quiet.
Too quiet.
When they stepped inside, Elena kicked
off her heels and went straight to the window, her arms crossed.
Dominic closed the door behind them.
"You were jealous."
She turned around, eyes flashing.
"Excuse me?"
"At the gala. You saw me talking to
Victoria, and you got jealous."
"I wasn't—" she stopped. Took a
breath. "Fine. Maybe I was. But can you blame me? You looked comfortable with
her. Too comfortable."
Dominic walked toward her slowly.
"Victoria and I… we dated. A long time ago. It ended."
"That didn't look like it ended."
He sighed. "She's from my past, Elena.
But you… you're my present."
The words made her heart skip. But she
didn't want sweet lines. She wanted truth.
"Why are you telling me this now?" she
asked.
"Because I'm tired of holding back,"
he said. "I don't want to keep secrets from you. Not anymore."
She looked at him, tears stinging the
back of her eyes. "Then stop hiding behind business deals and contracts. Tell
me what you really feel."
Dominic moved closer, his hand
reaching for hers.
"I'm scared," he admitted.
Elena blinked. "What?"
"I've built walls around me for so
long, I don't know how to tear them down. But with you, everything feels
different. You make me want more. And that terrifies me."
Her throat tightened. "I'm scared
too."
He cupped her face gently. "Then maybe
we can be scared together."
And just like that, the space between
them disappeared.
He kissed her, soft and slow. No
games. No control. Just two people trying to find their way in a world that
didn't make sense.
The Morning After
Elena woke up tangled in Dominic's
arms, sunlight streaming through the curtains. She didn't move, afraid the
moment would break if she did. His steady breathing, the warmth of his chest,
the way his hand rested protectively on her waist—it all felt too real.
And maybe it was.
Last night hadn't just been about
passion. It had been about something deeper. Something she hadn't dared hope
for.
Dominic stirred beside her, his voice
rough from sleep. "Good morning, wife."
She smiled. "Good morning, husband."
For a moment, everything was perfect.
But deep down, Elena knew—life wasn't
that simple. And neither was love.
Still, for the first time, she was
willing to fight for both.