Chapter 7: The Rules We Break
The morning after was quiet.
Too quiet.
Ava stood by the tall windows of the penthouse, staring out at the city skyline with a mug of untouched coffee in her hands. Dominic was gone. Not a word since last night. Not even a note.
Good. That made things easier.
No apologies. No explanations. Just distance.
And yet… every time she closed her eyes, she could still feel him.
The kiss.
The heat.
The way he'd looked at her like she was the only real thing in his world.
Don't be stupid, Ava.
He was cold. Calculated. Everything he did had a purpose. That kiss? Probably just another move in whatever twisted game he was playing.
Still… her heart didn't get the memo.
The elevator chimed.
She turned, half-expecting him.
It wasn't Dominic.
It was Lucia.
"Good morning, Mrs. Grey," the housekeeper said cheerfully, a tray in her hands. "He asked me to bring you breakfast."
Ava blinked. "He did?"
Lucia nodded, setting down the tray on the marble counter. "Fresh strawberries, almond croissants, and orange juice. He said you like sweet things in the morning."
Her heart skipped.
He noticed?
Lucia hesitated. "He also said to remind you that tonight is the gala. The company's foundation event. Formal attire. Eight sharp."
Right. The gala. She'd almost forgotten.
Another mask to wear. Another performance to give.
Only now… it felt more dangerous.
By the time evening arrived, Ava had convinced herself she was ready. She wore deep emerald silk, her hair swept up, eyes lined in confidence she didn't feel.
When Dominic finally arrived—black tuxedo, cufflinks gleaming—he looked like a man carved from power.
And sin.
"Green suits you," he said without looking directly at her.
"So does silence," she replied smoothly.
His lip quirked. "Still mad about last night?"
"I'm not mad."
"Disappointed, then?"
"Not everything is about you, Dominic."
He stepped closer, eyes darker than they should've been. "Isn't it?"
Before she could answer, he offered his arm.
"Let's go impress the world, Mrs. Grey."
She took it—reluctantly. The moment her fingers curled around his elbow, a shock of electricity passed between them.
This was dangerous.
Because if pret
ending felt this real...
What would happen when one of them stopped pretending?