The charity gala sparkled with crystal chandeliers and clinking glasses. Reporters gathered at the entrance, flashes going off every second as celebrities and tycoons walked the red carpet.
Then the crowd stirred.
A woman in a sleek black velvet gown stepped out of the luxury car. Her hair was coiled into a low bun, neck adorned with a sapphire choker that matched her calm, cool eyes.
Isabella.
And beside her…
A man.
Tall, impeccably dressed, and strikingly handsome. His hand rested lightly on her lower back—possessive, but respectful. Protective.
"Who is that?" someone whispered among the photographers.
"I think… that's Ethan Carter. The Silicon Valley billionaire?"
"The one who just acquired Vektor Group?"
Liam's jaw clenched at the sound of Ethan's name. From the ballroom entrance, he watched Isabella glide through the crowd, laughter in her eyes as she leaned toward Ethan—intimate, like she belonged there.
Like she was his.
Liam's world tilted slightly.
He forced a smile as guests greeted him, offering handshakes and shallow compliments. But his gaze never left her.
When their eyes finally met across the ballroom, it wasn't a spark.
It was a collision.
A silent war of histories, regrets, and choices neither of them could take back.
Isabella didn't flinch. Didn't even blink.
She simply turned to Ethan and whispered something that made the man laugh softly before kissing her temple in front of everyone.
Liam's heart dropped.
This wasn't the same woman who once cried in his arms.
This woman… had learned how to win.