City S shimmered beneath the evening sky, every skyscraper slicing up into the clouds like polished blades of steel. The Grant limousine rolled through the guarded entrance of the exclusive Zenith Pavilion the venue of the city's legendary annual VIP Charity Dinner.
Inside the car, Emily adjusted the thin strap of her black silk gown. She wasn't nervous… but the moment felt heavier than she liked. The dress fit her like liquid shadow, elegant yet sharp at the edges.
Timothy watched her quietly.
The car slowed. Flashing lights, velvet ropes, a sea of cameras.
"Stay close to me," Timothy said.
Emily looked at him. "Is that a warning?
He smirked. "Consider it strategy."
The door opened. The night snapped bright with camera flashes.
Timothy stepped out first tall, dark suit cutting sharp lines under the pavilion lights. A low wave of murmurs rose immediately. The elusive Timothy Grant never came to public events with a woman.
And tonight… he was offering his arm.
Timothy extended his hand.
Emily took it.
A small gesture simple, unforced but it sent a ripple through the crowd like a dropped stone in still water.
Whispers erupted.
"Is that Emily Grant?"
"He never brings his wife out publicly…"
"She's beautiful different from the rumors."
Timothy heard all of it. None of it mattered.
He leaned in slightly, his breath touching her temple, his tone a low murmur meant only for her:
"Let them talk."
Emily didn't look at him and replied with a nod
Inside, crystal chandeliers hung like frozen storms, and every powerful figure in City S was in attendance. But the moment Timothy entered with Emily on his arm, attention pivoted.
His business partners approached, smiling too much, speaking too loudly, all pretending they had always been close to him.
"Mr. Grant, you finally brought someone with you."
"And such a stunning woman…"
"We thought you were still a bachelor!"
Emily stood still, polite without being pliant. Her posture alone drew eyes. She wasn't intimidated by wealth or status.
Timothy noticed.
He also noticed something else the protective spark rising in him when the crowd's focus pressed too heavily on her.
He hadn't felt that in years.
A string quartet played somewhere in the hall as they moved toward the balcony to breathe, away from prying eyes. Emily rested her hands lightly on the railing, looking out over the city lights.
Timothy stepped beside her, voice steady but softer now. "You handled that well."
"They weren't that bad," she murmured. "Most of them were just curious."
"You don't like being watched."
"I'm used to it. I simply don't appreciate it."
He studied her profile. Sharp. Beautiful. Controlled. Yet ... Too Cold
A thought struck him. A realization he wasn't ready for.
He wanted to be the one she trusted.
Emily turned slightly, catching his gaze. "Why did you bring me here, Timothy?"
The night breeze lifted a strand of her hair. He reached out without thinking brushing it behind her ear. A soft, subtle touch. Nothing dramatic…
But it stopped her breath for a fraction of a second.
And it stopped his, too.
He lowered his hand slowly. "Because people deserve to know who stands beside me."
Her eyes narrowed. "Is that it?"
"No." His voice dipped, blunt honesty breaking through the armor he always wore. "I wanted you here."
Emily stared at him, searching, weighing that answer.
Before she could respond, the city's dignitaries stepped out onto the balcony behind them. Applause rose inside the auction for the evening's headline item was about to begin.
Timothy leaned closer, murmuring near her ear, "Come. They're waiting."
She let him guide her back into the hall.
Their steps matched. Their eyes met in quiet intervals. And every time they stood too close, the space between them hummed with something neither of them could deny anymore.
On stage, the host lifted a velvet-covered box, smiling broadly.
"The last item of the night, ladies and gentlemen the Star of Etris. A sapphire so rare it has no recorded twin. Tonight, it will find its first owner."
The room buzzed.
Emily's gaze lingered on the gem as the velvet lifted a deep blue stone glowing like a caught piece of the sky.
She wasn't one to long for jewelry. Beauty alone never moved her.
But something about the stone's quiet power… drew her.
Timothy noticed the shift in her expression. He didn't say anything.
The bidding began.
"Five million."
"Seven."
"Ten."
Emily felt the weight of eyes on her. Stephanie and Benjamin were somewhere in the crowd too, she could feel their stares like needles.
Timothy leaned back in his seat, fingers tapping once against the armrest.
Then calmly, confidently, his voice rolled across the hall:
"Fifty million."
Heads whipped around.
A hush washed through the room, thick and immediate.
Emily looked at Timothy, startled despite herself. "Timothy"
He didn't look at her. His gaze stayed on the stage, face unreadable.
Then, just barely, his hand brushed hers under the table a touch hidden from everyone else.
"You looked at it," he said quietly. "That's enough."
Emily's heart clenched not from romance, but from the unfamiliar warmth creeping through her ribs.
The host's voice trembled with excitement.
"Fifty million! Going once twice sold!"
The hall erupted.
But Emily didn't hear any of it.
Her attention remained on Timothy this man who moved through the world with iron discipline and ruthless logic… yet had just shattered both rules for her without hesitation.
A subtle affection had been shown. A boundary had been crossed.
And for the first time, Emily felt something dangerous whisper in her chest.
Maybe she wasn't the only one changing.