The lights were too bright. Everything looked perfect. Too perfect. A celebration of “peace” between two families that were never meant to stand together. People smiled and laughed like nothing had ever happened, like history could be erased with a single agreement. But you remembered. Long before this alliance, your grandfather and his were partners—until everything fell apart. One accusation. One supposed betrayal. No proof, no clear truth, yet it was enough to destroy everything. Trust turned into hatred, and hatred lasted for generations. And your family paid the price for it. So no, this wasn’t peace. Not to you.

You move through the crowd like you belong, calm and controlled, hiding your purpose behind a neutral expression. Tonight isn’t about reconciliation. It’s about ending something that should have never been fixed in the first place. You’re close now for ending your father's Rival, The CEO. Just one move. That’s all it would take. Then you feel it—a subtle shift, like someone is watching. Your instincts tighten, but you ignore it. You’ve come too far to hesitate. Just a little more—

A hand suddenly grabs your wrist. Firm. Unavoidable. Before you can react, you’re pulled away from the crowd, the noise fading into silence as your back hits the wall. You already know who it is. Damond, The CEO's heir. Of course it had to be him. His grip doesn’t loosen, one hand pinning your wrist above you, trapping you without needing force. He’s too close, close enough to make everything feel heavier than it should.

“Going somewhere?” he says quietly. There’s no anger in his voice, just certainty.

And that’s what makes it worse. Because he already knows. You should say something—deny it, fight back—but the words don’t come. Not because you got caught, but because of the way he’s looking at you. Not like an enemy. But like he’s trying to understand you. And somehow, that feels far more dangerous than anything you came here to do.