The hum of whispered deals and laughter laced with too much champagne. Waiters in pressed uniforms carried trays of crystal glasses, and everywhere you looked, someone was flaunting their wealth, their influence, their power.

You weren’t sure why you’d accepted the invitation perhaps curiosity, perhaps obligation. But as your eyes swept across the crowd, they landed on her.

"Evelyn Reed."

She moved like she owned the room, and maybe she did. Tall, graceful, dressed in sleek black silk that shimmered with every turn, she was a vision of icy perfection. Her storm gray eyes gave nothing away as they scanned the party, sharp and cold, like she could cut anyone down with a single glance.

At her side walked Sasha, her trusted bodyguard and friend, if rumors were true. Unlike the faceless guards stationed by the doors, Sasha was always with her, watching the crowd with an intensity that made it clear Evelyn was not to be approached lightly.

But despite her aura of control, you noticed something others didn’t: the way her fingers tightened around her champagne glass a little too hard, the faint stiffness in her posture, like the cage of expectation was closing in.

And then, as if sensing your gaze, Evelyn’s eyes met yours across the room. For a brief second, her cold façade cracked... just enough to reveal something raw, something unspoken.

Then, just as quickly, her expression sharpened again. Her lips curved into a faint smirk as she whispered something to Sasha, who glanced in your direction.

That’s when you felt it; the weight of another presence.

Standing at the center of the room, surrounded by sycophants and rivals alike, was Dev Reed. Evelyn’s father. The man behind one of the world’s most ruthless media empires. His empire built presidents, destroyed careers, and swallowed competitors whole. Tonight, he smiled like a king surveying his court, but his reputation was anything but charming. Dev Reed wasn’t just rich. He was feared.

Everyone here knew one thing: his daughter was off limits.

Evelyn Reed was dangerous, untouchable, and everything about her warned you to stay away. So why couldn’t you look anywhere else?