Chapter 5 - The Charity Gala
The annual Kane Global Charity Gala was the social event of the season.
It was also our first official public appearance as an engaged couple.
I stood in front of the mirror in the penthouse, barely recognizing myself.
I was wearing a custom-fitted emerald green silk gown that hugged my curves perfectly.
My hair was swept up in an elegant chignon, and diamonds sparkled at my throat.
There was a knock on the door, and Adrian walked in.
He was wearing a classic black tuxedo. He looked like James Bond, only better.
He stopped dead in his tracks when he saw me.
For a long moment, the ruthless CEO was completely speechless.
"You look..." he swallowed hard. "Breathtaking, Lily."
"Thank you," I blushed. "You don't look so bad yourself."
He walked over and offered me his arm.
"Ready to face the wolves?"
"As long as you're with me."
The gala was held at the Plaza Hotel.
The moment we stepped out of the limousine, camera flashes exploded like lightning.
Reporters shouted our names.
Adrian pulled me close, his hand resting firmly on the small of my back.
He projected an aura of complete control, but his thumb traced slow, soothing circles on my spine.
Inside, the ballroom was packed with Manhattan's elite.
Adrian introduced me to senators, CEOs, and socialites.
He played the part of the smitten fiancé brilliantly.
Whenever he looked at me, his eyes softened. He held my hand. He laughed at my jokes.
It felt too real.
Midway through the evening, the music shifted to a slow, romantic waltz.
"May I have this dance?" Adrian asked, bowing slightly.
"I thought billionaires didn't dance," I teased.
"This one does," he replied, pulling me onto the dance floor.
He wrapped his arms around me, pulling me flush against his body.
We swayed to the music, ignoring the hundreds of eyes on us.
"You're doing great," he whispered near my ear. "The board members are eating this up."
"Is that all this is?" I asked, a sudden wave of sadness hitting me. "A performance?"
Adrian stopped swaying for a fraction of a second.
He looked down at me, the mask finally slipping.
"I don't know anymore, Lily," he confessed softly.
Before I could process his words, he leaned down.
Right in the middle of the ballroom, surrounded by cameras and competitors, Adrian kissed me.
It wasn't a staged, polite peck.
It was deep, hungry, and desperate.
My hands flew to his shoulders, pulling him closer as I kissed him back.
The rest of the room disappeared.
There was only him, his scent, the heat of his mouth, and the undeniable truth between us.
When he finally pulled away, we were both breathless.
May you like
"That wasn't for the cameras," he whispered, his eyes blazing.
"I know," I breathed back.
