gne flute, froze mid-air. Mark' s smirk vanished, replaced by a look of stunned disbelief. Their eyes, wide and suddenly hostile, burned into me. Th

rd. "Elle, here you go. Sarah, Mark, this is Elle, our VIP hostess for the even

, well, well. Look what the cat dragged in." Her voice was laced with a venomous sweetness, like

o maintain a professional demeanor, a mask of indifference. "Good evening, Sarah. Mark." My voice was

ory glint. The unspoken judgment, the blatant objectification, made my skin crawl. This was the "unconventional" req

Chaney that Ms. Owens has arrived." She shot me a warning glance, a silent remin

uldn't you agree?" She leaned back, crossing her legs, her gaze fixed on me. "So, is this what a former N

wanted to lash out, to scream at them, to remind them of the lies they' d spread, the l

flat, devoid of emotion. "Is there anything

you were throwing paint at Aspen's masterpiece. Now you're... servi

rning ember in my gut. It had been reckless, stupid, self-destructive. But at the

my gaze unwavering. "Tonight,

raction? Dominick Chaney. We were told he specifically requested you. What an interesting choi

a calculated attack, designed to break me down, to rub my face in the dirt. Aspen'

voice cut through the tension. "Perhaps, Ms. Jenkins, he simply valu

magnetic. His dark hair was impeccably styled, his eyes a piercing blue that seemed to see right through me. He wore a perfectly tailored suit,

able passed between us. It wasn't pity. It wasn't ju

ced by obsequious grins. "Mr. Chaney!" Sarah gushed, her voice suddenly swee

as silk, yet with an edge that made Sarah flinch. "Elle has a certain... presence. A captivating allure." He stopped directly in front of me, his height making me feel small, despite my heels. He r

yet it felt like an electric current. My heart hammered agains

a little shaky. "I'm ready to as

f the unwelcome noise, shall we?" He turned to Sarah and Mark, his smile vanishing, replaced by an expression of

, Mr. Chaney, we were invited! We

for unpleasantness. You've clearly made my hostess uncomfortable. That is unacceptable." H

ut Dominick cut him of

from every establishment I own a stake in, an

th shock and fury, knew they were outmatched. They scrambled to gather

haney and me. The silence that followed was heavy, but no longe

tense. "Are you alright, Elle?" he ask

He had defended me. He had gotten rid of them. The surpri

d I know who they are. Their kind of cruelty is unmistakable." He took a sip of his drink, his gaze fixed on the Manhattan skyline. "So, t

me beyond the ruined reputation, beyond the public scorn. He saw resilience. He saw so

universe had other plans. Tell me, Elle. What brought you to this particular crossroads?" He gestured a

t. How? My mind raced, trying to piece together the puzzle. This w

that?" I asked, my voic

when someone intriguing seems to be in an impossible situation." He took another sip of his drink, his gaze holding

e exposed, vulnerable. But there was also a strange sense of relief, a feeling that perhaps, just perhaps,

too painful, too humiliating to revisit. But looking at Dominick Chaney, I felt an inexplicable