Novels by Ann123

EMILY’S POVThe classical music playing fills the entire ballroom. I move with Alexander. Our steps are in perfect sync as he leads me effortlessly across the floor. His touch is gentle. His hand rests at the small of my back while our fingers intertwine. The warmth of his palm against mine sends a shiver up my arm."You’re a wonderful dancer, Emily," Alexander says.I laugh softly, tilting my head to look up at him. "That’s all you. I’m just following your lead."He smirks. "I wouldn’t be so sure about that. You move with such grace, it’s as if you were made for this."I can’t help but blush. Alexander has a way with words. He knows exactly how to make a woman feel like the most precious thing in the room."Flatterer," I tease, shaking my head."Honest man," he corrects with a wink. "I have a confession.""Oh?" I raise a curious brow.He leans in slightly, his lips mere inches from my ear. "I’ve been waiting all night to dance with you."His words send a rush of heat through me. "Is

CARLOS' POVI stand there, frozen, watching Emily disappear into the crowd with Alexander. My hands clench into fists at my sides, and my pulse hammers in my ears. She’s gone, just like that, and there’s nothing I can do about it.Beside me, Lina scoffs, breaking the silence. "Seriously, Carlos? You look like you’ve seen a ghost. What?"I don’t answer. I can’t. My chest feels tight, like something is squeezing around my ribs. But Lina isn’t done. "I don't know what you ever saw in her. She's so... plain. And come on, Carlos, there’s no way a man like Alexander Gonzalez is actually interested in her. She probably slept her way into his life."My head snaps toward her. I can’t help the anger flaring hot inside me. "Lina. Don't say that."She blinks, caught off guard by the sharpness in my voice. "What?""Don't ever say things like that about Emily," I say. "You don’t know her. You don’t know anything about her."Lina scoffs again, louder this time. "Are you seriously defending her right

CARLOS’ POVI see her before she sees me.For a moment, I think I’m hallucinating. I blink, once, twice, trying to convince myself that it isn’t real—that she isn’t real. But she is. Standing across the ballroom, dressed in shimmering gold, looking every bit like the goddess she was always meant to be.Emily.My chest tightens as I drink her in, the way the dress clings to her curves, the way the soft lights of the chandelier dance against her skin, giving her an ethereal glow. Her dark hair is falls to her shoulders in flawless waves. Her hair highlights the curve of her shoulders in the most beautiful way. She looks breathtaking, more than I remember, more than I deserve to see.I feel a sharp pull in my chest. I try to ignore it, but my feet move before I can stop them.“Carlos?” I hear Lina call from behind but I pay her no mind. How can I? all I can focus on is Emily.What’s she doing here? I never expected to see her here.Lina says something again but it feels like background

The reflection in the mirror stares back at me. The knot of my tie is perfectly straight. I adjust the cuff of my suit jacket, exhaling slowly as I mentally prepare for the night ahead. The charity gala. Another evening of polite smiles, handshakes, and empty conversations I have no interest in having.The bedroom door bursts open, slamming against the wall."Carlos!" Lina raises her voice.I don’t even flinch. Sadly, I’m already used to her outbursts.I meet her furious gaze in the mirror, watching as she storms in."Have you seen my lip gloss? The one in the gold tube?"I sigh, turning back to my reflection. "No."Lina huffs, yanking open drawers, tossing things aside. "I swear, I left it right here! And now it’s gone. Just perfect."She continues looking. I can feel her frustration growing with every passing second. "I don’t understand why things keep disappearing in this house!"I pinch the bridge of my nose. At this point, my patience is thinning. "Lina, you have a whole damn dra

I follow Alexander as he walks toward the red carpet. His presence commands attention before we even reach the flashing lights and shouting photographers. The moment we step into view, the cameras go wild. Their bulbs flash too quickly for me to keep up."Alexander! Over here!" "Mr. Kingston! Who are you wearing tonight?" "Alexander! Is that your date? Who is she?"I blink, startled by the frenzy of voices calling his name. I know he is someone important, but I do not expect this. The way the crowd moves forward, the way the reporters vie for his attention—it is as if he is royalty.I lean toward him, whispering, "Who exactly are you?"He turns to me with a smirk. "Darling, if you don’t know by now, I must not be doing my job well enough."I roll my eyes. "That doesn’t answer my question."His smirk deepens. "Let’s just say I’m very... influential."His bodyguards move in close behind us. I want to know more, but before I can press him further, we reach the carpet. I stop at the edge,

I stand before my mirror, holding up a sleek, elegant black dress against myself. I tilt my head slightly. It’s nice, but is it… special enough?“Alright, what do you think?” I ask, shifting my phone slightly so Bridget can see me properly through the video call.Bridget, lying on her bed with a glass of wine in hand, squints at the screen before scrunching her nose. “Mmm, it’s alright, I guess. But babe, it’s the gala! You need something flashy. Something that makes Alexander’s jaw drop the second he sees you.”I sigh, tossing the dress onto my bed. “Ugh, I don’t know what to wear. I thought this was supposed to be elegant.”“Elegant, yes. But boring? No,” she teases. “C’mon, Emily. You’re going to be on his arm. You need to make a statement.”I bite my lip, glancing at my open wardrobe. “Easy for you to say. You’re not the one scrambling last minute.”Bridget only grins. “That’s why you should always plan these things days in advance. But nooo, you wanted to ‘see how you felt’ the d