CHAPTER 1-2

Chapter 1: The Encounter

The glitzy ballroom was packed with Hollywood’s elite. Olivia Hart could feel the weight of a thousand eyes, even if none were directly on her. She leaned against the marble railing of the outdoor terrace, letting the cool breeze soothe her nerves. Inside, the sounds of laughter, clinking glasses, and upbeat music created a world that felt light years away from the one she’d grown up in.

“I swear, if one more person tells me I’m the next big thing, I might lose it,” Olivia mumbled, glancing at her phone. Lily, her assistant and younger sister, had sent a text that read: "Don't freak out. Just breathe. You’re already amazing".

Olivia smiled to herself. “Breathe,” she muttered, as if it were that simple. She had only recently risen to fame with a breakout role, and already she felt like she was being pulled in a dozen directions, each more overwhelming than the last.

From inside the ballroom, Lily’s voice echoed through the terrace doors. “Olivia! You’re not hiding out here, are you? You’re supposed to be mingling!”.

Olivia sighed, slipping her phone into her purse. Lily, ever the professional, treated Olivia’s career like a personal mission, making sure her older sister didn’t skip a beat. “I’m not hiding,” Olivia called back. “Just getting some air.”

“You don’t need air,” Lily said as she stepped onto the terrace, her eyes sparkling with excitement. “You need to be seen.”

Before Olivia could reply, Lily nudged her playfully. “Seriously, Liv. It’s your night. Your career is on fire. You’ve got the talent and the looks to be a household name.”

“Thanks, but it’s a lot to take in. Sometimes I feel like I’m pretending to be someone else,” Olivia admitted, tugging nervously at her silver gown.

Lily gave her a sympathetic look.

“You’re not pretending. You deserve this. Just… give it a chance.”

Olivia knew Lily was right. Taking a deep breath, she nodded. “Okay, okay. I’ll go back inside.”

Just as they turned to head back into the ballroom, the terrace doors opened again. This time, the figure who stepped through was tall, dressed in an impeccably tailored black suit, and oozed an air of quiet authority. Olivia didn’t need an introduction to know who he was. Ethan Cole.

His presence alone was enough to silence the ambient noise from inside. Everyone knew Ethan. He was the billionaire CEO who owned half of Silicon Valley. Olivia had heard rumors about him, whispered at parties and award shows. Charming, mysterious, and ruthlessly successful.

Lily gave her a wide-eyed look and whispered, “That’s Ethan Cole. Don’t freak out.”

Olivia’s pulse quickened, though she couldn’t explain why. He was just another wealthy figure in a sea of powerful men. Yet something about the way he carried himself—calm, in control, yet somehow distant—caught her attention.

Ethan scanned the terrace and, as if drawn by some invisible force, his eyes landed on Olivia. Their gazes locked for a second too long before a slight smile curved his lips. He walked toward them, his movements deliberate, like he had all the time in the world.

Lily straightened, ready to do her job.

“Mr. Cole, it’s a pleasure to meet you,” she chirped.

Ethan’s eyes flickered briefly to Lily, but his attention remained fixed on Olivia.

“The pleasure’s mine,” he said smoothly, his voice low and velvety. “Olivia Hart, right?”

Olivia was momentarily taken aback. How did he know her? Wasn’t he too wrapped up in his billionaire empire to care about actresses?

She quickly composed herself. “Yes, that’s right. And you’re Ethan Cole.”

He raised an eyebrow, a hint of amusement in his eyes. “Good memory.”

Lily, ever the professional, leaned in. “Olivia, I’ll leave you to it. Looks like you’re in good hands.” With a knowing wink, she disappeared back inside, leaving Olivia alone with Ethan.

There was a moment of silence, and then Olivia, trying to regain her footing, said, “So, what brings you to a place like this? I didn’t think parties like these were your scene.”

Ethan chuckled. “They’re not. But it’s good for business, so I make an appearance. And you?”

“I’m still figuring out if this is my scene or not,” Olivia admitted.

“Sometimes it feels like a dream, other times like I’m on a different planet.”

He nodded, leaning against the railing next to her, their arms almost brushing. “I get that. Everyone here is wearing a mask, pretending to be something they’re not.”

Olivia was surprised at the honesty in his voice. It wasn’t what she expected from someone like him.

“And you? Are you wearing a mask too?”

He looked at her, something unreadable flickering in his eyes.

“I think we all are, to some degree.”

The conversation flowed easily after that, much to Olivia’s surprise. Ethan wasn’t the cold, distant figure she had imagined. They spoke about everything—from movies to business to the ridiculousness of the party they were attending. And though he was clearly powerful and commanding, he didn’t come off as arrogant.

But underneath the easy banter, there was tension. An undeniable spark that neither could ignore.

As the night wore on, the crowd inside grew more raucous. Olivia glanced over her shoulder at the noise coming from the ballroom. She should probably head back in, make an appearance, smile for the cameras. Yet she didn’t move.

“You’re thinking about leaving, aren’t you?” Ethan’s voice broke through her thoughts.

Olivia hesitated, then nodded. “Yeah, I think I’ve had enough for one night.”

“Let me give you a ride home,” Ethan offered, his tone casual, but his gaze intent.

Olivia blinked. A part of her knew what he was really offering, and a part of her was tempted. It wasn’t every day someone like Ethan Cole walked into your life. She could brush it off as a fun, fleeting moment. A one-time thing.

“Okay,” she heard herself say before she could think twice.

###

The drive to Ethan’s penthouse was quiet, filled with an electric tension neither of them dared to break. Ethan’s sleek black car glided through the city streets, the distant hum of traffic fading into the background. Olivia’s heart pounded, but she kept her face calm, her gaze fixed on the glittering lights outside.

When they arrived at the penthouse, Ethan led her up to the rooftop terrace, where the city stretched out before them, a sea of lights twinkling beneath the inky sky. It was stunning, private, serene, and completely isolated from the chaos below.

“Wow,” Olivia breathed, walking to the edge of the terrace. “It’s beautiful up here.”

Ethan stood beside her, his presence a steady warmth at her side. “I come here to think. It’s the only place where I can escape.”

“From what?” she asked, genuinely curious.

He paused, looking out over the city. “Everything. Expectations, responsibilities, the constant pressure to be perfect.”

Olivia glanced at him, sensing the weight of his words. She’d always assumed men like him thrived on the attention and power, but now she saw it, he was tired. Maybe even lonely.

“You don’t have to be perfect, you know,” she said softly. “Nobody is.”

Ethan turned to her, his expression unreadable, yet there was something in his eyes, something raw, something real. Before she could say anything else, he closed the distance between them, his lips brushing hers in a tentative, lingering kiss. It was soft, almost questioning, as if he were asking permission.

Olivia’s breath caught. She hadn’t expected this, but at the same time, she had.

The kiss deepened, becoming more urgent, more real, and for a brief moment, the world around them fell away.

When they finally pulled apart, Olivia felt dazed, her heart racing. Ethan rested his forehead against hers, his voice barely above a whisper. “Stay.”

She didn’t hesitate. Not this time.

###

The next morning, sunlight streamed through the windows of Ethan’s penthouse, casting soft, golden light over the room. Olivia stirred awake, blinking against the brightness. She turned her head, finding the bed empty beside her.

Sitting up, she glanced around the unfamiliar space, the events of the previous night flooding back. Her cheeks warmed at the memory of their kiss, the intimacy that had followed.

Before she could get too comfortable, her phone buzzed from the nightstand. It was a message from Lily.

"Where are you? We need to prep for the press junket. Don’t tell me you’re with Ethan Cole."

Olivia chuckled to herself, throwing off the covers. She didn’t have time to linger here. This wasn’t her world, not really. Last night had been… something, but it was time to move on.

At least, that’s what she told herself as she quietly dressed and left the penthouse.

But as she stepped into the elevator, she couldn’t shake the feeling that this was only the beginning.