chapter 9 The Gala

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As the sedan pulled up to the hotel, I could feel my nerves tightening in my chest. I could see the lights through the tinted windows.

The place was massive—marble pillars, red carpet, the whole deal. I was already late, which made everything worse. The driver opened the door, and I had to will myself to step out, heels clicking loudly as I hit the pavement.

The guests inside looked so at ease, champagne glasses in hand, laughter floating through the air like a melody I didn’t know the words to. Except they stopped to glance at my direction.

"shit" I face palm myself inwardly

"hello ma'am" the person at the entrance greeted me , jolting me back to life.

" hello" I force out with a tight-lipped smile, instinctively fumbling through my purse for my invitation.

My finger handed the glossy card to him ,and he nodded in response, still keeping his smile like he had been programmed to do so.

My heartbeat quickened.

but I tried to play it cool, adjusting my dress as I walked up the steps. This neckline suddenly felt a little too daring for my taste, especially under all those curious eyes.

"Stop it" I told myself. "No one’s staring at you. Just walk".

Except I couldn’t shake the feeling that every head turned as I walked past. Each step I took seemed louder than it should’ve been, my heels practically echoing against the polished marble floors.

My curls, which had been perfectly bouncy earlier, felt heavier now, like the weight of the evening was getting to them too. I tried to smooth them down, even though I knew there wasn’t much I could do.

I stepped into the lobby, and the grandeur of the place hit me like a wave.

Chandeliers the size of small cars, marble floors that shone under the golden lights, and waiters drifting through the crowd like they were floating on air.

All I could think was how out of place I felt, like some lost tourist who’d wandered into the wrong world.

I wasn’t supposed to be late. I wasn’t supposed to be awkwardly walking through this crowd, trying to act like I knew exactly what I was doing.

But my heels...God, my heels...clicked like they had a mind of their own, announcing me with every step. People glanced my way, and I could feel the heat creeping up my neck, my pulse quickening as I tried to blend in.

"Keep it together, Hailey."

I made my way to the entrance of the ballroom, eyes scanning the sea of glamorous guests. There was no sign of Tristan ....at least, not yet.

My breath caught as I looked around, and I felt the weight of the room pressing down on me. The people, the wealth, the connections it all felt like too much.

my hands reached for champagne, from a waiter, trying to not gulp it down at once in attempt to steady my nerves.

I smiled politely at a few passing guests, nodding here and there, but inside, I felt like I was swimming through quicksand. Everyone else moved so gracefully, so effortlessly, while I was just trying not to trip over my own feet.

Then I felt it

A stare, heavy and uncomfortable. My eyes met those of an older man standing near one of the auction tables, his gaze lingering just a little too long. A gaze I as well familiar with.

His smile wasn’t friendly ....it was...something else. Something that made my skin crawl. Before I could look away, he waved a waiter over, grabbing the glass of champagne from him, he made slow strides towards me .

“You’re a new face around here,” he said smoothly, his voice low and dripping with charm.

Eww

I hesitated, my heart beating in my ears. Something about him felt off, but I didn’t want to make a scene. I forced a smile and took the champagne, nodding slightly.

"I'm Donald, Donald price, but you my dear , you can call me Don" he grinned

I forced myself to take a sip of the champagne, keeping my expression neutral as Mr. Price’s smile deepened, his gaze still fixed on me in a way that made my skin prickle with disgust.

“It’s not often we see someone like you at these events,” he purred, his voice smooth and practiced.

He stepped a little closer, just brushing the edge of what could be considered appropriate.

“You must be special.” he whispered

Within the past 10 seconds this man had succeeded in making me vomit in my mouth.

“Just lucky, I guess,” I replied, trying to sound breezy, though every instinct in me screamed to get out of this conversation. My fingers tightened around the glass. I couldn’t shake the growing sense of unease creeping up my spine.

“Lucky?” He chuckled, his eyes roaming over me, lingering on my neckline. “No, no, a woman like you doesn’t rely on luck. Surely, you’ve caught the attention of more than a few admirers tonight, miss...."

"Hail... Kayla, Kayla smith" almost with a stutter but I'd managed to compose myself.

"Kayla , sounds like a name fit for a queen, and I surely don't catch the sight of a king nearby?"

I shifted my weight, glancing at the crowd, hoping to spot a familiar face or anyone I could escape to.

But no one was close enough. I forced another polite smile. “I’m just here for the auction.” I added

“The auction !?” he echoed, but there was disbelief in his tone.

He stepped closer, his cologne strong, his breath even stronger ,clinging to the air between us.

“You don’t seem like the type to come alone. Someone must’ve invited you.”

My stomach twisted. The champagne tasted bitter on my tongue, and I hadn’t even taken more than a sip. I needed to get out of this, fast. “Actually, I should...”

“Why rush?” he interrupted, his smile growing wider, more predatory. “You and I… we could have a little fun tonight. There’s plenty of time to look at the auction items. But first, why don’t we toast to new friends?”

His words carried something dark underneath, something that set off every alarm in my body. I glanced down at the champagne in my hand, the glass suddenly feeling like a trap. My vision began to swim, the room tilting slightly.

“I, um, I think I’ve had enough for now,” I said, trying to step back, but my legs felt heavy, slow. What the hell was happening?

Mr. Price’s grin didn’t waver. In fact, it seemed to grow even darker. “Come on, kayla. Don’t be shy. A little champagne never hurt anyone.” He lifted his glass toward mine, waiting for me to clink glasses like this was just a normal, harmless conversation.

Just then, I heard a familiar name across the room.

“Tristan!” Mr. Price called, his voice laced with something smug, as if he’d won some kind of game.

Did he just say Tristan?

My breath caught in my throat. Tristan was here? My pulse quickened. I hadn’t even noticed when he entered the room, but now, every nerve in my body was on edge.

I glanced toward the crowd, my heart racing as I saw him making his way toward us. He moved through the room effortlessly, commanding attention in that way only someone like Tristan could. I felt a flush rise to my cheeks, and suddenly, my entire body felt like it was buzzing, a strange mix of intrigue and anxiety twisting in my gut.

Mr. Price leaned in slightly, his eyes narrowing as he watched Tristan approach. “You’re lucky, kayla. You’re about to meet one of the most powerful men in the room.” he nudged at my arm

I felt trapped, not by Mr. Price’s words but by the overwhelming sense of what was happening. Tristan was close now, his gaze shifting toward me. The weight of his presence made my stomach flip in a way I hadn’t anticipated. I straightened up, trying to gather myself, but my mind was already clouded from whatever was happening in my body.

“Ah, Tristan, you know this lovely woman?” Mr. Price said smoothly, his hand grazing my elbow as if marking me as part of his conversation.

For a second, Tristan’s eyes flickered with something I couldn’t quite read as he looked at me, then back to Mr. Price. His expression remained composed, but there was a flicker of tension beneath the surface.

“We haven’t been introduced,” Tristan said, his voice deep yet so even but with an underlying edge. His gaze landed on me again, and I felt a strange, electrifying pull toward him.

“This is kayla,” Mr. Price said with a sly grin. “She’s quite the guest tonight.”

My heart pounded in my chest. I was flustered, caught between two worlds _Mr. Price’s unsettling attention and Tristan’s cool, magnetic presence.

I wanted to escape Mr. Price, but Tristan’s sudden focus on me made it impossible to slip away unnoticed. There was something about him that intrigued me, that made it impossible to tear my gaze away.

Before I knew it, I was moving with them toward the auction seating. The moment was a blur, Mr. Price leading the way, his hand lightly on my back as we moved through the crowd. I could feel Tristan’s presence nearby, and it was unsettling how much it affected me.

We took our seats, and I found myself sitting uncomfortably close to Mr. Price, with Tristan just a few rows to my right.

I glanced around the room, trying to ground myself, but the champagne was starting to take its toll. My head felt heavy, and my vision wavered as I tried to focus on the items being presented.

“Relax,” Mr. Price said softly, his voice far too close to my ear. he seemed to notice my unease. “Just enjoy the evening.”

I nodded, barely listening. My thoughts were a haze. The auction began, and I watched in a daze as items were presented one by one. I lifted my glass absentmindedly, not even realizing that I’d taken another sip until the warmth of the alcohol burned down my throat. The room spun faster.

Suddenly, a new item was presented...something rare, something valuable. I didn’t even know what it was, but the tension in the room shifted. Tristan raised his hand to bid, his eyes focused on the stage. My breath caught again, that familiar sense of awe creeping over me.

I felt Mr. Price lean closer, his voice low and unsettling. “Why don’t you place a bid, kayla? Show the room what you’re capable of.” the stench of alcohol from his breath engulfing me like a plague.

My hand trembled slightly, but I raised it, my heart pounding as the auctioneer acknowledged my bid.

The moment felt surreal, the dizziness from the champagne mixing with the thrill of the auction. I was sitting too close to Mr. Price, too aware of Tristan’s eyes on me, and too caught up in the madness of it all to care.