CHAPTER 9

A Glimpse of Vulnerability

Naomi's POV

The big ballroom was filled with the gentle buzz of talk and the clinking of glasses, yet it all seemed to me to be static. I gripped a glass of sparkling water, my palms shaking as the cold crystal pressed against my palm. The charity event Roman had dragged me to was another cruel reminder of the world I didn’t belong to—a world where everyone wore masks, their smiles polished but heartless.

“You’re doing fine,” Roman’s deep voice cut through my thoughts, startling me.

He was standing next to me, his black tuxedo perfectly cut, when I turned around. His demeanor was unreadable as his eyes flicked over me.

I“I didn’t ask for your reassurance,” I said, but there wasn't much animosity in my voice.

A little sneer twisted his lips. "It wasn't reassuring. It was an observation.”

A voice cut me off before I could respond.

“Roman! You’ve outdone yourself with this event.”

A woman wearing an emerald-green dress and nicely coiffed blond hair came over, her grin brimming with fake friendliness. For a while, her eyes strayed to me, her face becoming a little condescending, and then she returned her attention to Roman.

“Thank you, Margaret,” Roman replied smoothly, his tone cool but polite. “I’m glad you could make it.”

Once again, Margaret's gaze fell on me and lingered. "And who is this?"

Roman's words interrupted me before I could respond.

"This is my wife, Naomi."

With a weight that made my stomach turn, he said the word "wife." The world around me seemed to pause, and for a brief moment, all I could hear was the pounding of my heartbeat.

Margaret feigned a laugh as her eyebrows rose upward. "Wife? You never mentioned getting married, Roman. How surprising.”

Her words were a razor wrapped in pleasantry, but her tone was cheesy.

“It wasn’t meant to be a spectacle,” Roman replied, his voice sharp enough to make Margaret’s smile falter.

I could feel the tension between them, and I felt like I was being invaded. Roman's presence beside me felt oppressive, yet protective at the same time.

Margaret smiled again, but it stopped short of her eyes. "Naomi," she continued, "how lovely to meet you." Being married to Roman must be... difficult, I suppose.”

I forced a smile, even though my chest felt like it was caving in. “It's okay.”

Margaret's eyes narrowed slightly as she laughed brittlely. “Well, you’re braver than most. Roman has quite the reputation, you know.”

"I know," I answered, startling myself with how firmly I spoke.

Roman's eyes quickly shifted to me, and I believed I caught a quiver in the corner of his mouth.

“Margaret,” Roman said, his tone dismissive, “I’m sure you have other guests to mingle with.”

His bluntness caused Margaret's eyes to widen a little, but she quickly recovered, giving him a tight smile. “Of course. Enjoy your evening.”

Roman turned to face me as she left. "Not too bad."

I scowled. "What do you mean?"

“You did well”

“I didn’t do it for you,” I muttered, the words slipping out before I could stop them.

He tilted his head, his smirk returning. “Of course not.”

A voice shouted across the room, grabbing everyone's attention before I could say anything more.

Blackwood, Roman! "The man of the hour!"

A tall, broad-shouldered man with a big, toothy smile came over. I knew him right away Charles Greaves, one of Roman’s business associates.

"Charles," Roman said in a tone that was less animated than the man deserved.

Charles grinned broadly as his gaze fell upon me. "And who is this beautiful creature?"

“This is Naomi,” Roman said, his voice clipped. “My wife.”

Charles's grin went wolfish, and his eyebrows sprang upward. “Well, well. I didn’t think I’d see the day.”

“The day for what?” I asked, trying to keep my voice steady.

“The day Roman settled down, of course,” Charles said with a chuckle. “You must be quite something to tame him.”

Roman tensed up next to me, his hand grazing my elbow as if to warn me.

“I wouldn’t call it taming,” I said, forcing a smile. “It’s more like... survival.”

Ignorant of the tension between Roman and me, Charles let out a loud laugh. "I like her. She got the spirit.”

“She’s also off-limits,” Roman said, his voice dropping to a dangerous tone that made Charles’s laughter falter.

Even though the conversation was short, there was enough tension in the air to make my stomach turn.

As the night went on, I felt overwhelmed and sought solitude at the edge of the room. It was all too much the discussions, the giggling, the scrutiny.

A harsh voice pierced the air as I stared into my untouched glass of water.

“Naomi Carter?”

I turned to find a woman wearing a crimson dress with a chilly, contemptuous look on her face. Her eyes narrowed as she examined me from head to toe.

“I’m sorry,” I said cautiously. “Do I know you?”

"No," she whispered, a ruthless sneer twisting her lips. “But I know you. The charity case, isn’t that right?”

I turned pale

"Excuse me?"

She sneered, "Don't pretend to be surprised. Everyone knows Roman married you out of pity. You don't fit in here.”

The weight of her words pressed down on me, tightening my throat.

Roman appeared behind her before I could reply.

Roman's voice was low and menacing as he asked, "Is there a problem?

The woman's confidence wavered under Roman's glare. "No problem, Mr. Blackwood. I was just…”

"Leaving," he murmured icily, his eyes like ice fragments.

With haste, she excused herself and disappeared into the crowd.

Roman's face was a mask as he asked, "Are you okay?”

My voice faltered as I said, "I didn't need your help."

He arched an eyebrow. "Clearly."

Roman's sharp tone made me flinch, but beneath it, I sensed a hint of protectiveness.

I tried to gather my strength and said, "I don't need you to defend me."

"No," he responded, his tone a little softer. "But I will."

The unexpected and weighty words hung between us.

Someone called Roman's name, and he hesitated, his eyes locked on mine before he turned and left.

I stood frozen, my heart racing, as the world around me became a blur.

I couldn't solve the riddle of Roman Blackwood, and each new piece I discovered simply made it more complicated.

And for the first time, I wondered if I really wanted to solve him.