Chapter 4: An Unexpected Encounter

Rory was at a charity event, sipping champagne and making small talk with the other guests. She was dressed to impress in a stunning red gown, her hair styled perfectly and her makeup flawless.

As she turned to grab another glass of champagne, she saw him. Max. The lawyer she had met after the car accident.

Rory's heart skipped a beat as their eyes met. Max smiled warmly and made his way over to her.

"Rory, it's great to see you again," he said, his voice low and smooth.

Rory felt a flutter in her chest, but she quickly pushed it aside. She was married, after all. And she wasn't interested in Max.

"Max," she said coolly, her voice detached. "What brings you here tonight?"

Max looked taken aback by her chilly demeanor, but he quickly recovered. "I'm a supporter of the charity," he said. "I try to attend as many events as I can."

Rory nodded politely, her eyes scanning the room for an escape. She didn't want to be stuck talking to Max all night.

But Max seemed determined to keep the conversation going. He asked her about her interests, her hobbies, and her work. Rory answered his questions briefly and curtly, trying to convey that she wasn't interested in talking to him.

Despite her coldness, Max remained warm and friendly. He was a true gentleman, and Rory found herself feeling a twinge of guilt for treating him so poorly.

But she pushed the feeling aside. She was married, and she had no business flirting with another man. Even if that man was as charming and handsome as Max.

As the night wore on, Rory excused herself to go to the bathroom. She locked herself in a stall and took a few deep breaths, trying to calm her racing heart.

Why was she so affected by Max? She didn't even know him.

Rory shook her head, chiding herself for being silly. She was a married woman, and she needed to start acting like it.

She took one last look in the mirror, smoothing out her dress and taking a deep breath. But as she walked out of the bathroom, she saw Max standing by the bar, his eyes locked on hers. And for a moment, Rory felt like she was drowning in their depths.

As their eyes met, Rory felt a jolt of electricity run through her body. She quickly looked away, trying to compose herself.

Max, however, seemed to sense her unease. He made his way over to her, a concerned expression on his face.

"Rory, are you okay?" he asked, his voice low and gentle.

Rory nodded, trying to brush off the feeling of discomfort. "I'm fine, thanks," she said, her voice cool and detached.

As Rory mingled with the other guests, she found herself standing near the silent auction table, sipping a glass of champagne. Max appeared beside her, his eyes scanning the table.

"Interesting items up for bid," he said, nodding towards a nearby painting. "I've been thinking of bidding on that one."

Rory followed his gaze, taking in the artwork. "It's beautiful," she said, her voice neutral. "But I'm not sure it's worth the price they're asking."

Max smiled, his eyes crinkling at the corners. "I think it's worth it," he said. "But I'm a sucker for art."

As they chatted, Rory found herself feeling more at ease around Max. He was easy to talk to, and his passion for art was infectious.

But as the conversation went on, Rory couldn't shake the feeling that Max was trying to get closer to her. She took a step back, trying to create some distance between them.

"I should probably get back to my husband," she said, glancing around the room. "He's probably looking for me."

Max nodded, his expression understanding. "Of course," he said. "It was nice talking to you, Rory."

Rory smiled politely, feeling a sense of relief. She turned to leave, but as she did, she felt Max's hand on her arm.

"Rory," he said, his voice low and gentle. "If you ever need anything, don't hesitate to reach out to me. Okay?"

Rory looked up at him, feeling a sense of surprise. What did he mean by that?

But before she could ask, Max smiled and released her arm. "Have a great night, Rory," he said.

Rory nodded, feeling a sense of confusion. What had just happened? And why did she feel like Max was trying to tell her something?

Rory walked away from Max, feeling a sense of unease. She didn't know what to make of his comment, or why he had felt the need to say it.

As she made her way back to Julian, she couldn't shake the feeling that Max had been trying to tell her something. But what?

She pushed the thought aside and focused on finding Julian. She spotted him across the room, chatting with a group of colleagues.

Rory made her way over to him, smiling brightly as she approached. "Hey, darling," she said, kissing him on the cheek. "How's it going?"

Julian smiled back at her, his eyes scanning the room. "It's going great, sweetheart," he said. "I was just talking to some of the guys from the office."

Rory nodded, taking a sip of her champagne. She listened as Julian continued to talk, but her mind kept wandering back to Max.

What had he meant by his comment? And why did she feel like he was trying to tell her something?

As the night wore on, Rory found herself glancing around the room, searching for Max. But he was nowhere to be found.

She felt a pang of disappointment, which she quickly pushed aside. What was wrong with her? She was a married woman, and she had no business thinking about another man.

But as she stood there, smiling and laughing with Julian, Rory couldn't shake the feeling that something was off. That her life was not as perfect as it seemed.

And that Max was somehow connected to it all.

She tried to push the feeling aside and focus on the party, but it was no use. She felt like she was living a lie, like she was pretending to be someone she wasn't.

As she stood there, smiling and laughing with Julian, Rory saw Max again. He was standing across the room, looking at her with a neutral expression.

Rory felt a sense of awkwardness as she met Max's gaze. She didn't know what to make of the way he was looking at her, but she knew it made her feel uncomfortable.

For a moment, Rory wondered if she had misinterpreted Max's intentions earlier. Maybe he was just being friendly, and she was reading too much into it.

As the night wore on, Rory found herself feeling increasingly trapped. She didn't know how to escape the life she had built with Julian, or how to make the feeling of unease go away.

She glanced over at Max again, but this time, she felt nothing. No spark, no flutter, no sense of connection. Just a sense of awkwardness, and a desire to get away from him.

Rory turned back to Julian, forcing a smile onto her face. She was determined to get through the rest of the night, and to pretend like everything was fine. But deep down, she knew that something was wrong, and she didn't know how to fix it.

As the night wore on, Rory continued to put on a facade of happiness and contentment. She laughed and chatted with Julian's colleagues, and even managed to exchange a few pleasantries with Max when he came over to congratulate Julian on a recent business deal.

But despite her outward appearance of calmness, Rory's mind was racing with thoughts and emotions. She couldn't shake the feeling that her life was a lie, that she was trapped in a marriage that was suffocating her.

As the evening drew to a close, Julian took Rory's hand and led her out of the ballroom. "I'm so proud of you, Rory," he said, his voice low and husky. "You're always so poised and elegant. You're the perfect wife."

Rory felt a surge of resentment at his words. Perfect wife? Was that all she was to him? A trophy to be displayed and admired?

But she pushed the feelings aside and smiled up at Julian. "Thank you, darling," she said, her voice dripping with sweetness. "You're always so charming and handsome. You're the perfect husband."

Julian smiled back at her, his eyes gleaming with satisfaction. "We make a great team, don't we?" he said, pulling her close.

Rory nodded, feeling a sense of desperation wash over her. Yes, they made a great team. A team of pretenders, living a lie that was slowly suffocating her.