The evening air was warm, tinged with the scent of flowers from the outdoor decorations. My heels clicked softly against the polished floors as I entered the venue. The gala was buzzing with chatter, laughter, and the soft hum of live music. For a moment, I tried to ignore the weight of the day, the lingering thoughts of Marcus, the office sabotage, and even… Keifer.
I should have been able to enjoy this. I should have been able to focus on work connections, networking, or at least the fancy food. But the moment I stepped inside, I felt it—the unmistakable pull in my chest, the subtle tightening of my shoulders.
And then I saw him.
Keifer.
Across the room, casually leaning against a railing, perfectly dressed, exuding that calm yet commanding energy he always carried. His eyes locked on mine instantly. My stomach twisted. I had tried to keep my distance, tried to push his words from my mind: "You're mine. Everything about you is mine." But here he was, in the middle of a crowded room, making it impossible to ignore.
I squared my shoulders, forcing myself to take slow breaths. I could do this. I wasn't going to let him see me flinch.
He started walking toward me, smoothly, like he owned every step he took. My heels felt heavier as I tried to focus on the crowd around me, pretending to look at decorations, servers, anything but him.
"Jay," he said, voice low but carrying clearly across the small distance between us. "Enjoying the event?"
I kept my tone neutral. "I am," I said carefully. "Just here for work."
"Just work?" His smile was faint, but the way he said it made the hair on my arms stand on end. "You're too tense for just work. Relax."
"I am relaxed," I said firmly, keeping my gaze away. "Really."
Keifer didn't break eye contact. "You don't seem relaxed." His words were calm, but there was a tension behind them that made me want to run.
I straightened. "I can handle myself, Keifer. I don't need… commentary."
He stopped a few feet away, voice lowering so only I could hear: "I know you can. But that doesn't mean I'll let anyone else have your attention."
My heart skipped. I tried to brush it off, tried to act indifferent, but his presence made it impossible. "Keifer…" I said, exasperated, "this isn't the time, and this isn't the place. Go talk to someone else."
He smirked, not moving. "I don't want to talk to someone else. I want to talk to you."
I swallowed, feeling my pulse spike. The crowd, the music, the lights—they all faded into background noise. It was just him and me, and the tension between us.
Before I could respond, Adam appeared beside me, holding a tray of drinks. "Jay, there you are. Care for a cocktail?" he said brightly, unaware of the storm brewing next to us.
I gratefully took the distraction. "Yes, thank you," I murmured, giving Adam a small smile.
Keifer's gaze followed every movement I made. He leaned slightly closer, almost conspiratorial, and whispered, "You think you can distract yourself with him? You can't."
I gritted my teeth, keeping my tone firm. "I don't need to justify myself to you."
A small part of me burned at the possessive intensity of his words. Another part wanted to scold him, push him away. But the fact that he could stir such emotion in me, even now, made my pulse quicken.
And just like that, tension hung between us like a storm about to break—publicly, undeniably, inescapably.
I tried to focus on Adam, on the drink in my hand, anything to distract from the intensity radiating from Keifer. But every movement I made, every laugh I forced, his gaze followed me like a shadow I couldn't shake.
From across the room, I saw whispers starting. A few colleagues, even some clients, were glancing our way, eyebrows raised. I tried to straighten, pretending nothing was happening, but the heat creeping up my neck told me otherwise.
Keifer leaned slightly closer, lowering his voice so only I could hear. "You really think you can just ignore me in front of everyone?"
I swallowed hard, refusing to meet his eyes. "I can. And I will."
"Will you?" His smirk was faint but dangerous. "Because I don't plan on letting you."
My pulse raced. I turned slightly, hoping to deflect, to act normal, but his presence was magnetic—impossible to ignore.
Then, someone laughed behind me, breaking the tension for just a second. I glanced over my shoulder. Mira and Judy were across the room, sipping cocktails, obviously noticing the attention. Mira waved subtly, giving me a look that clearly said, Good luck, girl.
I sighed, rolling my eyes, and took a slow sip from my glass. My grip tightened around it as Keifer subtly stepped closer.
"You know," he said, voice low, teasing, "this little event… it feels empty without us talking."
I set the glass down a little too firmly, earning a small hiss from the coaster. "Keifer, seriously, go talk to someone else. You're making this… difficult."
"Difficult?" He laughed softly, almost smugly. "I call it inevitable."
I groaned inwardly. I can't believe he's doing this in public.
A few people nearby whispered to each other, glancing at us, sensing the tension. Gossip would start circulating soon. My cheeks flushed—not with embarrassment, exactly, but with the fierce awareness that Keifer had a way of drawing every eye toward us.
Adam, oblivious to the silent storm beside me, nudged me lightly. "Want to step outside for some air?"
I nodded gratefully, holding my drink a little tighter. "Yes, please."
Keifer didn't move. "Leaving so soon?"
"Yes. For air." My voice was clipped.
"You can't just run from me," he said quietly, but firmly. "Not when I'm here. Not when I'm…" He hesitated, his tone low and deliberate. "…right here."
I could feel the tension coil around me, a magnetic force pulling me toward him. My heart raced, and my hands tightened into fists. I wanted to scold him. I wanted to shove him away. But part of me, the part that hated to admit it, was curious.
Before I could respond, a small gasp escaped from someone nearby. Mira and Judy had followed us with their eyes, whispering furiously to each other. I wanted to crawl under the table.
Keifer, completely unbothered, smirked faintly, his gaze never leaving mine. "You know," he murmured, "I don't like sharing attention. Not now. Not ever."
I froze. The weight behind his words wasn't just teasing—it was possessive. Intense. Almost suffocating.
I straightened my shoulders, lifting my chin. "I'm not yours. Not your attention, not your… anything," I said firmly.
His eyes darkened, not with anger, but with something deeper, something unreadable. "We'll see," he said softly, almost a whisper. "We'll see."
I spun on my heel and headed toward the balcony doors, letting the cool night air hit me like a shield. Behind me, I could feel him following—not pressing, but moving with a deliberate calm that told me he wouldn't let me go easily.
And just like that, the room seemed smaller, the crowd noisier, the gossip louder—all of it fading into the background as the tension between us
took center stage.
The chapter ended with me stepping onto the balcony, lungs filling with fresh air, heart pounding… and Keifer's shadow falling just behind me.
Cliffhanger: Would I confront him here? Would he say something more? Or would the tension escalate even further before anyone noticed?