Just a month ago, before the pregnancy scandal and all the drama in the Daniels estate, the Daniels' Annual Charity Gala was held at the ball section of their mansion. The Daniels mansion was alive with subdued elegance, the kind that whispered wealth rather than shouted it. It was the kind of event that demanded perfection. Glistening chandeliers cast their glow over the grand ballroom, filled with the hum of polite conversations, clinking glasses, and the soft strains of classical music.
Eva, who wasn't feeling too well, insisted that Emma attend the gala against Emma's wish to stay with her instead.
Emma reluctantly agreed to go and chose a pale blue dress—a choice she'd made herself, as she always did, defying her stepmother's subtle attempts to direct her life. She wore it with a quiet confidence that spoke of her strength and independence, her posture regal and assured, but her expression blank.
Her eyes drifted over the crowd. She wasn't here to socialize; she was here to survive the night. She spotted Alex Floyd almost immediately. He was a man who didn't blend in—broad-shouldered, effortlessly charismatic, with an air of authority that marked him as someone who was used to being obeyed. Tonight, however, his focus was fixed squarely on her, after his eyes locked on her, as they often did. He wasn't sure what drew him to Emma—her composure, her intellect, or the way she seemed immune to the games everyone else played. Alex stood by the grand piano, his sharp suit immaculate.
Emma, aware of Alex's attention, had been dodging his attention for months. His charm didn't fool her; there was something about his persistence that felt too calculated, too deliberate. She hadn't yet unraveled his motives, but she knew better than to trust him.
Across the room, Lily Owens sipped her champagne, her emerald dress clinging to her figure in a way that left little to the imagination. Her eyes were locked on Alex as she spoke with a group of investors, but her attention wasn't on the conversation. She'd noticed the way Alex's eyes were glued on Emma, and it infuriated her.
Lily is not a Daniels by blood, but she had tried to be indispensable since she came into the family. Marrying Alex, the CEO of her stepfather's empire, would secure her future in ways even her cunning couldn't achieve alone. Yet Alex barely spared her a glance, his disinterest cutting deeper than she cared to admit.
Setting her glass down, Lily approached Alex with the confidence of someone who believed the world revolved around her. Her voice was low, laced with the kind of charm that was equal parts sweet and manipulative. "Alex," she began, stepping into his personal space. "You've been avoiding me."
Alex straightened, offering her a polite smile but stepping away just enough to re-establish a boundary. "Not at all, Lily. I've been… preoccupied."
"With Emma, it seems," Lily shot back, her tone turning sharper as she cast a glance toward Emma, who was now speaking to an older guest with a calm, detached grace.
Alex's mouth tightened. "I wasn't aware my company required your approval."
Lily's smile faltered for a split second before she recovered, stepping closer. "I'm just looking out for you. Emma isn't as pristine as you think, Alex. She has her own agenda, just like everyone else."
Before Alex could respond, he noticed that Emma was leaving the ballroom. He moved quickly from Lilly and walked briskly to intercept her near the entrance. "Leaving so soon?" he asked, his voice smooth, but his eyes betrayed a deeper intent.
Emma folded her arms, her expression guarded. "What do you want, Alex?"
"Nothing more than a dance," he pleaded, offering his hand. His smile was disarming, but Emma saw through it.
"I don't think so." Her refusal was firm, her tone resolute. She started to step around him, but he moved to block her path, lowering his voice so only she could hear.
"You always run when things get uncomfortable, don't you, Emma?"
Her eyes narrowed, and a spark of anger flashed across her face. "And you always push when you're not welcome."
Before Alex could respond, Lily, who was boiling inside because Alex walked out on her, approached, her steps were quick and deliberate, and her mischievous smile was as sharp as her words. "Well, isn't this cozy?" she sneered, her eyes playing between them. "What are you up to, Emma? Wrapping another man around your little finger?"
Emma's patience snapped. She turned to face Lily fully, her voice calm and cutting. "Is that what you think? Well, it's not my fault if some people can't take 'no' for an answer."
Alex's mouth twitched as though suppressing a smile. He stepped in before Lily could retort. "Lily, I think you're misunderstanding the situation. Emma's strength and independence are exactly why I respect her. She doesn't manipulate anyone—she doesn't have to."
Emma stepped closer to Lily, her voice dropping to a chilly whisper. "If you want to accuse me of something, at least dare to say it outright."
Lily's face darkened, but she held her composure. "Don't play coy. I'm saying he should be careful. Not everyone is as honest as they pretend to be."
The tension was electric, drawing the attention of a few nearby guests who quickly pretended to look elsewhere.
"Enough," Alex interrupted, his tone commanding. His glare shifted between the two women, lingering on Emma. "Lily, this isn't the time or place."
"Oh, but it is," Lily shot back, her mask of civility slipping. "She's been playing you, Alex. Don't you see it? She's always the victim, always the innocent one, but it's all an act. She's using you."
Emma glanced at Alex, her expression softening just slightly. "You're right. It's not worth it." She turned back to Lily, her voice dropping to a tone only they could hear. "But if you want to make this personal, Lily, I suggest you come prepared, because I don't play games—I end them."
Lily's face flushed with anger, she opened her mouth to reply, but Alex raised a hand, silencing her. "That's enough, Lily." His voice was low and firm, leaving no room for argument. He turned to Emma, his expression poker-faced. "May I have a moment alone with you?"
Emma hesitated but nodded. She didn't trust Alex, but she was tired of Lily's venom. Alex gestured toward the balcony, and Emma followed, leaving Lily fuming in their wake. Lily bristled, her eyes darting between Alex and Emma as they walked away. "You think she's so perfect, don't you? But let me tell you something, Alex—Emma has everyone fooled. She's not as pure as she pretends to be." She shot at them. Realizing that she was making a scene, she stomped her feet, clinched her fist and walked away.
The cool night air was a welcome relief from the stifling tension inside. Emma leaned against the railing, keeping a safe distance from Alex. "What do you want, Alex?"
He studied her for a split second, his expression softening. "To understand you."
She let out a humorless laugh. "Is that part of your job description as CEO, or is this just a personal curiosity?"
"Maybe both," he admitted, his voice low. "You're different, Emma. You see through things most people don't. That's rare."
"And that's why you're so interested? Because I'm 'different'?"
Alex stepped closer, his tone earnest. "It's more than that. I admire your strength, Emma. Your resilience. You're not like them."
Her heart twisted at his words, but she didn't let it show. "You don't know me, Alex."
"Then let me," he begged, his voice almost pleading.
Emma shook her head. "I don't have time for games, Alex. Whatever you're looking for, you won't find it with me."
Before he could respond, the sound of raised voices drifted onto the balcony. They turned to see Lily arguing with a group of guests. Her frustration was obvious. Emma sighed, straightening her posture. "Looks like your admirer needs saving."
Alex glanced at Lily but didn't move. His focus returned to Emma, lingering for a while too long. "I'll see you inside." And before she could respond he walked away briskly.
"Lily, I have had enough of your shenanigans. You have overstayed your welcome, I think." Alex snapped at Lily.
"All this for Emma?" Lily scowled and, after seeing the sternness in Alex's eyes, stormed out of the ballroom, her fists clenched tightly. She pulled out her phone, her voice dripping with venom as she hissed, "It's time to teach Emma a lesson she won't forget."
Meanwhile, across the ballroom somewhere in the corner, a man in a dark suit lingered in the shadows, his eyes following their every move, especially that of Emma's. He pulled out a small notebook, wrote some things down, disappeared into the night.
As Emma watched Alex leave, her mind raced. A part of her liked Alex, but something about Alex didn't add up, but she didn't have the energy to unravel it tonight. She turned back to the villa's streetlights, her resolve reinforced. Whatever games the Daniels family wanted to play, she wasn't going to be a part of it. Eva's call came to jolt her back to consciousness and she took the call,
"Eva cried, you need to come urgently, I… I am…" and the line went silent.
"As Emma approached their living quarters scampering, her mind raced. Eva wasn't one to panic, but the urgency in her voice left Emma unsettled. 'What if this wasn't just about her feeling unwell?'"