Lena followed Anthony down a quiet hallway just outside the ballroom, the sound of clinking glasses and soft music fading behind them. She kept her arms folded, her posture guarded, her expression unreadable.
Anthony turned around abruptly, eyes sharp. "So? What do you want from me now?"
Lena blinked, taken aback by the hostility in his tone—but only for a moment. Her voice remained calm. "I don't want anything from you, Anthony. The moment I walked out of that apartment, our relationship ended."
His jaw twitched, but she pressed on.
"As for the penthouse, I'll go through the proper legal channels. We'll split the cost fairly and settle it through the lawyers."
Anthony scoffed, his voice rising. "Are you serious right now? Eight years, Lena. Eight damn years—and you're talking like we were business partners."
"We were partners," she said coldly, "until you decided to screw my secretary in our bed."
His expression darkened. "Wow. So that's it? Just like that, you turn it off? No emotion, no second chances? You really are heartless."
She laughed then—soft and bitter. "Heartless? You lost the right to talk about hearts the moment you betrayed me."
Anthony's face twisted in anger. "Don't act so perfect, Lena. You think people don't see what you're doing? Throwing yourself around at a charity gala, parading in front of rich men like you're suddenly available. I saw the way you looked at Ethan Calloway."
Her eyes narrowed. "Excuse me?"
"Don't play dumb," he snapped. "He just got back to inherit his daddy's empire. What—going for a richer upgrade now?"
The accusation hit her like a slap—but only for a second. Then she straightened, her voice cool and firm. "That's disgusting. And borderline defamation. If you weren't so pathetic, I might actually consider suing you for it."
She didn't give him a chance to reply. With a sharp pivot, Lena turned and walked away, heels clicking against the marble floor as her pulse raced—not from anger, but from the sheer absurdity of his words.
As she stepped back into the edge of the ballroom, her eyes scanned the crowd—and landed on Ethan.
He was standing a short distance away, watching her. There was no pretense in his expression. Just concern.
"Is everything alright?" he asked softly, stepping closer. "Did he hurt you?"
Lena blinked, caught off guard by the gentle sincerity in his voice. She shook her head. "No… he didn't. But thank you. For checking."
She didn't know what surprised her more—that Ethan had waited, or that his kindness felt so genuine.
Before she could say anything more, the lights in the ballroom dimmed slightly, signaling the start of the auction.
"Come on," Sophie said, appearing beside her with a drink in hand and a grin on her lips. "Let's pretend the last five minutes didn't exist. Time for overpriced objects and wealthy people showing off."
As the auction began, Sophie kept up her running commentary.
"That one's a rare piece," she murmured about a hand-painted vase. "Worth a small island."
"That painting's a fake," she whispered during another lot. "But let's not ruin the fun."
Lena chuckled quietly, grateful for the distraction.
Then came the final item.
The chairman of Sterling & Vale stepped onto the small stage, his voice rich with reverence. "This final piece is from my personal collection—a necklace passed down for generations. A symbol of devoted and enduring love."
Gasps rose around the room as the piece was revealed—delicate platinum vines intertwined with diamonds, at its center a deep blue sapphire that glowed under the lights like a captured flame.
"All proceeds from this piece," the chairman continued, "will go to the Children's Cancer Fund."
The bidding began swiftly, hands rising across the room.
Anthony joined in, confidently raising his paddle.
Sophie leaned toward Lena, voice sharp with sarcasm. "What do you think—bidding for Madison or trying to win you back with shiny jewels?"
Lena didn't flinch. "It doesn't matter to me."
But someone else was watching.
Ethan, silent at first, felt a twist in his chest as he saw Anthony casually lifting his hand again, inching the price higher. What if he's trying to give that necklace to her? he thought. What if it works?
And just like that, Ethan raised his own paddle.
Sophie's eyes widened as the bids escalated. "Oh? Now it's getting interesting."
The numbers climbed rapidly. Anthony threw a cold glance across the room—but Ethan didn't flinch. His eyes remained calm, fixed on the auctioneer. He placed the final bid without hesitation.
The gavel struck.
"Sold!"
Applause followed, but Lena sat in stunned silence as Sophie leaned toward her again, smirking.
"Well, well," she whispered. "Who's the lucky one Ethan Calloway plans to give a love necklace to?"
Lena glanced toward the stage where Ethan stood, composed and unreadable, the necklace now officially his. Her heart skipped, but she kept her tone light.
"For a woman to capture Ethan's heart…" she murmured, "she must be incredibly lucky."
*****
The cool night air wrapped around them as Lena and Sophie stepped out of the grand ballroom, the sound of laughter and soft jazz fading behind them. The event was over, but Lena still felt the thrum of it in her chest—especially after that final auction and Ethan's unexpected win.
They waited near the curb under the soft glow of the overhead lights, the valet station a blur of black suits and purring engines.
A sleek black car pulled up, the engine quiet but unmistakably powerful.
The driver's window rolled down and it was Ethan.
"You two need a ride?" he asked, his voice easy, but his eyes were trained on Lena.
Sophie nudged her with a grin. "Well, I'm not saying no to that."
Before Lena could protest, Sophie had already opened the back door and slid in. Lena hesitated, lips parting as if to say something—but then silently followed.
The car was warm and quiet, the faint scent of leather and cedarwood lingering in the air.
As they pulled out onto the road, Sophie leaned forward from the backseat, resting her arm along the console. "So, Ethan," she said with casual interest, "what was it really like? The special unit force thing. It's not exactly your average day job."
Ethan gave a small smile, eyes still on the road. "Tough. Demanding. Not always easy to talk about. But fulfilling, in a strange way. You learn what matters very quickly when everything's on the line."
"Sounds intense," Sophie said, clearly intrigued. "But kind of amazing, too. I mean, not everyone can do that."
He glanced at her briefly, amused. "Yeah, well. It's not glamorous. Just necessary."
Lena sat beside Sophie, quiet. She watched their interaction—the natural way they spoke, the ease of their exchange—and something small twisted inside her. Sophie and Ethan seemed to click effortlessly.
Maybe they could actually be good together, Lena thought, her gaze drifting to the passing city lights outside the window. Maybe Sophie deserves someone like him.
The rest of the ride was filled with light conversation between the two, while Lena remained mostly silent. Ethan glanced at her in the rearview mirror a few times, but she kept her eyes forward.
They dropped Sophie off first. She thanked him with a bright smile and a playful, "You're officially my favorite ride-share driver," before stepping out of the car.
Once she was gone, the silence settled heavily between Ethan and Lena.
She sat in the backseat, her hands folded neatly in her lap. Her eyes didn't meet his. Ethan adjusted the mirror and glanced at her. "You alright?"
"I'm fine," Lena replied, her tone polite but distant.
He tried again. "You didn't say much after the auction."
"It was a long night," she said softly, still not looking at him.
Ethan's fingers tightened on the steering wheel. He could feel it—the wall going up between them. Something had shifted, and he didn't understand why.
"Lena," he said, his voice quieter now, more careful. "Did I do something?"
She finally met his eyes through the mirror, her expression unreadable. "No. Not at all."
But the hollowness in her voice said otherwise.
The car slowed to a stop in front of her apartment building. Lena unbuckled her seatbelt and reached for the door.
"Thanks for the ride," she said quietly, her voice barely above a whisper.
And with that, she stepped out, the door closing behind her with a soft click that felt far too final.
Ethan sat there for a long moment, watching her disappear into the building—his hands still gripping the wheel, the echo of her distance lingering in the silence she left behind.