The hotel ballroom shimmered with glass, chrome, and ambition.
Amara stepped into the branding gala like she belonged there—which she did. But tonight felt different. Her name was on the program. She was one of three speakers scheduled to present on "The Future of Personal Branding in Urban Development." It wasn't just an opportunity—it was visibility, the kind that could redefine her agency's reputation.
She wore a sharp, deep emerald dress that fell just past her knees. Powerful. Unapologetic. No-nonsense.
But even dressed like armor, she felt the tension clinging to her skin.
Jaden would be there. So would Derrick.
Her stomach flipped.
She spotted Mia, her assistant, by the refreshment table and walked over.
"Mic's working. Slides are loaded. You good?" Mia asked.
Amara smiled, grateful. "I'm great."
She wasn't.
Fifteen minutes before her speech, she stepped outside for air—and ran straight into Derrick.
"Amara," he said, smiling like he had rehearsed it in a mirror. "Killing it tonight."
"I haven't said a word yet."
"You don't have to." He stepped closer. "But after you do, let's grab a drink. Just us. Talk real strategy."
She opened her mouth to respond—then paused.
Another voice interrupted. "Everything okay here?"
Jaden.
She turned, heart jerking a little too fast. He looked sharp in a midnight-blue suit, his expression unreadable.
Derrick grinned. "Just catching up with an old friend."
Jaden didn't smile back. "She's on in five."
With a polite nod that felt like a warning, Derrick walked away.
Amara took a breath.
"You didn't have to do that," she said softly.
"I know. But I wanted to."
They stood there for a moment, the noise of the event muffled behind glass. Then Jaden reached into his jacket pocket and handed her a folded card.
She opened it.
Inside:
"I trust you. No matter what you decide. – J"
Her throat tightened. "Thank you."
"Go show them who you are."
She nodded and walked back in—feet steady, voice ready.
The speech went flawlessly. Applause. Praise. New interest from two firms she'd never been able to get meetings with before. And when she stepped down from the stage, the first person she saw was Jaden.
He didn't say anything. Just looked at her like she was a whole universe.
In that moment, she knew.
Derrick represented her past ambition.
But Jaden?
He saw her future—not just as a brand, but as a woman, a partner, a builder of something more.