Chapter 107

• The chandeliers sparkled overhead, casting a kaleidoscope of light that danced across the polished ballroom floor. Laughter and music swirled around them, a distant celebration muffled by the wall they pressed against. Damien's heart raced, not from the crowds or the echoing sound of clinking glasses, but from the feeling of Charlotte so close. Her presence was intoxicating, and in this hidden corner, far from the prying eyes of the gala, their connection felt electric.
• Damien's hand gently cupped Charlotte's cheek, the warmth of his touch grounding them in a moment that felt suspended in time. He fought against the tide of desire that threatened to pull him under, knowing the consequences of what a kiss would mean—his engagement to Esther, the unspoken rules, the expectations tethering him to a life he wasn't sure he wanted anymore. But Charlotte's eyes, wide and shining with uncertainty, held an undeniable gravity. They were the catalyst for all his suppressed feelings.
• As seconds turned into forever, Damien wrestled with himself. He wanted to lean in, to close the space between them; yet the gravity of the decision weighed heavily on him. What would happen if he kissed her? Would it be a fleeting moment of passion overshadowed by guilt? Could he live with himself afterward? But even as he questioned the wisdom of his intentions, the aching longing in Charlotte's gaze stirred something he couldn't quite contain.