The gala was alive with glitter and sound. Crystal chandeliers cast warm light across the expanse of the Empire Ballroom, and laughter mingled with the deep hum of conversation. Chicago's finest were out tonight—CEOs, celebrities, investors, politicians—and at the center of it all, the Empire Brands family.
Sean Knight thrived in this environment. He had always been comfortable with charm, with the easy pull of people leaning in to hear him speak. Unlike Dwayne, who built walls of steel around himself, Sean had a way of disarming people with little more than a smile. It was effortless, like breathing.
But tonight, as he laughed with an old investor and spun off another witty remark, his attention was elsewhere. He couldn't stop watching Courtney.
