The world didn't pause for Ava Reid to adjust to being Mrs. Knight.
Three days after their impromptu marriage, the headlines hadn't died down. The speculations hadn't faded. If anything, the public's obsession with the story had only grown louder.
And tonight, she was expected to face it head-on.
The Knight Foundation Charity Gala — a glittering sea of billionaires, celebrities, royalty, and sharks. Ares would be attending, and for the first time, Ava was going with him — not as a plus-one, but as his wife.
"Breathe," Harriet whispered, tightening the clasp on Ava's gown. "And remember: walk like your heels cost more than someone's rent. Smile like you've never been scared. And if anyone asks how the wedding was, lie."
Ava stared at her reflection.
The navy blue silk gown hugged her curves like a whispered secret. Her hair was styled in an elegant sweep, makeup flawless. She looked like she belonged in this world.
She didn't feel like it.
But then Ares walked in.
Wearing a black-on-black suit tailored to menace and perfection, he looked at her like he'd forgotten how to blink. His expression didn't change, but something in the air shifted.
"You clean up nicely," he said.
"And you look exactly like the devil I married," she shot back.
His smirk was faint, but real.
Then he stepped closer. "Tonight, they'll all be watching. They'll expect affection."
"I know how to fake a smile," she replied.
"I'm not talking about smiles."
His hand grazed her back, his touch burning through the silk. "I'm talking about this."
Before she could respond, he took her hand — firm but gentle — and placed it on his chest. "Feel that?"
His heart was steady. Cold. Controlled.
"You're not afraid," she murmured.
"I don't have time for fear," he replied.
She tried to pull away, but he caught her chin between his fingers. "But if you embarrass me tonight… then you should be."
Her breath caught.
Then he offered his arm.
"Shall we, Mrs. Knight?"
---
At the Gala
The Knight Foundation Gala was held at a glass-walled rooftop ballroom overlooking the city skyline. Photographers lined the red carpet, drones hovered for aerial coverage, and high society buzzed like bees circling a queen.
The moment Ares stepped out with Ava on his arm, the flashbulbs exploded.
> "Ares Knight's mystery wife revealed again!"
"First public appearance of Mr. and Mrs. Knight!"
"Is this real? Or just a show?"
Ava smiled like her life depended on it.
Because tonight, it did.
Every camera, every whisper, every pair of judgmental eyes — all of them focused on her.
They stepped into the ballroom, and it felt like the temperature dropped. Whispers curled through the air like smoke.
Ares guided her to a private table at the center of the room. "You're doing well," he said.
"You say that like I'm performing on a tightrope."
"Because you are."
Then Elena arrived.
Draped in red again, her eyes locked on Ava with a smile that belonged in a villain's monologue.
"Elena," Ares greeted coolly.
"I didn't know your charity events now included charity weddings," she said with acid sweetness.
Ava leaned forward, smiling. "It's true. I saved him from a lifetime of being emotionally constipated."
A guest nearby choked on champagne.
Elena's mask slipped for a second. "Careful, dear. In this world, temporary wives disappear overnight."
"And in this world," Ava replied, "some women never stop living in denial."
Ares cleared his throat, amused. "Ladies."
Elena walked away, her heels stabbing the floor like accusations.
"That," Ares said, "was entertaining."
Ava didn't reply. Her hands were shaking under the table.
---
Later – The Kiss
Ares touched her shoulder. "Time for the couple's toast. All eyes on us."
He stood and offered his hand. "Follow my lead."
Ava rose beside him as a hush fell over the ballroom.
Ares raised his glass. "To love — in its strangest forms. To loyalty — even when it's unexpected. And to the woman who walked into my life like a storm and refused to leave."
The crowd smiled. Awed. Enchanted.
Ava blinked up at him, stunned.
Then Ares turned to her.
And kissed her.
Not a polite, performance kiss.
A real one.
Slow, hot, and deep enough to blur reality.
She forgot the cameras.
Forgot the room.
His lips moved against hers like he meant it. Like she wasn't just some contract bride.
When he finally pulled away, the applause was thunderous.
Ava was breathless.
"Wh-what was that?" she whispered, once they sat down again.
He didn't look at her. "That was for the cameras."
But something in his voice cracked.
And she knew — even if he denied it — that kiss hadn't been in the script.
---
But Not Everyone Was Clapping
Near the back of the room, someone watched them.
A man in a gray suit, face half-hidden behind a glass of wine.
His eyes never left Ava.
And in his hand, he held a photo of her — years old.
"You finally found him," the man murmured. "Let's see how long it lasts… this time."