Silver should have looked away the moment their eyes met across the ballroom.
The Winter Gala swirled around them in a symphony of elegance—crystal chandeliers casting prismatic light across polished floors, the string quartet weaving melodies that seemed designed to make even the most cynical observers believe in romance, couples moving in graceful patterns that transformed the space into something from a fairy tale. Conversation and laughter created a sophisticated backdrop of voices that spoke of academic achievement and social success.
But once her gaze locked onto Eli Hayes positioned near the bar like an anchor point in a sea of constant motion, everything else blurred into irrelevance. He didn't move toward her or gesture for attention. He simply stood there with characteristic stillness, his presence both calm and commanding while chaos swirled around him, watching her with the kind of focused attention that suggested he'd been waiting specifically for this moment.
