Amara's POV:
The party was going really well, and I'd fallen into an easy rhythm with a few of Jia's colleagues. They were curious about my work, and I found myself just as curious about theirs. For a while, the conversation flowed like sparkling water—light, unexpected, almost fun.
Then I saw…Julian.
He stood across the room like a shadow stitched into the glittering crowd. He didn't seem to notice me—at least not yet—but the sight of him hit like ice water down my spine. The air, moments ago warm and full of music, thinned until each breath felt sharp. Every soft note of the jazz trio suddenly sounded distant, and the chandelier's glow turned too bright, almost cruel.
I wanted to find Jia, to anchor myself in her easy laugh, but she was across the hall, happily immersed in a conversation with her seniors, no doubt gathering the career advice she'd mentioned earlier. I couldn't pull her away, not for this. Not for me.
"Miss Amara."
A familiar, steady voice brushed against the panic, low and soothing as a tide. I turned and there was Mr. Mickelson—Vihaan—standing behind me, a warm smile easing the hard edges of the moment.
"Come, let me introduce you to someone," he said, extending a hand in a quiet, confident gesture.
For one fragile minute, I let the sound of his voice and the calm weight of his presence make me forget. The music softened again; the room steadied. I followed him through a cluster of guests, my heart slowing—until it lurched painfully back to life.
Because the man waiting with a cordial smile was a ghost from the darkest corners of my past.
"Amara," Vihaan said gently, "meet Mr. Liam Salvatore, our business partner. And Mr. Liam, this is the intelligent and dynamic engineer from our upcoming project."
My stomach tightened. Liam Salvatore. My uncle. The name was a key turning in a locked room inside me.
And as if the night meant to prove it could still grow darker, introductions unfurled one by one:Mrs. Amelia Salvatore—my aunt, her eyes too familiar.
Then Olivia Salvatore, my cousin. She swept in with a bright, practiced smile and a confidence that shimmered like her sequined dress."Vihaan! It's been forever," she said, letting her hand linger a little too long on his sleeve. "We were just talking about you the other day. You never return messages."Her voice was syrup-smooth, her posture leaning in—an unspoken claim.
Vihaan answered politely, but I noticed the brief flicker of discomfort in his eyes…followed by a glance toward me. A soft frown crossed his face, subtle but certain, as if he felt the storm beneath my stillness.
"Excuse us for a moment," he said smoothly, giving Olivia a courteous nod that was also unmistakably final. "I promised Amara I'd show her the gallery on the other side before it gets crowded."
Without waiting for protest, he shifted slightly, offering me a quiet path away. His hand didn't touch mine, but his presence felt like a steadying anchor as we stepped back into the gentle hum of the party—away from the shadows of my past.
"Are you okay?" Vihaan's voice was low, steady, as he handed me a chilled glass of water. The stem trembled lightly between my fingers, though I wasn't sure if it was the glass or my own hand. Concern softened every line of his face, eyes searching mine like he could will the answer out of me.
I tried to breathe, but the night felt heavy, pressing memories into my chest.Why would someone like him ever be interested in me—after seeing that past?People want warmth. Wholeness. A family without cracks.Not someone carrying shadows and scars.The thought throbbed, cruel and certain.
I wanted to cry, to empty the ache, but the tears refused to move. His lips kept forming gentle words—comfort, maybe questions—but all I heard was a dull roar inside my own head.
"I… I want to go," I whispered, the syllables barely holding together.
Before he could answer, I slipped away, needing air that wasn't laced with ghosts.
The cool night outside was a balm and a blade at once. I wrapped my arms around myself and tilted my head back, searching the sky for something steady. City lights drowned out the stars.
My phone buzzed. Jia.For a heartbeat, I'd forgotten she was even here—forgotten why I was here at all.
"You are not leaving without me," her voice came warm and sure, a melody against the chaos. "I'm coming. Just wait for me."
The call ended before I could argue.
A few minutes later, I saw her hurrying across the courtyard, blue dress rippling like a small flame. Beside her was Vihaan—Mr. Mickelson—his long stride effortlessly keeping pace.
Guilt twisted through me. I'd walked away while he was still speaking, no goodbye, no explanation. I'm horrible, a voice in me whispered.
Jia reached me first, eyes wide with worry. "Ama… what happened? Are you hurt? You look pale."
Behind her, Vihaan stopped just a step away, his usual effortless confidence replaced by something quieter, almost boyish—a carefully contained concern that made my throat tighten. The man who always seemed composed, untouchable, now looked as if he'd been caught in a sudden storm.
He didn't rush in with questions. He just stood there, a steady presence, the faint city lights sketching a gentler line around his face.It was as if he was trying to figure out what he might have done to cause this, and at the same time silently promising that, whatever it was, I wasn't alone.
"I'm fine. Just a little headache, nothing more," I said, trying to make the lie sound whole. But of course he wasn't convinced. A lawyer like him reads hidden truths for a living.
"Sir, I'm so sorry for leaving so suddenly," Jia said to Vihaan. "But I think she needs some rest."
He nodded once, a quiet acceptance.
We left the building, and I felt his gaze follow me until the night swallowed us.
In the car, Jia finally broke the silence. "I saw those people there—the Salvatores. Why didn't you call me?"
"It happened so fast," I murmured, still watching the blur of city lights. "Mr. Mickelson introduced me before I even realized they were there."
"I heard Liam is his business partner?""What?" Jia's voice spiked with disbelief."In the whole world, they found this company to partner with?" she said, her frustration sharp as glass.
"Hmm, I didn't know how to react when I got face-to-face with them. I just wanted to leave, and in that rush, I really ignored Mr. Mickelson. I need to say sorry to him," I said while still figuring out what to do.
"Yeah, you need to, he informed me about your condition, then only I got to know, "Jia replied, and her reply made me even more guilty about my behaviour towards him.