The mont Sha stepped into the room, the air shifted.
Imdiately Chatter slowly died.
Then Glasses were lowered mid-sip. Heads turned. Eyes widened. One by one, everyone in the room tilted to look her way—almost as if drawn by a silent force.
Her heels tapped gently on the polished floor, the rhythm unhurried. She wasn’t trying to attract attention, yet every step scread confidence. Her dress flowed like silk against her skin, not too flashy but impossible to ignore. A soft burgundy tone hugged her body just right, and with each movent, the dress shimred under the subtle lighting.
For a mont, even Liam stopped breathing.
Avery blinked. "Is that... Sha?"
Emilia leaned forward, whispering, "But Avery said Sha wasn’t coming."
Across the table, Avery had already gone quiet. Her eyes followed Sha every step as she made her way toward the open seats.
’She really ca,’ Avery said inwardly, still stunned. ’Of all the tis we’ve invited her, she always had a reason not to show. But today? She chose today?’
Then, without aning to, Avery’s thoughts shifted. Her eyes narrowed ever so slightly as she studied Sha’s face, her calm poise, the way she carried herself.
’Still the sa... elegant, stunning, untouchable, she thought. If I’m the one who stands out in the room, Sha is the one people rember after they leave.’
She hated to admit it, but if beauty were a contest, was up there with the best, Always graceful. Always walking in like she belonged more than anyone else.
At that mont Avery’s lips curled into a tight smile as she watched Sha walk further in.
She couldn’t believe She dares to co here looking like that, her hand resting calmly against her glass, though inside, her anger simred.
’It’s fine. She’ll regret this. For crossing ... and for standing beside Valentina when she could’ve stood beside .’
The smile didn’t leave her face. It grew.
’She chose the wrong side. And today, I’m going to remind her of that.’
Because Avery wasn’t bluffing. She had heard sothing—sothing dangerous, sothing true—from soone who never got things wrong. Sha thought secrets could be buried, but Avery was about to dig them out and use them like sharp glass.
’Let’s see how she holds that elegance when the room turns cold around her,’ Avery mused.
anwhile, Sha had just finished greeting a few familiar faces when her gaze t Liam’s across the table.
There was a flicker in Liam’s eyes. For a second, he forgot himself.
’She looked... breathtaking.’
If it wasn’t for Valentina, maybe he would have stared longer. Maybe he wouldn’t have snapped out of it so quickly. But still, for that mont, sothing in him paused.
Sha approached with grace and gave a polite nod, her tone soft and respectful.
"Liam," she said, her voice calm but warm. "It’s been a while."
Imdiately Liam stood up slightly, adjusting his jacket, offering a short smile in return. "Yeah... You look— You look good, Sha."
Sha’s lips curved, but not too much. "Thank you. And you as well."
Their eyes held for a mont too long.
Avery, sitting just beside Liam, noticed—and narrowed her eyes.
Then Liam leaned a bit closer with curiosity in his eyes, his voice lower than before. "Sha, where have you even been all this while? It’s been ages."
Imdiately Sha gave a small smile, adjusting the strap of her purse. "Liam, co on. I haven’t been hiding or anything. I’ve just been... really busy. Work’s been insane."
"I heard you said you weren’t coming to these things again," Liam added, half-teasing, half-serious.
Hearing Liam said Sha blinked. "What? No, I never said that. That’s not true." She looked a little surprised. "If anyone said that, they probably misunderstood . I’ve just had a lot on my plate. That’s all."
Her tone was calm and steady. She wasn’t trying to start anything—and she certainly wasn’t going to let gossip turn into fuel for drama.
But Avery, standing just a few seats away, caught onto the exchange. Her expression didn’t change much, but her eyes told a different story.
’So she wants to act cool now,’ Avery thought bitterly. Pretend like she’s all innocent?
Without wasting anymore ti Avery, leaned toward her and muttered under her breath, "It’s fine. Let her talk. We’re just waiting for Valentina and her husband anyway."
Liam nodded slowly, hiding her smirk behind the rim of her glass. "Right. Just them."
Sha’s brows lifted slightly. "Valentina and her husband?"
Avery nodded. "Yes. They’re coming."
Sha looked genuinely surprised this ti.
Imdiately her voice softened. "She got married?"
Avery caught the little flicker in Sha’s face.
Sha held back her next words, but her thoughts were racing.
’So it’s true... she really did. And if it’s who I think it is...’
The weight of it landed hard on her chest. When she first heard the news, she didn’t believe it. But if Valentina was truly showing up married... and not to Liam... then this wasn’t just a reunion anymore.
At that mont Sha sat quietly, her fingers brushing against the hem of her dress, lost in her own thoughts as the chatter around the table faded into background noise. It had been so long. Too long. She hadn’t seen Valentina in forever, and truthfully, she had never imagined their next eting would be like this.
She shouldn’t even be here. Business had been rough—rougher than she let on. Her company was barely standing, and every day felt like she was running through sinking sand. But when she heard Valentina would be attending, sothing in her stirred.
She needed to see her, she didn’t know what exactly she wanted from Valentina—maybe just to look her in the eye, maybe just a quiet, honest exchange. Or maybe she just wanted to see if Valentina still had that sa quiet pride... or if she’d beco soone entirely different, the lovey friend she knew.
Sha looked around, adjusting her seat. The space was classy, polished, and arranged with elegance. When she glanced to her right, her eyes landed on two untouched chairs, specially labeled with cards.
Imdiately Her breath caught a little, Valentina... and her husband?
Their seats were placed right beside her. That detail made Sha smile—softly, quietly, genuinely. She didn’t know who arranged the seating, but it felt like a small blessing in the chaos.
’Perfect, she thought. I really wanted to see her.’
Imdiately She shifted slightly in her seat, tucking a loose strand of hair behind her ear. She wasn’t the woman she used to be when her business was thriving. Her confidence, once loud and radiant, had dimd. But today, despite it all, she had shown up. And it was all because of Valentina.
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