Chapter 3 Shadows in silk

Sophia told herself to breathe. Just breathe.

The hall was alive with chatter again, the momentary hush dissolving into laughter, but her skin still prickled with unease. Maria was too busy sipping champagne and winking at men in tailored suits to notice the change in the air.

Sophia wished she had Maria's confidence. Instead, she found herself edging toward the edge of the ballroom, where the crowd thinned and the chandeliers' glow softened into shadow.

She needed a moment. Just one moment to collect herself.

"Running away so soon?"

The voice was low, smooth, threaded with quiet authority. It slid down her spine like ice.

Sophia froze, her hand tightening on her clutch before she slowly turned.

Adrian Romano stood before her.

Up close, he was even more striking and infinitely more intimidating. His dark suit framed a body built on discipline and power. His face was cut from sharp angles, every line precise, as if the world itself dared not mar his perfection. But it was his eyes that held her-dark, unreadable, as though they hid storms she'd be a fool to touch.

"I'm not-" she stammered, her voice faltering. "I just needed some air."

His gaze flicked toward the balcony doors behind her, then back to her face. "The air out there isn't safer than in here."

Sophia blinked. "Excuse me?"

Adrian didn't answer. He sipped his scotch instead, watching her over the rim of the glass. The silence stretched, heavy with unspoken weight.

She should walk away. Every instinct screamed at her to leave. Yet her feet refused to move.

"You don't belong here." His words were soft, almost casual, but they cut through the noise of the party like a blade.

Sophia swallowed. "I know."

Something flickered in his gaze then-amusement, interest, maybe even approval. His lips curved in the faintest suggestion of a smile, though it carried no warmth.

Before she could gather herself enough to respond, Maria appeared at her side, breathless with excitement. "Sophia! There you are-" She stopped abruptly when her eyes landed on Adrian. Her expression shifted instantly, her playful smirk replaced with something more cautious. Respectful.

"Mr. Romano," she murmured, almost bowing her head.

Adrian's gaze lingered on Sophia a moment longer before he turned slightly, acknowledging Maria with the barest nod. Then, without another word, he set his glass on a passing tray and walked away.

Maria grabbed Sophia's arm the second he was gone. "Do you have any idea who that was?"

"Yes," Sophia whispered. Her heart still pounded. "Adrian Romano."

Maria's eyes sparkled with mischief. "And he talked to you. Do you realize how rare that is?"

Sophia didn't answer. She couldn't. Her thoughts tangled in chaos-half fear, half... something else. Something far more dangerous.

She forced herself to breathe again, but unease gnawed at her. She glanced around the hall, noticing things she hadn't before. Guards murmuring into earpieces. A man slipping a hand beneath his jacket for just a second too long. Two guests leaning in too close, their whispers too sharp for casual gossip.

The glittering façade of the gala suddenly felt fragile, like glass stretched too thin. One crack, and it would all shatter.

And when Sophia's gaze drifted back toward the far end of the hall, she found Adrian Romano watching her once again.

This time, his expression wasn't unreadable. It was warning.