Chapter 118
Bella
Hand in hand, we walked onto the stage, the spotlight intensifying the already unbearable pressure. Ace positioned us in an intimate dancing stance, his arm firmly around my waist. I looked anywhere but at him, focusing on the glittering chandeliers, the elegantly dressed guests, the polished marble floor—anything to avoid his gaze.
We moved to the rhythm of the song, our bodies in sync, but a chasm of silence lay between us. Ace's eyes bore into me, his intensity almost tangible, but I steadfastly ignored him. The words those gossiping women had said echoed in my mind, their cruel judgments cutting deeper than I wanted to admit.
Ace pulled me closer, his touch both familiar and foreign. He twirled me, and my internal turmoil surged. I wasn’t enjoying this, but I wasn
