Sadie’s POV
The gala hall was alive with laughter, clinking glasses, and the subtle hum of conversation, but none of it registered fully in my mind. My focus was singular, almost obsessive: Liam. Every glance I stole toward him made my pulse spike. Every subtle movement, every precise step he took, every faint smile that curved his lips was a reminder that our arrangement was far more than business.
I hated that I noticed it. Hated that my thoughts kept circling back to him, replaying every touch, every brush of our hands, every fleeting moment of proximity. And yet, I couldn’t stop. I wasn’t sure I wanted to.
He moved through the crowd like he owned the room, confident, precise, commanding. And I was acutely aware of the magnetic pull he had on me, how his presence alone made my chest
