We'll See About That

The heavy bass of the ballroom music finally faded to a dull, rhythmic thud as Clara slid the heavy glass door shut behind her. She stepped out onto the cool, dimly lit balcony, desperate for a brief, quiet reprieve. The glittering, suffocating crowd inside the Opulence Group anniversary party had been draining her energy by the second. Out here, under the sprawling night sky of Jentis, she could finally breathe.

She stepped up to the stone railing, letting the evening breeze brush against her heated skin. For a fleeting moment, she closed her eyes, savoring the silence.

That peace was violently shattered.

An overpowering, sickening wave of designer perfume suddenly flooded the small space, choking the fresh air right out of Clara’s lungs. She didn't even need to turn around to know who was invading her sanctuary.

Selena stepped out from the shadows, a teasing, venomous smile plastered across her meticulously contoured face. "Well, what a small world," Selena purred, openly mocking Clara’s sudden presence. "I never imagined I'd bump into you at an elite Opulence Group event. Tagging along with someone, are we?"

Clara slowly turned her head, her gaze sweeping over Selena with deliberate slowness. Selena was wearing an aggressively seductive outfit—a plunging crimson dress that left absolutely nothing to the imagination. It practically screamed for attention, tightly clinging to her curves and putting her assets on full display.

Unfazed by the blatant hostility and the desperate display of skin, Clara merely smirked. She turned fully, resting her hands elegantly on the rough stone railing behind her.

"I seem to run into plenty of familiar faces here," Clara replied, her tone dripping with bored condescension. She tilted her head slightly. "Ms. Wexley, who are you to me exactly?"

Selena’s smug expression instantly chilled. The fake smile shattered, replaced by a rigid, furious glare. She closed the distance between them, her heels clicking aggressively against the stone tiles.

"Let’s get one thing straight, Clara," Selena warned fiercely, her voice dropping into a harsh hiss. "Sebastian and I have been perfect together for the past few years. Ever since your divorce, he has been immeasurably happier. Don't harbor any pathetic delusions of winning him back just because you decided to crawl back to Jentis."

Clara stared at her for a second, then let out a loud, genuine scoff. She didn't look threatened; she looked utterly entertained.

Tilting her head, Clara nodded toward the floor-to-ceiling glass doors they had both just walked through. Through the transparent panes, the party was in full swing. "Instead of worrying about me, his ex, maybe you should look out for all those younger, prettier women hovering around Sebastian these days."

Selena’s eyes darted toward the glass. Inside, standing remarkably close to Sebastian, was superstar actress Freya Lukan. The younger woman was tossing her hair back, laughing brightly at something Sebastian had just said.

A violent crimson flush crawled up Selena’s neck and exploded across her cheeks. She whipped her head back to Clara, furiously accusing her. "I trust Sebastian completely!" she snapped, though her trembling hands betrayed her. "But you? You're a different story."

Selena took another step forward, aggressively pointing a manicured finger at Clara. "He was isolated in Monara for most of the past five years. We built an empire together out there. And now, the moment I finally have him back here, you miraculously show up? You perfectly timed your return to Jentis just as he was moving his massive business operations back from overseas. I won't let anyone—especially you—ruin what we have."

Clara’s brow twitched slightly. Monara? He had spent the last five years in Monara? A brief flicker of surprise crossed her mind. She hadn't known that. But just as quickly as the thought arrived, she crushed it. She remained entirely indifferent to his business timeline. It didn't matter where he had been or what he had built. It meant absolutely nothing to her.

Clara sighed, pushing herself off the stone railing. She stepped right past Selena, stopping just beside the furious woman's shoulder. She gave a provocative, pitying shake of her head.

"You want to know why I came back?" Clara challenged. Her voice dropped low, dripping with a dark, unapologetic satisfaction. "Well, let me spell it out: I'm here to make sure everyone who ever hurt me never has an easy time again. And you... you're one of them."

She didn't wait for a response. Leaving a seething, completely speechless Selena standing alone in the cold air, Clara seamlessly re-entered the party. The heavy glass door clicked shut behind her, cutting off the suffocating cloud of perfume.

The glittering lights of the ballroom instantly washed over Clara as she melted back into the high-society crowd. She navigated through the sea of designer suits and expensive gowns, quickly returning to Jeremy's side.

"Everything alright?" Jeremy asked, noting her swift return.

"Perfectly fine," Clara replied with a crisp smile.

Jeremy stepped aside slightly, gesturing to a striking, elegantly dressed man standing next to him. "Clara, let me introduce you. This is Victor Soran, the charming and powerful vice CEO of Opulence Group."

Victor’s eyes lit up with undeniable interest as he looked at Clara. He flashed a warm, genuine smile. "Ms. Valerius. It's a genuine pleasure. I've heard incredible things."

Gracefully accepting his polite greeting, Clara smiled back. "The pleasure is mine, Mr. Soran."

"Would you do me the honor of a dance?" Victor asked smoothly, gesturing toward the polished dance floor where a slow, sweeping melody was just beginning to play.

Clara didn't hesitate. She knew exactly how these corporate networking games were played. "I'd love to."

She allowed Victor’s hand to rest lightly on her waist as he expertly guided her out onto the floor. They fell into an easy rhythm, the world spinning around them in a blur of silk and light.

High above the crowded, glittering hall, inside a secluded, glass-walled private lounge, the atmosphere was entirely different.

Sebastian leaned back against the plush leather sofa, his long legs crossed. He casually sipped an amber drink from his crystal glass, listening to Jared Soran speak.

"Mr. Varkas, it's a massive move," Jared said, leaning forward eagerly. "Shifting all your overseas R&D centers back to their home soil. The market is going to lose its mind."

"It's already in motion," Sebastian smoothly confirmed, his tone strictly business.

He intended to keep his focus on Jared, but as he shifted his weight, his dark gaze dropped uncontrollably to the sprawling dance floor below. Through the pristine glass, his eyes instantly locked onto a familiar silhouette.

Clara.

She was twirling effortlessly in Victor Soran's arms. A soft, radiant smile painted her lips—a smile she was freely giving to another man. Sebastian’s jaw tightened imperceptibly. His dark eyes narrowed, morphing into an intense, unblinking stare that tracked her every single movement across the polished floor.

Sitting across from him, Jared noticed the sudden drop in temperature. He followed Sebastian's gaze down to the dance floor and swallowed hard. Catching the intense, almost predatory look in Sebastian's eyes, an uneasy wave of panic hit Jared. Everyone in Jentis knew the messy history between Sebastian Varkas and Clara Valerius.

Desperate to smooth things over, Jared quickly attempted to justify Clara's presence.

"Uh, Mr. Varkas," Jared started nervously, clearing his throat. "About Ms. Valerius... Opulence Group and Valerius Holdings recently signed a highly lucrative five-year deal. She just happened to be back in the country to oversee things. Tonight is purely a business networking formality."

Sebastian stared at the dancing couple for another long, agonizing second. Then, he forced his gaze away.

He stared down into his glass, swirling the amber liquid once more. When he finally looked up at Jared, his lips curved into a smile that was faint, hollow, and utterly detached.

"Mr. Soran, you really don't need to worry," Sebastian stated evenly, his deep voice betraying absolutely none of the violent turbulence churning beneath the surface. "The Valerius Dynasty and I ended our marriage alliance ages ago... We're basically strangers now."

Jared let out a breath he didn't realize he was holding. "Right. Of course."

Down below, the sweeping music finally faded to a halt. Clara stepped back gracefully, offering Victor a polite nod of thanks before slipping out of his hold.

She made her way back to Jeremy, grabbing a fresh glass of champagne off a passing waiter's tray. As she turned, her eyes caught movement in the crowd.

Sebastian and Selena were actively making their way through the dense sea of guests, heading directly toward her. Sebastian's dark, piercing gaze was locked squarely on her face.

Clara’s expression didn't even flicker. She decided right then and there that she had had enough of the evening's theatrics. She didn't even bother offering the approaching couple a single glance.

Leaning in close to Jeremy, she murmured a quick excuse. Before Jeremy could even fully nod, Clara seamlessly melted into the dense crowd. She moved with practiced elegance, slipping out the side doors and disappearing into the night long before Sebastian could ever reach her.

Exactly one week later, the glamorous, suffocating Opulence Group party was nothing more than a distant memory.

Inside the quiet, minimalist walls of her office at Valerius Holdings, Clara sat completely consumed by her towering piles of design work. Sketches, fabric swatches, and thick project binders completely covered her massive desk. She had a pencil tucked behind her ear and her hair tied up in a messy bun, blissfully ignorant of the outside world.

She didn't even look up from her laptop screen until the office door suddenly burst open.

Maya marched in, kicking the door shut behind her. She was carrying two massive takeout bags and a six-pack of cold beer, looking both exhausted and wildly energized.

"Alright, workaholic, put the pen down," Maya commanded, dropping the bags onto the small glass coffee table with a heavy thud.

Clara blinked, pulling herself out of her design trance. Her stomach instantly gave a loud rumble at the smell of the food. "You are an actual lifesaver," she groaned, pushing her chair back and practically collapsing onto the office sofa next to Maya.

As Clara finally paused to eat, Maya eagerly popped open a cold beer, breathlessly sharing the explosive media fallout from the anniversary party.

"You have absolutely no idea what's happening out there, do you?" Maya asked, practically vibrating with excitement. "Ever since you showed up... the entertainment media has been going crazy digging up your past with Sebastian."

Clara frowned slightly around a mouthful of noodles.

"And that's not even the best part," Maya continued, quickly pulling out her phone and swiping through a dozen different tabs. She shoved the glowing screen toward Clara. "Now they're even officially shipping you with Mr. Soran. Look at these headlines!"

Clara scanned the viral articles. There were high-definition photos of her and Victor dancing, accompanied by wildly exaggerated captions about a new power couple in Jentis.

Clara let out a helpless, exhausted sigh at the ridiculous, completely manufactured media circus. She shook her head, grabbing a can of beer and taking a long, much-needed sip. "I haven't been back in years. I forgot how insane the gossip cycle here is."

Maya merely snickered, tossing her phone onto the sofa. "Oh, please. You're Jentis's undisputed top beauty. I confidently assure you, there are undoubtedly more than a few powerful men losing sleep over you right now."

Clara rolled her eyes, taking another bite of her food. "Let them lose sleep. I have actual work to do."

Maya chuckled, but as she leaned in closer over the cluttered desk, her playful, teasing tone instantly vanished. The shift was jarring, snapping into something deadly serious.

"Actually, speaking of work..." Maya lowered her voice, her eyes locking onto Clara’s. "Clara, rumor has it that Sebastian's planning to talk to Valerius Holdings about actively acquiring Rothesis Studio."