Unexpected Spotlight

Dominic slowly turned his head to look at Camilla. His dark eyes narrowed into sharp slits, staring at her as if she were an absolute idiot who had just spoken a foreign language.

"When did I ever say I'd buy it for you?" he asked. His voice was laced with a freezing disdain that cut straight through the ambient noise of the luxurious auction hall.

The surrounding guests in the VIP section instantly stifled their snickers, casting amused glances at the awkward pair. Camilla froze rigid in her plush velvet seat. A sudden wave of bewilderment and humiliation washed over her heavily contoured face, rapidly draining the color from her cheeks. She opened her mouth, her manicured fingers twitching against her clutch. She wanted to frantically press the issue and salvage her shattered pride in front of the city's watching elite. Before she could form a single desperate excuse, Caleb's charismatic voice captivated the vast room once again, mercifully drawing everyone's attention away from her embarrassment and back to the glowing stage.

"To perfectly showcase the blinding beauty of the Pink Star necklace, I will personally invite a gorgeous lady from the audience to wear it on stage," Caleb announced enthusiastically. He paced the length of the platform, the massive pink diamond glittering fiercely behind him.

Hearing this, Camilla immediately straightened her posture, smoothing the invisible wrinkles from the fabric of her expensive designer dress. A smug, triumphant smile spread across her lips, erasing her previous humiliation. She was a striking figure in Valdira, accustomed to the spotlight. She was absolutely certain that Caleb, honoring the immense power and financial influence of the Kensington Group, would choose her for this distinct honor. In her mind, this sparked a desperate fantasy. She pictured herself gracefully ascending the carpeted stairs, bathed in the spotlights, wearing the legendary diamond against her bare collarbone. She imagined a mesmerized Dominic finally approaching her under the glittering lights, overwhelmed by her unmatched radiance.

"Camilla, you are so incredibly beautiful. Marry me!" Dominic would declare passionately in her pathetic daydream, slipping a massive diamond ring onto her finger.

Her vivid fantasy was spectacularly shattered into a million pieces. Caleb stopped at the very edge of the stage and pointed directly at the center of the VIP section with a theatrical flourish.

"Ms. Chloe, please come up to the stage and show us the magnificent Pink Star!" Caleb called out boldly.

Instantly, every single eye in the massive room turned like a synchronized wave toward Valerie. Stunned and frozen in her seat, she stared blankly at the smiling man on the stage. Internal panic gripped her chest tightly. She frantically wondered why on earth he had not chosen Octavia. The globally recognized jewelry endorser was literally sitting a few tables away, radiating professional confidence, and actually knew how to present luxury items to a ravenous crowd.

Amused by her wide-eyed bewilderment, Caleb smoothly hopped down from the elevated stage. He confidently strode over the thick carpet and extended his large hand toward her. His playful eyes locked onto hers, silently daring her not to back out in front of the gathered elite.

Valerie remained motionless, her mind racing for a polite refusal. She turned her head slightly, catching encouraging, forceful nods from both Kendrick and Octavia. Octavia even flashed a bright, reassuring wink, silently urging her to accept the invitation and step into the limelight. Valerie took a deep breath, her chest rising and falling beneath the silk of her dress. She summoned her dormant courage, smoothed the elegant folds of her jade-white gown, and gracefully placed her trembling hand in Caleb's waiting palm.

To the crowd's utter delight, Caleb immediately bowed low. He pressed a gentle, lingering kiss to the back of her fair hand. Her cheeks flushed with an unexpected warmth at the courteous, old-world gesture.

The audience erupted in speculative whispers as they walked slowly and elegantly up the carpeted stairs to the stage.

"Are they a couple?" a woman murmured loudly from the second row.

"Chloe is a world-famous designer now, and the Design Director of the NEX Group. She looks amazing with Mr. Lancaster!" another guest gossiped eagerly, marveling aloud at how perfectly the stunning woman physically matched the handsome Lancaster heir.

Out of the eager crowd's direct line of sight, Valerie viciously pinched the soft flesh of Caleb's waist.

"How dare you trick me!" she murmured through a perfectly plastered smile.

Caleb hissed quietly, rubbing his side while keeping his own dazzling smile intact for the flashing cameras. "Be gentle, Chloe. This is exactly what you promised me before."

Valerie gave him a stern warning look, her eyes flashing with temporary annoyance. "Humph, I'll forgive you this time. It won't happen again."

Her displeasure quickly melted away as they reached the center of the stage. Stepping under the brilliant lights, she felt a genuine thrill. As a passionate designer, having the rare opportunity to examine the magnificently crafted Pink Star up close was a professional dream come true. The sheer craftsmanship of the platinum chain fascinated her beyond measure.

While the crowd cheered loudly and the pair exchanged their intimate banter, Dominic sat rigid in his chair. His handsome face had turned as cold as the arctic frost. When Caleb had first mentioned the name Chloe, Dominic had been curious. He had wondered what kind of arrogant woman would coldly refuse his prior dinner invitation without a second thought. Discovering that the celebrated designer was actually Valerie left him utterly dumbfounded.

Watching Caleb kiss her hand fueled a consuming fury inside him. Seeing her actually blush beautifully in the spotlight rather than pull away from the contact made his blood boil. His jaw clenched so hard it ached, the muscles ticking dangerously beneath his skin.

*How could she be so intimately close to Caleb?* he thought bitterly. He remembered a vastly different version of her. He painfully remembered the shy girl who used to blush furiously just from accidentally holding his hand in public. Now, she was whispering to Caleb like no one else was around, allowing him to kiss her in front of hundreds of people. The visual betrayal stung more than he cared to admit.

Looking closer at her breathtaking jade-white gown and the cascade of her long curly hair, a sickening jolt of realization hit him in the gut. Kendrick had been affectionately holding his own sister earlier, not a girlfriend. The familiar silhouette that had bothered Dominic all night finally made perfect sense.

The disturbing sight of her smiling so freely at another man on the stage forcibly pulled Dominic's mind back to the nightmare of five years ago.

It had been an exhausting week. After heartlessly settling Helena and Camilla at the hospital and ensuring their immediate needs were met, he had dragged his body back to the Kensington residence. It marked the third consecutive day since he had last laid eyes on Valerie.

He had stubbornly expected the mundane routine upon unlocking the heavy front door. He expected a warm bedroom radiating comforting light into the hallway. He anticipated a desperate hug the second he stepped inside the foyer. He assumed a hot dinner would be waiting patiently on the dining table, a silent testament to her unwavering devotion regardless of his own coldness.

Instead, he stepped into a chilling void. The massive house was pitch black, silent, and unnervingly cold. The bedroom was swallowed in deep shadows. The expensive sheets and heavy quilt on their marital bed were freezing to the touch, looking as if the sprawling residence had been unoccupied for months.

Pissed off by the frustrating emptiness greeting him, Dominic tossed his car keys onto the console table with a sharp clatter. He pulled out his phone, his thumb hovering aggressively over the screen. He was ready to furiously call Valerie's number and demand to know where she was and why the house felt like a deserted tomb.

Just as he unlocked the screen, his sharp eyes caught a sliver of moonlight catching on something out of place. He paused, his breath catching painfully in his throat. His gaze landed on a piece of crumpled white paper resting silently on the windowsill.