The grand ballroom of the Royal Crescent Hotel shimmered beneath crystal chandeliers.
Elegant music drifted through the air as Rosewood's wealthiest families arrived for the annual Heritage Foundation Gala.
Luxury cars lined the entrance.
Camera flashes illuminated the night.
Inside...
Aaron adjusted the cuff of his black tuxedo while Ethan reviewed the evening's schedule.
"The mayor will arrive in fifteen minutes."
"The charity auction begins at eight."
"And several investors have requested private meetings."
Aaron nodded absentmindedly.
His attention wasn't on business tonight.
It was on someone else.
A soft knock sounded at the suite door.
Ethan opened it.
For a brief moment...
He simply stared.
"Miss Bakers..."
Celina stepped inside, looking both graceful and nervous.
She wore the midnight-blue gown that Eleanor Hart had given her weeks earlier.
The fabric flowed elegantly around her, and the delicate silver embroidery shimmered beneath the lights.
Her hair was pinned into a simple, elegant style.
She wore almost no jewelry.
She didn't need it.
The dress alone made her look breathtaking.
Aaron turned.
The moment he saw her...
Everything around him seemed to fade.
Neither of them spoke.
Ethan cleared his throat with a grin.
"I'll... wait outside."
The door closed quietly behind him.
Celina smiled nervously.
"I hope this dress isn't too much."
Aaron slowly shook his head.
"No."
His voice was softer than usual.
"It's perfect."
A faint blush colored her cheeks.
"Thank you."
He offered his arm.
"Shall we?"
She hesitated for only a second before placing her hand gently on his arm.
Together...
They walked toward the ballroom.
Across the room...
Eleanor Hart stood speaking with several distinguished guests.
The moment she looked toward the entrance...
Her smile faded.
Celina.
In that dress.
Just as she had imagined.
For one brief second...
It was as though time had turned backward.
Her heart tightened.
She truly looks like Isabella...
Before she could gather her thoughts...
Another woman entered the ballroom.
Sophia Barrett.
The elegant woman who had recently returned to Rosewood after years abroad.
The moment her eyes landed on Celina...
She froze.
Her champagne glass trembled slightly in her hand.
"No..."
"It can't be..."
She stared at Celina's face.
Then at Eleanor.
Then back again.
Memories she had buried for twenty-five years rushed back all at once.
A rainy night.
A frightened young woman.
A newborn baby.
A promise.
A secret.
Sophia whispered almost to herself,
"She's alive..."
Her breathing became uneven.
Across the room, Eleanor noticed Sophia's reaction.
Their eyes met.
Both women understood something immediately.
Neither of them had expected this night.
Neither had expected the past...
...to walk through the front door.
Meanwhile...
Celina remained completely unaware.
She smiled politely as Aaron introduced her to several guests.
Unlike the previous gala, she no longer seemed overwhelmed.
She had grown more confident.
More comfortable.
Watching from nearby...
Aaron couldn't help noticing how naturally she spoke with everyone.
She treated wealthy philanthropists and hotel staff with exactly the same kindness.
Edward Steel smiled proudly.
"She's remarkable."
James nodded.
"Money impresses many people."
"But kindness..."
"That's much rarer."
At the edge of the ballroom...
Sophia quietly stepped away from the crowd.
Her hands were still trembling.
She reached into her handbag and removed an old, faded photograph she had carried for decades.
In the picture...
Two young women smiled beside a small cherry blossom tree.
One was Eleanor.
The other...
A beautiful young woman whose eyes looked exactly like Celina's.
Sophia closed her eyes.
"The truth..."
She whispered.
"How much longer can it stay hidden?"
Unaware that the past was closing in around her...
Celina laughed softly at something Daniel's doctor had just said.
Aaron looked at her and smiled.
Neither of them noticed...
That two women across the ballroom had just realized the same impossible truth.
The secret buried for twenty-five years...
Had finally found its way home.