The reception hall glowed with warm light and gold accents, laughter echoing as champagne flowed. On the surface, everything looked perfect — a celebration of love, family, and joy.
But underneath?
There was a current — sharp, electric, shifting.
Elena walked back in first, trying to compose herself. Her cheeks were warm, her heart thudding too hard, and she kept replaying Adrian's voice in her head.
Tell me… are you really choosing him?
She barely made it a few steps before Daniel approached her, carrying two glasses of champagne.
"There you are — I was starting to think you vanished," he said lightly.
But his eyes studied her too closely. Too perceptive.
She forced a breath. "Just needed some fresh air."
Daniel handed her the glass. "You look… flushed."
She stiffened. "It's just warm in here."
Daniel didn't press — but he knew her well enough to sense that warmth had nothing to do with temperature.
---
Across the room
Adrian followed a minute later, controlled, composed — but not calm.
He moved like someone restraining himself from punching a wall.
Leela immediately waved him over. "There you are! We're about to toast — stand next to me, okay?"
She slipped her hand around his arm.
He didn't react outwardly.
But his eyes — unmistakably — flicked straight to Elena.
And he saw it.
Daniel standing close.
Too close.
Daniel leaning in to say something near her ear.
Daniel's hand hovering near the small of her back.
Adrian's jaw clenched just enough to make his temple flex.
---
Daniel notices
Daniel sensed it — the way Adrian's eyes didn't leave Elena for even a second.
So Daniel straightened subtly, and his hand did move to Elena's lower back. Not boldly. Not possessively.
But intentionally.
And oh… Adrian saw that.
His grip on his champagne glass tightened until the muscles in his forearm defined sharply beneath the fabric of his sleeve.
Leela followed his gaze and smirked.
"So that's Elena."
Her voice was sweet — strategically.
"You two seem rather… familiar."
Adrian didn't look at Leela.
Not once.
"Not particularly," he lied quietly.
Leela's eyes sparkled.
"Oh come on — the way you stare at her? You're practically carving your initials into her spine."
He finally glanced at Leela — but his expression was unreadable.
"Be careful with assumptions."
Leela only smiled wider.
"Oh honey," she whispered, "that wasn't an assumption."
---
Elena's unraveling
Elena tried to stay engaged in conversation, but her pulse spiked every time she felt Adrian's gaze slide over her.
She finally whispered to Daniel:
"I can't… I don't want to feel watched all night."
Daniel softened, protective.
"Do you want to leave? We can—"
"No."
She shook her head.
Her voice broke a little.
"I just need to breathe."
Daniel hesitated — then nodded.
He took her hand — gently, encouragingly — and led her toward the balcony doors to get some air.
---
Adrian breaks
He saw their hands touch.
It was small.
Innocent.
But to Adrian?
It was gasoline to flame.
He set his champagne down sharply. Leela flinched at the sound. But Adrian didn't look at her — he was already striding across the room.
Not running.
Not rushing.
But with purpose.
People moved out of his way, sensing something — intensity, danger, or just the aura of a man who could split the earth with his will if provoked.
He reached the balcony doors—
Right as Daniel and Elena stepped through them and closed the glass behind them.
Adrian stopped dead.
On the other side of the glass — like a cruel frame — he saw Daniel turn toward Elena, hands lightly on her shoulders, talking to her with gentleness.
Elena's eyes were lowered.
Adrian stared.
Daniel met his gaze through the glass.
A moment.
Frozen.
Daniel didn't drop his hands.
Adrian didn't look away.
Two men, two claims neither voiced… yet.
And Elena — caught between them, torn and unaware of the storm about to burst.
Leela approached behind Adrian, slipping her hand around his arm again, voice teasing and low:
"Careful. Someone might get the wrong idea…"
Adrian didn't blink.
Didn't breathe.
And in a voice so quiet it nearly vibrated:
"They should."