The Room Changed for Her
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He didn't plan to notice her.
But the moment Isabella Hart entered the room, it felt as though the air had shifted. Every conversation softened, every gaze subtly turned. It wasn't her smile. It wasn't her outfit. It was the way in which she carried herself she screams confidence and power.
Adrian Cole, who prided himself on focus and self control, felt himself frozen. He had seen beautiful women before. But none had made him aware of his heartbeat, his breathing, and the shaken of his entire being. She was a first.
She moved like she owned the floor slow, deliberate steps, heels clicking against the marble in a rhythm that seemed to set the room's tempo. People instinctively gave her space, some with polite smiles, others with admiration and some with fear.
Adrian's eyes followed her, and he cursed under his breath. He wasn't supposed to notice, not now, not at this corporate networking event. He had work to do, clients to meet, deals to close. But Bella… Bella Hart had a gravity of her own. He has heard of her, but seeing her in person was an eye opener.
She paused at the table where he had been seated. Her green eyes scanned the room, locking briefly with his. He felt heat creep up the back of his neck.
"You're sitting in my seat," she said softly. Not commanding, not rude but with a final tone that gives no room for argument.
"I… I'll move," he stammered, standing immediately .
She didn't smile, didn't acknowledge him further. She simply settled gracefully, a faint smirk tugging at the corners of her lips, as if she had won a silent duel he didn't even know existed.
Adrian sat across from her, mind racing. He couldn't pinpoint why, but he knew in that instant that she would be impossible to ignore.
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The icebreaker came in the form of small talk, yet even here, she controlled the conversation. Every word she spoke carried weight, subtle hints of intelligence, humor, and challenge. When she leaned forward to emphasize a point, Adrian felt a pull he hadn't experienced before part fascination, part warning.
"So, you're Adrian Cole," she said, tilting her head slightly. Her voice was smooth, deliberate, each word chosen to intrigue, provoke, and test. "I've heard… interesting things."
He straightened. "I hope they're good things."
She arched a perfectly sculpted brow. "Some are. Some…well we'll see."
A spark ignited. Something unspoken, fragile, yet electric. He was aware of it, and she clearly enjoyed the knowledge. Her eyes gleamed with mischief, with power a subtle dominance that drew him in.
The evening unfolded, and Adrian found himself unconsciously seeking her attention, observing how she moved, how she laughed, how she subtly influenced the people around her. And yet, despite her control, there was a softness beneath the sharp edges, a warmth in her brief, thoughtful glances, a vulnerability she hinted at but never revealed fully.
As the event ended and people began to disperse, Adrian realized something terrifying and exciting, he wanted to follow her lead. He wanted to understand her rules. He wanted to see if he could keep up, to see if he could get to those sharp edges.
And, without fully understanding why, he knew he would, he was never the one to give up easily
Bella Hart had entered the room, and the world had shifted, whether he was ready or not.
The chase had began.