Chapter 26
Alison
The night of the gala, I dressed with care.
The midnight blue gown clung to my curves like it had been made for me, then spilled to the floor in soft waves of silk.
It wasn't just beautiful—it was armor. Every tuck and drape was a shield against the questions, the whispers, and the part of me still aching for someone who wasn't here.
My mother—still unfamiliar on my tongue, still a little strange in my heart—stood behind me, her hands deftly weaving my hair into an elegant twist. She'd loaned me a diamond necklace that glittered like starlight against my collarbone.
"This necklace has been in our family for generations," she said, clasping it carefully. "Your grandmother wore it to her debutante ball. I wore it when your father introduced me to the board." Her fingers lingered at my nape before resting on my shoulders.
I met her eyes in the mirror. We looked alike in ways that startled me sometimes. To think that I could have spent my life not knowing her, not seeing the resemblance in our eyes, in our smile, if fate hadn't brought us together.
"You look beautiful, darling," she said softly. "But… sad. Are you sure you're ready for this?"
I drew in a slow breath and let it go, the reflection staring back at me composed but uncertain.
"I'm sure I need to move forward," I said.
She didn't argue. Just gave my shoulders a gentle squeeze and kissed the top of my head before stepping away.
The gala was spectacular. Held in the grand ballroom of the city's most prestigious hotel, the room shimmered with opulence.
Crystal chandeliers bathed the space in warm, golden light, casting a glow over white linen-covered tables and gleaming silverware.
Waiters in black waistcoats moved in a quiet, efficient rhythm, while a string quartet played something haunting and delicate in the corner.
Victor greeted me at the entrance, the crowd parting as if to frame him. He looked every bit the part in a tailored tuxedo that fit his lean frame perfectly. When he saw me, his eyes softened.
"You're breathtaking," he said, and lifted my hand to his lips with old-world charm. "Thank you for coming."
I managed a smile, one I wasn't sure reached my eyes. "Thank you for inviting me."
He didn't push. Just offered his arm, which I took.
Inside, the evening unfolded with choreographed elegance. Victor was the consummate host—gracious, polished, magnetic. He guided me through conversations with ease. With every toast, every carefully constructed compliment, I saw the man Victor was: reliable, impressive, admired.
And he was attentive. Not overbearing, not suffocating. Just present.
He kept my champagne glass full, noticed when I drifted, and redirected conversations when someone veered too close to the subject of Lucas. He didn't mention his name once—not even in passing. For that, I was quietly thankful.
But even in the laughter and music and glittering smiles, I felt the hollow space beside me. The one Victor didn't notice, but I couldn't ignore.
After dinner, Victor rose and gently tapped his glass with the back of a spoon. The soft chime cut through the buzz of conversation. All eyes turned toward him as he stepped onto the small stage where the string quartet had just finished their set.
He adjusted the microphone, his expression easy, composed. I felt a flicker of nervousness. Victor wasn't prone to surprises, and yet something in the air shifted, like the moment before the overture began.
"My friends," he began, his voice carrying clearly over the crowd. "Thank you all for being here tonight. This gala is not just a celebration of the year's successes, but a moment to pause, reflect, and look ahead."
I felt a strange tightness in my chest, a premonition I couldn't name. My fingers curled around the stem of my champagne glass, the crystal trembling slightly in my hand.
"And for me," Victor continued, eyes sweeping the room before settling—intentionally—on me, "this night is also about gratitude. For new beginnings."
My breath caught. Why did he look at me that way? There was a hunger in his eyes that I couldn't deny.
The applause that followed was polite, unaware. I managed to smile, nodding at someone who complimented my dress, but I wasn't really listening. My eyes were on Victor, who stepped off the stage with a glass in hand, making his way back to me.
He smiled when he reached me again, the familiar warmth in his gaze.
"I meant what I said," he murmured, standing just close enough for only me to hear. "This night is for moving forward. You are the brightest thing in this room tonight, Alison."
There was a different edge to his voice now, and it made me tremble. Was there more to his gala than just a simple night out?
He offered his hand again. "Dance with me?"
I hesitated, but then placed my fingers in his. The music swelled.
And as he led me to the floor, spinning me beneath the chandelier's soft light, I closed my eyes and let him guide me.
But somewhere deep within, I was still dancing with a memory that refused to fade.
Victor and I danced for a while before someone else came to ask me to dance.
Victor let go of me with a smile, and I watched him walk to the end of the room where he spoke with one of the security guards in hushed voices.
I turned away from that and decided to focus on this dance.
This was why I came. For the distraction. I should let myself be distracted.
As we continued to dance, I noticed Victor pick up a microphone and tapped on it to draw attention to himself. The look on his face told me something was about to happen.
"Good evening, friends and colleagues," Victor began, his voice carrying across the room. "I want to thank you all again for joining us tonight to celebrate the continued success of our company."
Polite applause followed.
"But I have a personal reason for gathering you all here as well." His eyes found mine in the crowd. "Alison, would you join me?"
A spotlight swung to me on the dance floor, and my heart jumped into my throat. With all eyes on me, I had little choice but to stand and make my way to the stage, where Victor took my hand.
"Alison and I have known each other for years," he continued, addressing the room but looking only at me. "She has been an incredible asset to our company, a brilliant mind, and a dear friend."
I could feel the curiosity rippling through the crowd, could see the expectation in their eyes.
"The past few months have been difficult for Alison, as many of you know.
But throughout it all, she has shown remarkable grace and strength.
" Victor turned to face me fully now, taking both my hands in his.
"I've admired you for years, Alison. And recent events have only confirmed what I've long suspected—that you are the most extraordinary woman I've ever known. "
My breath caught as Victor dropped to one knee, producing a velvet box from his pocket. Inside was a stunning diamond ring, glittering under the spotlight.
"Alison Black, would you do me the honor of becoming my wife? Let me be the partner you deserve, the father figure your son needs."
The room spun around me as hundreds of eyes watched, waiting for my answer. Victor's face was open, sincere, his proposal public enough that it couldn't be part of some hidden agenda.
But I couldn't do it. Victor was a wonderful man.
He was steadfast, kind, and everything anyone could ever ask for.
He had been there for me when I needed someone the most, offering me the kind of unwavering support that helped me stand when I was crumbling.
For the past five years, he had been nothing short of amazing.
With him came the promise of stability, the stability that made so much sense for me to pursue, and not the storm in a teacup that Lucas was.
But I didn't love him. I never had. Not in the way that mattered. He didn't make my heart pound or steal my breath with a single glance. He didn't make my hands tremble or my thoughts spiral like Lucas did.
I couldn't do it. I couldn't tie my life to a man I didn't love.
Or… could I?