"Nicolas has told me so much about you," the woman said, her voice dripping with false sweetness. "You’re even more beautiful than he described."

Hazel’s lips curved into a cool, measured smile. "I’m sure he did."

The tension between them was thick.

The woman’s eyes flickered with something sharp and calculating, but she kept her smile in place. Her hand rested lightly on Nicolas’s arm, her fingers curling into the fabric of his suit like she was claiming him.

Nicolas’s smile widened, though it didn’t reach his eyes. "Let me introduce you to the others. There are some people I’d like you to meet."

He gestured toward the room, his gaze fixed on Hazel, watching her reaction closely. He wanted to see her squirm, to see her uncomfortable, to see her lose that calm composure while he stood beside another woman, a woman more beautiful than her, with skin a hundred times better than hers. He wanted to make her feel small, insignificant, replaceable.

Hazel’s expression didn’t change. She took Dominique’s arm, her touch light and confident.

"Lead the way," she said.

The words were simple, but the tone was not. She spoke like she was ordering a servant, like he was beneath her, like his grand party and his important guests meant nothing to her.

Nicolas’s smile faltered. His jaw tightened. He did not like being spoken to that way, especially in front of his staff and guests. His eyes flickered with irritation, but he quickly masked it.

But he couldn’t make a scene in front of the others. He couldn’t let anyone see his composure breaking. So he forced the smile back onto his face and led them through the crowd, his steps stiff, his shoulders rigid.

Dominique and Hazel immediately veered toward Leo and Bella’s side, leaving Nicolas standing alone in the middle of the room with his carefully prepared introductions dying on his tongue.

He fumed.

His hands curled into fists at his sides. His eyes followed them, burning with irritation. The vein in his forehead throbbed.

Annoying.

Dominique leaned toward Leo, his voice dropping into an exaggerated old man tone. "You look dashing, young man."

Leo didn’t even glance at him. His gray eyes were fixed on something across the room, his expression unreadable, his posture still and commanding.

Dominique was used to being ignored by Leo. It didn’t bother him. He had been ignored by Leo for all time. It was practically their love language at this point.

"Oh, you’re ignoring me again," Dominique said, shaking his head dramatically. "One day I will die, and you will be crying the most. You’ll regret every single time you ignored me."

Leo lifted his eyes slowly to look at him. His gray eyes were calm, steady, unreadable. "That day will never arrive."

He said it so flatly that for a moment, Dominique wasn’t sure if it was a dismissal or a promise.

But Leo meant it. In his heart, he meant every word. He would protect Dominique. He would protect all of them. That day would never arrive because he would make sure of it.

Hazel frowned, her brow furrowing. "Don’t say such things."

The thought of Dominique dying, even as a joke, made her chest feel tight and uneasy. She didn’t want to think about it. She didn’t want to imagine a world without his laughter, his dramatics and his ridiculous antics. Her hand tightened on his arm.

Bella nodded, her brown eyes earnest. "Yes, yes. She’s right. Don’t say such words."

"Oh, come on," Dominique said, laughing. "It’s not like I’m going to die anytime soon."

He laughed but no one else did.

Bella’s expression remained serious. Hazel’s frown deepened. Leo’s gaze was steady and unreadable.

Dominique’s laughter faded. He looked around at their faces, suddenly uncomfortable.

"Okay, okay," Dominique said quickly, waving his hands in surrender. "Let’s change the topic. Who wants to talk about something else? Anything else? The weather? The food? The terrible music?"

Before anyone could answer—

The lights dimmed slightly, and a spotlight fell on the center of the room where Nicolas stood, holding a microphone. His face was flushed with excitement, his smile wide and triumphant. He looked like a peacock spreading its feathers, proud and oblivious.

Nicolas announced, his voice echoing through the grand hall. "Ladies and gentlemen, thank you all for coming tonight. I wanted to share some exciting news with you, news that marks a new Chapter for me and my company."

The crowd murmured, leaning in with interest.

Nicolas continued, his voice swelling with pride. "As you know, I’ve been working tirelessly to expand my business, to reach new heights, to build something truly extraordinary. And tonight, I am proud to announce that I have secured a partnership with the Sinclair Group!"

Applause rippled through the room.

Nicolas beamed, his chest puffing out. "This partnership will allow me to take my company to the next level. We will be expanding into new markets, developing cutting-edge technologies and creating opportunities that will benefit not just myself but the entire industry."

He paused, letting the words sink in.

Nicolas declared, his voice growing louder. "With this collaboration, I am confident that I will soon achieve a status that rivals–no— surpasses, even the most established names in our world."

His eyes flickered toward Leo, a smug smile playing on his lips.

The crowd followed his gaze.

Leo remained still, his expression unreadable. His gray eyes were cold and distant, as if he hadn’t heard a word Nicolas had said.

Bella pressed her lips together, struggling to contain her laughter. She glanced at Leo, then at Dominique, then back at Leo.

Their eyes met.

There was laughter in their eyes, barely contained.

Sinclair Group was Zeke’s family company. Which meant Nicolas had just announced a partnership with a company that was secretly controlled by Dominique’s best friend. A company that was about to destroy him from the inside.

Bella looked at Dominique, who was also trying to control his laughter. His shoulders were shaking, his hand pressed to his mouth, his eyes sparkling with mischief.

Bella whispered, her voice amused. "Did you plan this all?"

Leo asked, his tone surprisingly light, almost amused. "Did you plan all of this?"

Dominique nodded proudly, his grin threatening to break free. "Every single detail."