Jossy lifted her chin, plastering on a wide smile, her hand slipping automatically into Damien's elbow as she played with her wedding ring.
Damien, of course, thrived in the spotlight. His grin was wide, confident, his voice loud and endearing. "We'll be celebrating somewhere special. Bora Bora, maybe," he announced smoothly, pausing for dramatic effect. "And yes, soon there will be some good news."
The media and the crowd erupted with cheers and more questions.
Jossy kept her smile frozen in place, her cheeks aching. Inside, she wondered how long she could keep playing the role of the perfect wife, especially when the man at her side wasn't the one she had once fallen for, but a stranger who had mastered the art theatrics.
At the entrance, Jossy thought of how she had been to countless galas since marrying Damien, yet every time felt like walking into a stage play. The gowns, the champagne, the conversations about money and power, none of it interested her. She smiled anyway, adjusting the diamond bracelet on her wrist, reminding herself that this was the role she had chosen. She had made the choice herself, and had made the vows too.
Damien moved through the crowd, his hand pressed on Jossy's back, guiding her like she was a robot. They paused first near his parents. His mother's eyes lit up when she spotted Jossy, her expression warm, a rare softness compared to Damien's usual sharpness.
"Darling," Mrs. Rothwell said, taking Jossy's hands. "You look radiant. Doesn't she look radiant, Anthony?"
Mr. Rothwell adjusted his suit as he nodded approvingly. "You're just what this family needed. You anchor Damien."
Jossy smiled as she answered, "Thank you, it's good to see you both." She endured the usual small talk, questions about their anniversary, half-hints about grandchildren, and comments about the Rothwell Corporation. Damien stood beside her with his easy smile, though his grip on her waist tightened whenever she said something he didn't fully approve of.
As their conversation went on, Jossy got tired of the fake smiles and excused herself to freshen up. She passed the long hallway toward the restrooms, but instead of entering, she slipped through a side door onto one of the balconies.
The cool night was easy on Jossy's skin as she leaned against the railing, and as the weight of the evening fell away in the quiet, she slipped off her heels and set them beside her, curling her toes against the cold floor. She needed a few minutes where she wasn't "Damien's wife". Here, she was just Jossy, a girl who can breathe without being told that she did it wrong.
"Jossy?" a familiar voice broke the silence.
Her head turned around, and standing at the far end of the balcony was a tall man with broad shoulders and a face that hadn't changed since she last saw him two years ago.
"Noah?" she breathed in shock. "You're back? Damien told me you went abroad after college. When, when did you come back?"