Laughter echoed through Riah's small apartment as she and Nessa twirled, fussed, and adjusted one another's outfits.
The yellow gown hugged Riah's curves perfectly, flowing like liquid sunlight, while Nessa's own dress sleek, dark, and bold — complemented her friend's brilliance.
"You do realize people are going to stop breathing when they see you?" Nessa teased, brushing a stray curl from Riah's face.
Riah laughed softly, a mix of nerves and excitement. "Stop it, Nessa… you're embarrassing me."
"Good," Nessa said, grinning wickedly.
The sound of soft footsteps interrupted them. Riah's mother appeared in the doorway, her pale hands wringing a small napkin, her fragile frame still radiating warmth despite arthritis and fatigue.
Her eyes glimmered with pride, though they were shadowed with worry.
"You both look beautiful," she said, voice trembling just slightly.
"Riah… make them remember your smile. And Nessa, keep that fiery spirit of yours in check or at least try," she added with a faint chuckle.
Riah stepped forward, taking her mother's hands gently.
"Thank you, Mom. Wish us luck."
Her mother nodded, her lips curving into a soft, loving smile. "You'll do fine. Just be yourselves."
With that blessing, the two girls stepped out into the night of Lucid City, the streets glimmering under wet pavement and neon lights.
The evening air was crisp, carrying the distant hum of the city and the soft promise of something new.
Tonight, they weren't just two girls from ordinary lives.
Tonight, they were sunlight and fire, stepping into a world of glittering chandeliers, soft music, and a fundraiser that would change everything.
And unbeknownst to them, somewhere high above the city, a pair of dark blue eyes lingered, observing every move.
The fundraiser hall glittered under chandeliers that spilled soft golden light across the polished floors.
Guests in elegant gowns and tailored suits mingled, their laughter and clinking glasses filling the grand space with warmth and sophistication.
Riah and Nessa entered, arms linked, hearts beating a mix of excitement and nerves.
Nessa's sharp black eyes scanned the room like a hawk, ensuring everyone was in line with her plan, while Riah's yellow gown shimmered softly, the fabric catching the light as if it had been spun from sunlight itself.
Her dark caramel skin glowed, the dress accentuating every divine curve, her aura radiant and impossibly captivating.
From across the room, a shadow detached itself from the wall.
Lucian Fox leaned casually against a marble column, his tall, massive frame perfectly still, yet impossible to ignore.
His jet-black hair fell slightly over his forehead, almost hiding the piercing dark blue of his eyes.
A tailored suit clung to him like a second skin, every inch of his sculpted, Greek-god-like body hinted at power and precision, his dragon tattoo over his neck picking out like trying to see the light .Centuries of life had taught him restraint, control, and the art of observing without being observed yet something about this moment made even him pause.
And then he saw her.
Riah.
Not in passing. Not as a blur of movement.in the swoon of the crowd was a pausing moment as if time was revolving around her but as a single, radiant presence that seemed to glow even amidst the glittering lights.
The yellow gown hugged her curves perfectly, flowing like liquid warmth around her dark caramel skin.
Her long wolf-cut hair framed her face, lashes brushing her cheeks as she looking around her deep hazel eyes but from afar looks deep brown the kind of eyes that'll make you hold your breathe for a short while the kind the seem cheerful but somehow not so far from tears, she laughed softly at something Nessa said revealing those deep dimples one can't help but fall helplessly in love the faint scent of lavender and chocolate reached him even from across the room subtle, intoxicating, impossible to ignore.His eyes narrowed ever so slightly, a flicker of something ancient and curious igniting behind their calm blue depths as his gaze came a stop at her bare back making his blood boil as if she has stir something inside him he had seen beauty's. He had seen lives full of power, of wealth, of secrets spanning centuries.
But her aura the light she carried despite hardships, the fire beneath her gentleness tugged at something he had long buried.
He glanced toward the man at his side — Louis Ray, centuries younger than Lucian but no less sharp.
"She's captivating," Louis said, his voice low, knowing Lucian's gaze had already fixed on the girl but it's on like you man to be this fixated on a woman but I see why .
Lucian didn't reply immediately, his eyes lingering on Riah as she laughed with Nessa, unaware of the storm of attention she had just drawn.
Something about the girl's presence so alive, so genuine made him momentarily forget the weight of centuries but he wasn't going to accept and he wouldn't let himself act, though he wouldn't admit it to anyone, a small, imperceptible smirk touched his lips.
This one… was different.
After mingling for a while in the glittering hall, Riah felt the need for a quiet breath.
The soft hum of conversation and the clinking of glasses faded as she stepped out into the garden, the cool night air brushing against her skin.
The garden was a sanctuary of soft lights, neatly trimmed hedges, and blooming flowers that perfumed the air with a subtle sweetness.
Riah wandered along the paved paths, her yellow gown swaying with every step, the silk brushing against her skin like whispers of sunlight.
She found an empty bench, tucked away from the crowd, and sat down, closing her eyes for a moment she opened them staring at the stars appreciating nature once more a sad sight gave out
"I hope your proud papa".
Somewhere nearby, a shadow lurked.
From the corner of the garden, a figure watched her intently.
Dark blue eyes pierced the night, following her every movement, calm yet sharp, ancient yet focused riah felt it before she even saw it a presence that pricked at her senses, tugging at her awareness.
Her gaze lifted toward the corner, drawn by something she didn't understand.
Her feet moved almost unconsciously toward it, curiosity blooming despite caution. So close as she got she felt this cold breeze gliding down her skin as if the atmosphere increased in its cooling temperature so saw those deep blue eyes staring at her surprised at her own bravery she didn't feel scared, or confused just overwhelmed at her own pace wanting to see what hid in the shadows
" hello whose there" she said
Riri!" a familiar voice broke through, startling her.
She turned to see Nessa hurrying up behind her. "There you are! I've been looking for you? Come on, the director wants to talk. Don't we have convincing to do?"
Riah glanced once more toward the corner.
The shadow, the pulling aura, was gone.
She let herself turn, walking back toward the event hall, mind racing, heart still thrumming with unaccountable curiosity.
Back inside, she moved among the top donors, speaking passionately about the children's hospital, convincing people to give, to care, to believe in the kids.
Her words were heartfelt, her presence radiant — yet somewhere in the back of her mind lingered the memory of that silent pull from the garden.
Meanwhile, Nessa had been drawn to someone of her own.
Across the hall, a dark, handsome figure stood tall huge ripped, his aura magnetic, impossible to ignore.
Something about him was drawing her in the the short crew cut , the well sculpted features, the wolfish calm in his piercing silver eyes speak mystery, his enticing pale lips which she couldn't help but stare at drew her forward, compelling her steps.
Her thoughts began to wander, a mixture of curiosity and something far stranger fascination she hadn't expected.
She imagined the strength of his arms, the warmth of his presence, how those lips would taste and despite herself, her feet continued moving toward him.screaming in her head why she feels this way about a man she knows nothing about. She wasn't the type to shy away from her feelings she was straightforward always grabbing the bull by its horn, she organised her thought and greeted
Good evening," she said boldly as she reached him, the straight-forwardness she had always been known for surfacing naturally.
"I'm Vanessa Gray but you can call me nessa
The man's lips curved in a slow, faint smirk.
"I know who you are, Vanessa Gray. Or should I say… Nessa, daughter of Gray Oscar, CEO of Gray Oils."
Nessa raised a brow, perplexed but unsurprised. "Seems like you know me well."
"Well enough," he replied, his gaze steady, calm, and penetrating.
Nessa tilted her head, glancing away from his lips ,as tho to restrain herself from committing a sin and screaming to her rotten thoughts she felt her composure slipping.
"How…?" she whispered.
"I'm Louis Ray," he said casually. "Owner or should I say founder of Lucid Hospital. And owner of your father's company."
Before she could react, her father and stepmother appeared, walking toward them.
"Oh, Mr. Louis, I see you've met my daughter, Nessa. She's soon to be director of the company," her stepmother said with a forced smile.
Nessa felt her skin crawl at the words, her desire to retreat rising — yet something about Louis's presence, his strange, magnetic charm, held her in place.
Louis had been aware of her long before tonight.
That day she had hit the man in the Range Rover, that fiery courage — it had piqued his curiosity.
When she entered the hall, she had been the first person to catch his attention.
Her doll-like black eyes, the way she carried herself like the star of a show, her innate pull it drew him in like gravity.
He had been in the arms of women over centuries, yet this particular lady… made him wonder.
Wonder what it would feel like to have her laughter around him, her warmth near him.
A smile tugged at his lips as he observed her from a distance, his centuries-honed patience challenged by the intensity of his curiosity as he laughed at the thought he just had .
And then he noticed her friend — Riah in the yellow gown.
Even from across the room, her radiant presence and the effortless light she carried seemed to command the air around her.
A flicker of something unfamiliar intrigue, fascination, maybe even admiration crossed his face. As he met the gaze of his friend and found lucian piercing gaze at the lady on the yellow dress .
"Interesting," he murmured to himself, his eyes shifted to the girl who looked like a sheild to the lady in a yellow dress the girl whose doll eyes kept drawing him in, the lady whose aura tugged at him in ways centuries had not taught him to resist.
The evening drifted into a glow of soft laughter and sparkling glasses as the fundraiser reached its peak.
Riah and Nessa had managed to charm nearly every guest in the hall Riah with her gentle sincerity, and Nessa with her fierce confidence that could convince even the most stone-hearted businessman to donate.
Every table they visited, every speech they gave about the children especially little Marcus seemed to pull at hearts. Cheques were signed, promises were made, and the director himself could not stop smiling at the two women who had made the night shimmer brighter than the chandeliers above.
When the event began to slow, Nessa found herself once again drawn to Louis Ray. His mysterious charm had not faded through the night — if anything, the dim golden lights of the hall made him even more unreal. They talked briefly about the hospital, about her father's company, about charity… but beneath the polite words was a tension that neither could quite explain.
Before she left, Louis leaned closer and said with a small, knowing smile,
"We'll be in touch soon, Miss Gray."
His voice carried a weight that made her heart skip — smooth, commanding, and dangerous all at once.
Nessa only nodded, pretending not to care, but her pulse betrayed her.
The way her heart raced intensely made Louis stare at her one more time before walking away he wonder how she would taste with that sweet scent of rose coming from her and those red bloosom lips how it will feel when he bite into her skin how sweetly her blood will taste , smiling at how red she was when she was talking it was obvious to him she was fight the urge of something he wouldn't want to say.
The night ended with the girls walking out under the soft city glow. The moonlight danced on Riah's yellow dress, and Nessa couldn't help but grin, teasing,
"You were the real show tonight, Miss Sunshine."
Riah chuckled, brushing her hair back, "Oh please, Nessa, you were too busy charming half the men there including that tall mysterious man of yours."
Nessa smirked, her tone sharp and playful,
"Louis Ray, hmm. I wouldn't call him mine, but I wouldn't mind if he tried.
They both laughed as their driver pulled up. By the time they reached home, Riah's mother had gone to bed, and the city had quieted under a thin veil of mist.
But as Nessa sat on the couch, she couldn't stop replaying Louis's face in her mind — the way he looked at her, as if he saw through her. She didn't know if she liked it or hated it.
Across the room, Riah stood by the window, her hand on the glass, her mind far from the city.
Her thoughts wandered to the shadow she'd seen in the garden — those deep blue eyes that seemed to pull her in like a secret she wasn't supposed to uncover.
She could still feel the strange energy that had surrounded her, the silent pull she couldn't explain.
Nessa's voice broke her trance.
"Can you believe Louis Ray said we'll be in touch? I mean, he's basically one of the most powerful men in the city, Riri!"
Riah turned and smiled faintly.
"Maybe fate just likes messing with us, Nessa."
But even as she laughed softly, she couldn't stop wondering Who was that man in the shadows ,why was she so drawn to him
And why did she feel like he was still watching her, even now?