Seduction and Power

Chapter 1: Gabriella

I stood in front of the mirror, running a brush through my hair. The long black strands fell smoothly down my back, catching the last bits of fading sunlight streaming through the window. My green eyes, a trait that always seemed to spark curiosity, reflected back at me, a mix of exhaustion and anticipation lingering there. After a long day at the fashion house, I should've been dead tired, but instead, I felt alive, that familiar glimmer of excitement building beneath the surface.

Tonight was the gala, the launch of my latest collection. It was a big night—not just for my career, but for me. The room would be filled with the city's elite, people who wielded power in ways that made others either fawn or tremble. But I'd learned long ago how to hold my own in rooms like that. I never let the attention go to my head, never let people get too close. A laugh, a joke—keeping things light was always the safest option.

Still, tonight felt different, though I couldn't quite put my finger on why. I had a nagging feeling that something was about to shift. My stomach fluttered, not with nerves, but with a strange sense of expectation.

With a final glance in the mirror, I grabbed my clutch and headed out the door, ready to face whatever—or whoever—this night had in store.