Dirty Little Secret (GxG)

SEASON 2, CHAPTER 23

Dria's POV

The evening air buzzed with excitement, a low hum that intensified with each step my mother and I took along the red carpet. I glanced over at her, feeling a rush of pride. Mom, the matriarch of Eduardo Enterprises, walked with poise beside me, her elegance demanding the attention of the photographers as much as her name. Tonight, she wore an air of finality mixed with pride, and I understood the significance of this event for her as much as I felt it for myself. After years of relentless work, she was finally stepping down. And passing that torch to me.

Dressed in emerald green, my gown whispered against the floor with each step, a striking contrast against the scarlet carpet. I'd chosen the color carefully—it was a statement of strength, confidence, but above all, resilience. I felt all eyes on us as we moved forward, and as cameras flashed in every direction, it hit me: this wasn't just any evening, and I wasn't simply attending as the daughter of Alice Eduardo. This was my debut in a role that only a few years ago, I would never have seen myself in. Yet, here I was, ready to claim it.

The last time I'd attended this ball, I'd felt lost, wide-eyed, caught in the dazzle of luxury and fame. I'd looked to Sandra then as though she were my world, entranced by the glamour she represented. It was almost laughable now, thinking back on that younger, more naïve version of myself. Tonight, I felt... different. Standing here, the same event, yet my perspective had changed entirely. I was no longer looking in from the outside—I was part of this world, more than Sandra or anyone else could have ever imagined.

Just as we reached the center of the carpet, the reporters surged forward, microphones and questions launched like arrows. One voice broke through the din.

After we finally made our way to our table, I sank into my seat, grateful for the reprieve. The clamor of the red carpet faded into the background, and I allowed myself a brief moment to simply take it all in. The ballroom was as beautiful as I remembered, perhaps even more so with time's embellishments. Crystal chandeliers glittered like stars against the domed ceiling, and elegantly dressed guests drifted from one conversation to another, the air thick with whispered power and unspoken alliances.

Funny, how ten years ago, I would have been awestruck by all this, feeling as if I were wandering through some enchanted palace. Now, I could see through the glamor, recognize the ambition beneath the smiles, the subtle but unmistakable calculations behind every glance. This world, for all its elegance, ran on the fuel of power and wealth.

****

The room was a sea of glittering jewels and polished smiles, the atmosphere buzzing with anticipation. D Empire's annual charity ball had truly outdone itself this year—the grandeur, the meticulous décor, every detail curated to perfection. My gaze swept across the ballroom, but my mind kept drifting to the last time I'd stood in this same room, heart open and vulnerable. So much had changed, and yet some things felt eerily the same.

The hostess took to the stage, her voice polished, her words echoing through the hall. "Good evening, ladies and gentlemen, and welcome to the most anticipated night of the year—the annual D Empire charity ball," she announced, her tone bright and rehearsed. There was polite applause, but I could sense the room's collective impatience for what everyone was truly waiting for—Sandra's grand entrance, the inevitable auction, the spectacle.

Sandra. I straightened in my seat, a fleeting chill passing over me. Sandra would emerge from the shadows in her signature style, that compelling presence that somehow demanded the attention of everyone in the room. And as much as I fought it, I could feel the anticipation rising within me too. Part of me dreaded the sight of her; another part... I couldn't deny it. I was curious. I wanted to see her again, if only to reassure myself that I was no longer that girl entranced by her every move.