SCARRED HEARTS

CHAPTER 1: GALA

Lila Winters hadn't expected to find herself standing in the middle of a crowded ballroom, surrounded by gold chandeliers, clinking champagne glasses, and the kind of wealth that made her stomach churn. This wasn't her world. It was never meant to be.

She tugged the hem of her black dress nervously, glancing around the room, trying to hide her discomfort behind a calm face. The gown, borrowed from her cousin, felt too tight, too revealing for someone like her. She wasn't used to being noticed—not like this, not by people who had everything and wanted even more. Yet here she was, standing in the heart of a world she barely understood, at a gala hosted by one of the city's most powerful law firms.

Her cousin had practically dragged her here, claiming it was a chance to network. Lila had reluctantly agreed, hoping it would help her get a foot in the door for a job. After all, she'd only just moved to the city, and this was her first real chance to prove she belonged. The truth was, she was terrified. Terrified of making the wrong impression. Terrified of being exposed for the girl she really was.

"Lila," her cousin Emma said, her voice a little too loud as she grabbed Lila's arm. "You need to stop staring at the floor. Look around. You might see someone who can change your life. These are the people who can get you places."

Lila forced a smile, trying not to look as out of place as she felt. "I'm fine," she said, but even to her own ears, the words sounded hollow. She wasn't fine. She was drowning in a sea of gold and silk and whispered deals.

Emma, with her flawless, moneyed smile, didn't seem to notice. "I'm going to mingle," she said, "but stay close. You never know who you'll run into."

Lila nodded absently as Emma disappeared into the crowd. A glass of champagne was thrust into her hand by a passing waiter. She accepted it automatically, sipping slowly as she observed the elegant, polished people around her. The women wore dresses that glittered like stars, the men all impeccably dressed in tuxedos, their voices low, full of the kind of power Lila had only ever read about.

It was overwhelming. And despite the glass in her hand, she felt completely out of place.

"Would you care to join me for a dance?"

The voice was low, smooth, and undeniably commanding. Lila froze, her heart skipping a beat. She turned to see a man standing beside her—tall, with dark hair that was a little too perfect, his face sharp and impossibly handsome. His eyes—dark as coal—locked with hers, making her stomach flutter with something dangerous. She knew the moment she looked into those eyes that he wasn't someone she could ignore.

His presence was suffocating. Dominating. And something in him felt familiar, though she couldn't place why.

"I—I'm not really—" She started to refuse, but the man's gaze didn't waver. He didn't smile. He didn't need to. His expression was unreadable, as if he was already calculating her next move. And before she knew it, her hand was in his, being led across the polished marble floor.

Her pulse raced, and a voice inside her screamed to pull away, to make an excuse, but something about the way he held her hand, so firmly but without any discomfort, told her this was a man who didn't take no for an answer.

The orchestra played softly in the background as he positioned her in his arms. Her breath caught in her throat as he leaned in just slightly, his body a little too close for comfort, his breath warm against her ear.

"I don't think we've met," he said, his voice smooth, low, and dangerous.

Lila's mind scrambled to catch up. She had no idea who he was, but his commanding presence made her feel as though he was someone important. Someone she should know. "I'm... Lila," she said, almost shyly. "I'm just—just here with my cousin."

He gave a faint nod, as if that was the most trivial thing he'd ever heard. "Lila." His lips lingered on her name, like a soft caress. "I'm Sebastian Hawke."

The name hit her like a punch to the gut, though she didn't show it. Sebastian Hawke. Of course. She had heard the name in whispers, in hushed tones. The billionaire heir to the Hawke empire, the ruthless businessman who was said to control half the city's underworld with a cold, calculating grip. A man whose presence was enough to make grown men tremble.

But here he was, holding her effortlessly in his arms, moving with a grace that made her feel like she was drowning in his shadow.

"I've heard of you," she said before she could stop herself. There was no point in denying it. The city buzzed with his name—his deals, his power, his empire.

A smile tugged at the corner of his lips. It wasn't kind. It wasn't warm. It was the smile of a man who knew the effect he had on people. "I'm sure you have. Everyone has, in some way or another."

The dance floor seemed to shrink as he guided her through the steps with practiced ease. His hand was firm against her back, and with each movement, she felt the weight of his gaze on her—watching her, assessing her. The tension between them thickened with every passing second.

Lila tried to keep her focus, but it was hard. She could feel him in every step, every breath, like he was consuming the air around them. "You seem... out of place," he murmured.

Lila's heart thudded in her chest, but she kept her face composed. "I'm here to learn. To start over."

His eyes darkened. "Starting over is dangerous, Lila. Sometimes, the past follows you no matter how far you run."

Her blood froze at the edge of his words, but she didn't show it. "I'm not running," she said, her voice barely above a whisper.

Sebastian Hawke's gaze softened—just slightly. It was enough to unsettle her even more. He leaned in closer, just enough for his lips to brush her ear as he whispered, "We'll see about that."

The song ended, but he didn't release her right away. Instead, he held her there for a moment longer than necessary, his gaze searing into hers, as if measuring something, calculating.

"You'll want to stay close to me tonight, Lila. There's something about you that has me intrigued."

The world seemed to pause around them, and in that instant, Lila realized just how dangerously tangled she was about to become in his web.

Andfor reasons she couldn't explain, she didn't want to escape

thank you so much for reading i really hope you enjoyed!

<3