---
Sophia re-entered the gala, her mind swirling with the weight of the moment she had just shared with Mr. Lee. The dazzling lights and lively music felt distant, muffled by the racing of her heart.
She couldn’t shake the image of his vulnerable gaze, the way he had looked at her like she was the only person in the world.
Rose spotted her first, waving enthusiastically from the other side of the room. Sophia forced a smile, shaking off her lingering thoughts as she made her way over to her friend.
“Where’ve you been?” Rose asked, her brow furrowing with concern. “You look like you’ve seen a ghost.”
Sophia hesitated. “Just... handling something,” she said vaguely, not wanting to explain.
Alex, still at Rose’s side, raised an eyebrow but didn’t press. “Handling something or someone?” he teased, his tone light.
Sophia shot him a playful glare, grateful for the distraction. “You’re impossible, Alex.”
“True,” he said with a grin. “But seriously, you’re missing all the fun. Rose and I were just about to hit the dance floor.”
Sophia shook her head. “I think I need a moment to breathe first.”
But Rose wasn’t having it. Grabbing Sophia’s hand, she dragged her toward the center of the room. “Come on! You’re not getting out of this one.”
The three of them joined the crowd, laughter bubbling between them as they moved to the rhythm of the music. For a while, the world outside the gala seemed to fade away, and Sophia found herself smiling genuinely, her earlier tension melting under the warmth of friendship.
---
Across the room, Mr. Lee reappeared, looking more composed but still brooding.
His sharp gaze scanned the room until it landed on Sophia. She was laughing, her head thrown back in delight as Alex twirled her on the dance floor.
A pang of something unfamiliar and unwelcome twisted in his chest. Jealousy.
He hated the way Alex’s hand lingered on Sophia’s waist, hated the carefree way she smiled at him. His fingers tightened around the glass he held, his knuckles turning white.
* or was he seeing to things?*
Samantha approached him then, her presence as unwelcome as the feeling gnawing at him. “You disappeared for a while,” she said, her tone accusatory.
“I needed air,” he replied curtly, his eyes never leaving Sophia.
Samantha followed his gaze, her lips thinning as she realized who had captured his attention. “She’s... quite popular tonight,” she said, her voice laced with disdain.
Mr. Lee didn’t respond, his expression unreadable.
---
The music shifted to a slower tune, and couples began pairing off on the dance floor. Alex turned to Rose, a playful glint in his eyes. “May I have this dance?” he asked, extending his hand.
Rose blinked, a soft blush coloring her cheeks. “Me?”
“Of course, you,” Alex replied, his grin widening. “Who else would I ask?”
Sophia noticed the hesitation in Rose’s movements, and the shy way she placed her hand in Alex’s. A knowing smile tugged at her lips. She had always suspected Alex having feelings for Rose ever since they arrived, though neither of them seemed ready to admit it.
YOU ARE READING
SMITTEN BY HER (unedited)
Romance"Beyond Shadows" In a world where darkness reigns, a young orphan's dreams of becoming a veterinarian are shattered by her aunt's cruelty. But when she's drawn into the mysterious world of enigmatic Mr. Lee - a powerful figure rumored to be "more th...
