CHAPTER 17

Ethan's POV

As Ethan stood there, the party continued around them, with murmurs spreading about him as usual. He could hear the whispers, the hushed conversations about his cold demeanour, about how he had just dismissed the woman who had been too forward with him.

"Did you see how he threw her out?" one girl said.

"Maybe he has some issue with women who don't dress properly. I heard he doesn't like red," another added.

Ethan ignored the idle gossip, his focus entirely on Emily. They don't know anything, he thought. His eyes were locked on her back, the red gown hugging her figure, making her stand out in the crowd like a flame. She looked breath-taking, and yet here she was, trying to hide from him, unaware that her beauty made it impossible.

Without a second thought, Ethan reached out and gently caught her hand. His touch was soft, but it carried enough strength to make her turn around and face him. When Emily finally did, her face came into full view, and Ethan felt his breath catch in his throat.

She was... stunning. More beautiful than he had ever allowed himself to imagine.

Her eyes, wide and filled with a mixture of surprise and nervousness, captivated him first—those big, expressive eyes that seemed to hold a world of emotions. And her lips, soft and pink like rose petals, parted slightly as if she was about to speak, but no words came. Her beauty was undeniable, but it was more than that. The way she looked at him, the innocence mixed with strength, the vulnerability she carried—it all made his heart race in ways he couldn't explain.

What is happening to me? Ethan thought, his mind racing. Every feature of hers seemed to pull him deeper into a whirlwind of emotions. Her smile, even the hesitant one she was giving him now, did something to him that he couldn't ignore. He wanted—no, he needed—to do something. To show her the emotions that had been building inside him for far too long.

I just want to kiss her, the thought hit him hard, almost making him stumble. I want to kiss her senseless, to pour all these emotions into her so she knows how much she means to me.

The numerous thoughts swirled in his mind, threatening to spill over. He found himself stepping closer, his eyes locked on hers, and for a moment, nothing else in the world existed but the two of them. He wanted to pull her into his arms, to finally let go of the control he had been gripping so tightly.

His hand, still holding hers, tightened slightly as he leaned in just a fraction closer, the scent of her perfume intoxicating him. His heart pounded in his chest, and before he could stop himself, he let out a word he hadn't intended to say aloud.

"Beautiful," Ethan whispered, his voice low and full of awe.

The word slipped from his lips as if it had a life of its own. He didn't regret it, though. It was the truth, and as he spoke it, he felt an unfamiliar warmth in his chest. For the first time in a long time, he smiled—not the distant, cool smile people were used to, but a genuine smile that softened his usually hard features. He could feel the change in the air between them, and that smile made him feel lighter, as if something had finally clicked into place.

Emily stood there, frozen for a moment, clearly shocked by his reaction. But Ethan could see the faint blush creeping up her cheeks, the way her lips quirked into a shy smile, and it only made him want to be closer to her.

She doesn't know, he thought, the intensity of his emotions swelling. She doesn't know how much I want to protect her, to hold her, to be near her.

But for now, he held himself back, barely. His mind raced with a thousand unspoken words, but the only thing he could do was smile and keep looking into her eyes, silently wondering how long he could keep his distance from the one person who made him feel like this.