CHAPTER 18

Emily's POV

Emily had been trying to blend in, trying to disappear into the crowd, but it was impossible with Ethan in the room. Her heart had been racing ever since he entered, and she could feel his presence even though she hadn't dared to look back. The whispers surrounding him echoed through the hall.

"Ethan doesn't like red," she overheard someone say. 

"That's why he threw that girl out," another girl giggled. "He's so cold, but that's what makes him so irresistible."

Emily's heart pounded harder. She wasn't sure what scared her more—the fact that Ethan was here or the fact that she was wearing a red gown. The thought of him seeing her like this, after sneaking out without telling him, made her stomach churn with nerves. She had been trying to hide, hoping he wouldn't notice her.

But then, she felt it—a light but firm grip on her hand. Ethan's touch. The warmth of his fingers against hers made her freeze, her breath catching in her throat. *No, no, no...* Her mind screamed as he gently but insistently turned her around to face him.

When she finally met his gaze, it was as if time stood still.

Ethan was looking at her in a way she had never seen before. His eyes, usually so guarded and intense, were soft—too soft. She could feel his gaze moving over her, studying every inch of her face as if he was seeing her for the first time. And the way he looked at her... it wasn't just with curiosity. It was deeper, more intense. His eyes lingered on hers, then dropped to her lips, making her feel even more self-conscious.

Her cheeks flushed as she stood there, completely vulnerable under his gaze. The red gown she had felt so confident in earlier now made her feel exposed, like Ethan was seeing a version of her she hadn't intended to show him. *Why is he staring at me like that?* Her heart was thundering in her chest, each second that passed making it harder to breathe.

Ethan's eyes were filled with something Emily couldn't quite read. Admiration? Awe? Whatever it was, it made her knees feel weak, and she felt the urge to look away, but she couldn't. She was trapped in his gaze, drawn to the intensity of it, and for the first time, she didn't know how to respond to him.

*Does he think I look silly? Is he angry?* She couldn't tell what he was thinking. But then, she noticed the faintest smile tugging at the corner of his lips. A smile so rare, so uncharacteristic of Ethan, it made her heart flutter in confusion.

Then he spoke, his voice low, almost a whisper, but it hit her like a wave. "Beautiful."

The single word sent a shiver down her spine. *Did he just call me beautiful?* Emily blinked, unable to process what had just happened. She must have misheard him. But when she looked up, the expression on his face confirmed it. He meant it.

Her mind raced, trying to make sense of it. Ethan had never looked at her like this before. Sure, he had always been protective, but this... this was different. The way he was looking at her now wasn't the usual stern gaze or watchful eyes. It was something much more vulnerable. And that smile—she had never seen him smile like that. Not at her, not at anyone.

Her face flushed even more, and she had no idea what to say. What was she supposed to say to that? She couldn't tell if she was embarrassed or flattered, but the warmth spreading through her chest told her that she liked the way he was looking at her—maybe too much.

Ethan was still standing so close, his hand still holding hers, his eyes never leaving her. She could feel the heat between them, the weight of unspoken words hanging in the air. For a brief moment, Emily wondered if this was really happening. Was Ethan, *her* Ethan, actually seeing her as something more?

She swallowed hard, her mind a jumbled mess of emotions. She had never expected this reaction from him, had never imagined him seeing her in any other way than as the girl he had taken under his care. But now, standing here, with his hand in hers and his gaze so intensely on her, Emily couldn't help but feel the shift. Something between them had changed, and she didn't know what to do with that.

The room seemed to disappear around them, and all she could focus on was Ethan—the way his smile made him look even more attractive, the way his eyes seemed to soften when he looked at her. It made her heart ache in the strangest way. And yet, she couldn't bring herself to look away.

She felt like she should say something, anything, but her voice refused to come. So she stood there, still as a statue, her heart thudding in her chest as Ethan continued to look at her like she was the only person in the world.