Rose a Diva

The sharp click of polished shoes echoed through the marble halls of Fairmont Auction House. Chandeliers dangled like crystal crowns, and glass display cases lined the floor, filled with pieces of history no one could afford, but everyone wanted.

Lex walked through the main gallery, his gaze flicking across the glittering assortment of art deco necklaces, vintage tiaras, and sapphire-studded rings. Things that reminded him of his great grandmother.

He wasn't sure what had drawn him here—impulse, frustration, or something more elusive. All he knew was that the storm brewing inside him had followed him from the boardroom, and now he stood in its quiet.

Jason Wilde stood near one of the displays, inspecting an emerald brooch the size of a fist. His hair was casually messy, leather jacket slung over one shoulder like he'd just wandered off a film set.

"I gotta ask," Jason said, not looking up. "How exactly did you convince Fairmont to let us shoot a music video in the middle of their auction house?"

Lex stepping beside him. "I own half the pieces in this room."

Jason blinked, turning to him. "Wait, seriously?"

Lex gestured subtly to a case at the center of the room. Inside sat a series of exquisite diamond-studded hairpins, a string of pearls that glowed faintly under the soft lights, and a jade ring carved so delicately it looked like silk wrapped around a finger.

"My great-grandmother's collection," Lex said smoothly. "Half of it's on display here while I decide what to do with it."

Jason let out a low whistle. "Man… you really are old money."

Lex's smirk lingered. "Money ages well when no one wastes it."

Jason chuckled but didn't argue. "Alright, so let me get this straight. You want all of Rose's music video to be shot here, surrounded by priceless antiques, and you're planning to dress her in some of this?" He gestured to the vault-like cases.

"Exactly."

Jason arched a brow. "You do know she's gonna kill you when she finds out, right?"

Lex shrugged. "That's half the fun."

Jason laughed under his breath. "Alright, Latham. I'll pull the crew. You're aiming for subtle luxury, yeah? Dripping elegance but not too polished."

Lex nodded. "Think 'old-world glamour meets underground starlet.' I want every camera panning those jewels like they're part of the performance. The video needs to feel expensive without trying too hard. And Rose needs to look untouchable."

Jason grinned. "I get it. You're selling the fantasy."

Lex's gaze flicked to the brooch Jason had been admiring earlier. "No. I'm selling her as the fantasy."

Jason leaned back, crossing his arms as he studied Lex. "You know, for a guy who claims this isn't about anything personal, you're throwing a lot of effort into her image."

Lex's smirk twitched. "Isn't that what producers do?"

Jason laughed louder this time. "Yeah, sure. But most of them don't dip into family heirlooms to do it."

Lex gave a casual shrug, stepping toward the display case housing his great-grandmother's collection.

"Why let the past collect dust when I can rewrite the future with it?"

Jason let out another whistle, shaking his head. "I'll give you this, Lex. You know how to play the game."

Lex turned, his gaze sharpening. "I'm not playing, Jason."

Jason's smirk faded just slightly as he caught the weight behind the words.

Lex glanced at the vault doors leading to the auction's private collection. "I want the shoot scheduled by the end of the week. Bring Rose in tomorrow for fittings."

Jason arched a brow. "You sure you want to surprise her like that?"

Lex's smirk returned. "Surprises are how legends are made."

The soft hum of chandeliers filled the room, their light refracting off the glass cases that held jewels older than most legacies. The place felt frozen in time—like it hadn't changed in decades.

Lex stood by the entrance, watching as Rose Russo walked through the grand double doors of Fairmont Auction House. Her steps were careful, almost hesitant, as if she didn't belong here.

Because she didn't.

At least not in the life Lex remembered.

The image of her hands scrubbing the marble floors of his penthouse flashed uninvited in his mind. He remembered how the sunlight caught the loose strands of her hair as she worked quietly in the background, cleaning a space that wasn't hers.

She'd been invisible in his old life.

Lex's grip tightened slightly in his pocket.

Not this time.

Rose paused, eyes narrowing as she took in the room, her gaze sharp and calculating. She wasn't the same girl who kept her head down. She carried herself differently now. She was starting to realize her worth.

"I thought you said we were shooting a music video," she said, her voice cutting through the heavy silence. "Not breaking into a museum."

Lex smirked, stepping forward. "I prefer to think of it as borrowing."

Jason Wilde, leaning lazily against one of the empty display cases, grinned. "Lex has a habit of blurring the line between legal and impressive."

Rose crossed her arms, glancing at the endless displays of pearls, diamonds, and gold filigree. Her brows furrowed. "Let me guess. This belongs to one of your fancy connections?"

Lex's gaze shifted to the glass case in the center of the room—where his great-grandmother's collection sat, pristine and untouched by time.

"It's mine," Lex said simply.

Her eyes flicked toward him, uncertainty flashing across her face. "Yours?"

Jason chuckled, stepping in. "Technically, it belonged to his great-grandmother. The Maddox keep their heirlooms in museums."

Rose gave Lex a skeptical look. "Must be nice."

Lex said nothing. Instead, he walked over to the display case, his reflection warping slightly against the glass.

"She wore these at fundraisers, galas—places where power wasn't loud, but quiet." His voice dropped slightly. "She understood the room before anyone else walked into it."

Rose's gaze softened just a fraction.

In his past life, Rose wouldn't have been allowed near these jewels, let alone wear them.

"And now you want me to wear them," she said, her tone half-question, half-statement.

Lex met her eyes. "You're going to do more than wear them."

She arched a brow. "Am I?"

Lex stepped closer, his voice lowering just for her. "I've already seen what happens when you fade into the background. I'm not letting that happen again."

Rose's gaze flicked over his, something unreadable in her expression. "You talk like I'm some charity project."

Lex's jaw tensed for half a second.

"It's not charity. It's overdue."