Cedar\u2019s POV<\/p>\n
My gaze locked with the piercing blue eyes of Ridley Sterling himself. I could see the sharp line of his jaw and the perfect symmetry of his features. I felt, in that moment, that no magazine photo could ever truly capture his presence. His expression remained impassive, but something flickered in those eyes\u2014recognition? Curiosity?<\/p>\n
\u201cMr. Sterling,\u201d I managed, quickly releasing my grip on his arm. \u201cI apologize. I wasn\u2019t watching where\u2014\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cCedar!\u201d<\/p>\n
The sharp call of my name made me wince. I turned to see Selena emerging from the ladies\u2019 room, her expression morphing from irritation to calculated charm in the span of a heartbeat. She must have heard the commotion and come to investigate. Now, seeing who I\u2019d collided with, her entire demeanor transformed\u2014back straightening, lips curving into a practiced smile, eyes lighting with opportunity.<\/p>\n
She approached with practiced grace, her designer heels clicking against the marble floor. The surprise on her face was so perfectly arranged it could have been painted there.<\/p>\n
\u201cWhy are you so reckless?\u201d she said with disdain. Then, with a conspiratorial smile toward Ridley, she added, \u201cMr. Sterling, please forgive my stepsister\u2019s clumsiness. She was adopted, you know\u2014didn\u2019t have the benefit of proper upbringing.\u201d<\/p>\n
She deliberately raised her voice just enough for nearby guests to turn their heads. Several wealthy patrons glanced our way, expressions ranging from curiosity to thinly veiled disdain.<\/p>\n
\u201cUnlike me,\u201d Selena continued, inching closer to Ridley. \u201cI was raised with the finest education.\u201d She tilted her head, exposing the elegant line of her neck. \u201cI\u2019ve long admired your company\u2019s design philosophy, Mr. Sterling. Your minimalist approach to luxury spaces is revolutionary\u2026\u201d<\/p>\n
As she spoke, I watched Ridley take a deliberate step backward, creating distance between himself and Selena. His face remained a perfect mask of indifference, but something cold had entered his gaze.<\/p>\n
\u201cMiss Wright,\u201d he interrupted, his voice low but clear enough to carry to those nearby. \u201cIs this what you consider good breeding? Publicly humiliating a member of your own family?\u201d<\/p>\n
Selena\u2019s perfect smile faltered. \u201cI was only joking, Mr. Sterling. Cedar and I have this playful rapport\u2014\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cThis kind of \u2018joke\u2019 speaks volumes about your character.\u201d His words were delivered with precision. \u201cPeople who treat their family members as stepping stones aren\u2019t the kind of people Sterling Design Group associates with.\u201d<\/p>\n
The color drained from Selena\u2019s face as she realized her miscalculation. She opened her mouth to respond, but Ridley cut her off.<\/p>\n
\u201cLeave.\u201d The single word carried the weight of absolute authority. \u201cNow.\u201d<\/p>\n
A heavy silence fell over our little corner of the gallery. Selena\u2019s expression contorted briefly before she schooled it back into something resembling composure. She shot me a venomous look, as if I had orchestrated this humiliation specifically to undermine her.<\/p>\n
Around us, guests pretended not to stare while doing exactly that. I caught at least two people discreetly lifting their phones, no doubt capturing this social catastrophe for tomorrow\u2019s gossip.<\/p>\n
The mortification was overwhelming. I had never wanted to be part of these elite social games, and now I found myself unwittingly at the center of someone else\u2019s drama.<\/p>\n
\u201cThank you, Mr. Sterling,\u201d I said quietly, \u201cbut I should be going as well.\u201d<\/p>\n
For a brief moment, his eyes met mine again. There was something searching in that gaze, something that made me feel oddly exposed, as though he could see beyond the careful barriers I\u2019d built. But just as quickly, his expression returned to its default state of cool indifference.<\/p>\n
I moved swiftly toward the exit, spotting Elara across the room, her face pinched with anger as she watched Selena\u2019s retreat. I ducked behind a group of art collectors, using them as cover until I reached the grand staircase.<\/p>\n
Outside, the crisp night air felt like salvation. I gulped it down as I walked briskly away from the Drake Hotel, pulling out my phone to order an Uber. Almost immediately, it began to ring\u2014Elara\u2019s name flashing on the screen. I declined the call and quickened my pace.<\/p>\n
The phone rang again. This time it was Selena. I powered off my device entirely and continued walking until my ride arrived.<\/p>\n
All the while, I forced myself to keep my expression composed, to keep my head high, even as a dull ache pressed against my chest. I wouldn\u2019t let anyone see my weak side.<\/p>\n
Their scheming never really stopped. Even now, they expected me to secure the Sterling Group deal, all while quietly plotting to shove me back into the Wilson project the moment it suited them. In their eyes, I was nothing more than a tool\u2014something to be squeezed for every last drop of value, never a person to be cared for.<\/p>\n
I\u2019d given everything to the Wright family. And they saw me as nothing but a transaction to be leveraged.<\/p>\n
Before this night, a small, foolish part of me still longed for their approval\u2014for some sign that I mattered beyond what I could do for them. I\u2019d always hoped, somehow, that if I worked hard enough, if I proved myself enough, I might finally earn their love.<\/p>\n
Now, sitting in the back of the car as the city lights blurred past, the wind from the open window stung my face. I pressed my forehead to the cool glass, and before I could stop myself, tears slipped down my cheeks\u2014silent, unstoppable. How naive I\u2019d been, thinking I could ever be more than an outsider in their world.<\/p>\n
A strange sense of resolve began to crystallize within me. Maybe it was time to stop chasing what would never be given. It may be time for a change.<\/p>\n
Sara Lili is a daring romance writer who turns icy landscapes into scenes of fiery passion. She loves crafting hot love stories while embracing the chill of Iceland\u2019s breathtaking cold.<\/p>\n
The Sky Remembered the Touch of Our Unfinished Goodbyes by Lysa Orion Rehn 6 Cedar\u2019s POV My gaze locked with […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"site-sidebar-layout":"default","site-content-layout":"","ast-site-content-layout":"default","site-content-style":"default","site-sidebar-style":"default","ast-global-header-display":"","ast-banner-title-visibility":"","ast-main-header-display":"","ast-hfb-above-header-display":"","ast-hfb-below-header-display":"","ast-hfb-mobile-header-display":"","site-post-title":"","ast-breadcrumbs-content":"","ast-featured-img":"","footer-sml-layout":"","ast-disable-related-posts":"","theme-transparent-header-meta":"","adv-header-id-meta":"","stick-header-meta":"","header-above-stick-meta":"","header-main-stick-meta":"","header-below-stick-meta":"","astra-migrate-meta-layouts":"default","ast-page-background-enabled":"default","ast-page-background-meta":{"desktop":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-5)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"tablet":{"background-color":"","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"mobile":{"background-color":"","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""}},"ast-content-background-meta":{"desktop":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-4)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"tablet":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-4)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"mobile":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-4)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""}},"footnotes":""},"categories":[88],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-30405","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-zero-stars-for-daddy-novel"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/kezpres.xyz\/novelreading\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/30405","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/kezpres.xyz\/novelreading\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/kezpres.xyz\/novelreading\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/kezpres.xyz\/novelreading\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/kezpres.xyz\/novelreading\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=30405"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/kezpres.xyz\/novelreading\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/30405\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/kezpres.xyz\/novelreading\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=30405"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/kezpres.xyz\/novelreading\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=30405"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/kezpres.xyz\/novelreading\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=30405"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}