The Cross Enterprises Gala
It had been a few days since the argument. Damon's words still echoed in Lila's mind, but with time, they started to lose their sharp sting. Her heart was still fragile, but she had learned to push it aside — just like she had been doing all along.
The gala was approaching, and Lila's task was clear: she had to find someone worthy enough to be a match for Damon.
She had to do it.
But the closer it got, the harder it became.
Lila had been helping Damon plan the event, working as his unofficial assistant, and every time they interacted, something was shifting between them. He was kinder, more open. His walls were coming down, but so were hers. She was becoming less certain of her own feelings — and that scared her.
Tonight, they were both at the Cross Enterprises Gala, the most prestigious event of the year. Lila had worked hard to pick the perfect outfit — nothing too flashy, but just enough to make a statement. Caleb had even insisted on helping her pick the dress, something that made Damon seethe inside. But he wasn't about to show it.
Lila's heart was racing, and it wasn't just from the glamour of the gala or the hundreds of important people in the room. No, it was because Damon had started looking at her in ways she hadn't expected. Every glance, every word he spoke to her felt different. And when he stepped into the room, all eyes went to him — but hers always found him first.
Damon's Perspective
Damon hated this.
As he stood at the entrance of the ballroom, the spotlight falling on him as the host of the evening, his eyes darted around the room. He was supposed to be the one in control, the one who had it all together, but there was something about Lila that had thrown him off balance. The way she looked tonight — stunning, confident, beautiful in her own unique way — made his chest tighten.
She wasn't just some woman in a dress. She was someone who made him feel things he didn't know how to handle.
But she wasn't his to have.
She had a job to do. She was there to find him a match, after all.
So why did the thought of her with someone else make him want to rip the entire room apart?
Damon stood across the room, watching Lila laugh with Caleb. She was radiant, her smile lighting up the entire space, her hand resting on Caleb's arm as they spoke with ease.
Damn it.
Lila's Struggle
Lila was trying her best to stay focused. She had been observing Damon, trying to gauge his interest in the potential candidates she'd lined up for him, but the tension between them was thick enough to cut with a knife. She felt the weight of her role pressing on her. She had to get this right.
As she moved through the crowd, offering polite smiles and engaging in conversations, she noticed that her mind kept wandering back to Damon. Every time he entered a room, every time their eyes met, it was impossible to ignore the spark that still flickered between them.
It was ridiculous. She was supposed to find him a match — she had no time for this. She was already too deep in the mess of their tangled feelings. But the truth was, she couldn't help herself. There was something about Damon that kept pulling her in.
And then, as if fate had decided to make her life even more complicated, Damon approached her.
"Lila," Damon said, his voice low, almost as if he were trying to get her attention without making a scene. "Can I talk to you for a moment?"
She turned to him, a hint of nervousness creeping into her stomach. "Of course."
He led her toward a quieter corner of the room, away from the prying eyes of the guests. Lila could feel her heart racing. Was he going to bring up the argument again? Was he going to apologize?
But instead, Damon simply stood there for a moment, as if collecting his thoughts.
"You look..." His words trailed off for a second. He cleared his throat. "You look amazing tonight."
Lila's lips twitched slightly at the compliment, but she tried to focus on the task at hand. "Thank you. I'm just here to do my job, Damon."
Damon's jaw tightened, and Lila could see the flicker of frustration in his eyes. "About that…"
Lila raised an eyebrow. Here it comes.
"You've lined up a few people for me tonight, right?" Damon's voice was calm, but there was an undercurrent of something else in it. Something that felt... possessive.
"Yes," Lila answered, trying to keep things professional. "There are a few potential candidates I think would be a good match for you."
He nodded, but there was a sharpness in his gaze that made her heart skip a beat. "And you're sure they're good enough?"
Lila blinked, thrown off guard by the question. "Of course. I wouldn't have introduced them to you if I didn't think so."
Damon leaned in slightly, his eyes searching hers with an intensity that made her pulse quicken. "But you haven't been looking at them, have you? You've been looking at me."
Lila felt the air between them crackle with tension. "What do you mean?"
"You know exactly what I mean," Damon murmured. "You've been avoiding me, Lila, but you can't deny it anymore."
Lila swallowed hard, trying to gather her composure. "I'm not avoiding you. I'm doing my job, Damon. That's it."
Damon's eyes narrowed. "Are you sure?"
Before Lila could respond, a voice interrupted them.
"Everything okay over here?"
It was Caleb, his smile a little too bright, a little too eager. Damon's eyes shot to him, and for a split second, Lila could see the possessiveness in his gaze. It was subtle, but it was there.
"Of course," Lila said, stepping back slightly. "We were just talking."
Caleb nodded, his eyes flicking between them. "Well, if you're done, I have something to show you, Lila."
Damon's gaze darkened, and for a moment, the tension between them felt unbearable.
"I'll see you later," Damon said, his tone clipped. He turned away, leaving Lila standing there, feeling a strange mix of guilt and desire as Caleb led her to the other side of the room.
As the night wore on, Lila's mind was a whirlwind of emotions. She had her job to do, but she couldn't shake the feeling that the more she helped Damon, the more tangled up she became in the web of her own feelings.
And Damon? He wasn't making this any easier. Every glance, every subtle movement, made her feel like he was pulling her in. And the worst part? She was letting him.
But she couldn't forget why she was there. She had to find Damon a match. No matter what.