Hailey's pov
The charity auction at the city’s grand museum carried the weight of unspoken deals and old rivalries, the kind of evening where every smile masked ambition and every handshake sealed something far from charitable. Chandeliers dripped light across polished marble floors, champagne flutes caught the glow like captured stars, and the air hummed with low conversations that shifted power in subtle ways.
Roy and Ryan stayed close through most of it—Roy’s presence a steady, protective force in his tailored black tux, Ryan’s sharper edge tempered just enough for the crowd in deep charcoal. I felt their attention on me constantly, a silent promise that no matter the room full of wealth and influence, I was safe with them. My red gown hugged my figure, the slit showing just enough t
