(Pedro's POV)
The charity auction had been a success on paper—donations rolling in, alliances strengthened, my image as the benevolent billionaire polished to a shine. But as I sat in the back of the limousine rolling through the city streets, the night's true victory felt far from secured. Madison chattered beside me, her voice a monotonous drone about the guests' compliments on her ring and the envy she had seen in Hailey's eyes.
I nodded at the appropriate moments, my hand resting on her knee in a gesture that looked affectionate but felt mechanical. She was beautiful, yes—young, polished, the perfect ornament for my arm. But she was a means to an end, a strategic piece in a game she barely understood.
My thoughts kept drifting to Hailey. The way she had looked in that red gown, the
