Sofia Anderson stood on the edge of the ballroom, the glitzy revellers gently illuminating the opulent assembly swirling before her. Taking a deep breath, she attempted to regain her balance. It was a rare occasion to be at one of Kingsport's most prominent charity galas, and something about the opulent setting unnerved her. The sophisticated and exclusive ambiance was enhanced by the flashy chandeliers, the sombre notes of a classical quartet, and the chatter of the wealthiest citizens of the city. Sofia had put a lot of effort into entering this world, yet she still felt alien.
One of the most famous locations in the city, the Regent Hotel's vast ballroom, was the site of the gala. The wealthiest and most influential people in the city came together for the yearly event, which was put on by the Kingsport Elite Foundation, to flaunt their money in the name of charity. Tonight, all the influential people in Kingsport were present, and Sofia was determined to take full advantage of the occasion.
She straightened the material of her midnight-blue rental dress, which was beyond her means, and looked around the space. Despite her racing heart, she maintained her composure. She wasn't here to mingle or take in the glitz and glamour of the privileged. She had a purpose—a career to preserve. She wasn't going to blow the opportunity that had taken so much work to obtain an invitation to this event. After the catastrophe at Brenton Architecture, the company where she had been employed for the previous two years, she needed to establish contacts in order to discover a means of clearing her reputation.
She was still plagued by the scandal that had almost destroyed her career. When a financial miscalculation was discovered, a multimillion-dollar project had gone awry, and Sofia had been held accountable for the oversight in spite of her protests. Although it wasn't her fault, the superiors hadn't seemed to care. Her employment was in jeopardy right now, and she needed a lifeline. She hoped that tonight would be that break through.
A recognisable voice yelled, "Sofia!" startling her out of her reverie.
Her best friend and the one who had kept her sane during the chaotic last few months, Eleanor Knight, was there when she turned to face her. Eleanor, a bright and driven corporate attorney, looked effortlessly elegant in a svelte black gown with perfectly maintained short dark hair. She navigated the mob with an assurance Sofia found admirable.
"I didn't think you would survive!" As Eleanor arrived at her, she spoke. "I was concerned that you might choose to forego."
Sofia forced a smile. "I had to attend to this. It is far too significant.
"Well," Eleanor answered. This is the proper location for you to be. There are lots of people in this room who can assist you in making things better.
Sofia nodded, but the knot of fear in her chest didn't go away. Sofia understood how important tonight was, and Eleanor had been the one to assist her in gaining the invitation to this event. She could restore everything she had lost if she could just find the proper person to connect with and take a chance on her.
Sofia's gaze strayed to the centre of the room as they were speaking, where a tall, striking man stood and effortlessly attracted attention. Damon King. He was unique, even among the elite of Kingsport. Wearing a fitted black tux, Damon looked dominant and in control. His sharp features and intense green eyes were enough to catch people's attention, but it was his attitude of authority that truly set him apart. He was renowned for being as astute as he was clever, leading King Enterprises, one of the largest real estate empires in the country.
"Who's that?" Sofia questioned, keeping her eyes on Damon while he conversed with many other strong men.
Eleanor grinned as she followed her gaze. That's Damon King. You're not familiar with him?
Sofia gave a headshake. "I don't know much about him, but I have heard the name."
Eleanor lowered her voice and remarked, "He's not someone you want to cross." Yes, he is intelligent, but he's also calculating and chilly. His family was formerly considerably wealthier than they are now, but a major scandal years ago almost brought them to ruin. Though Damon and his brother Adrian were able to reconstruct their business, rumours have it that Damon is still troubled by his past.
Sofia kept observing Damon as he moved across the space, commanding attention with ease. Eleanor warned her not to get too close to him, but there was something alluring about him. Strong guys had never terrified her before, but Damon King was different. His captivating presence was almost menacing.
With a playful undertone, Eleanor said, "He's single, by the way."
Sofia shook her head and scoffed. "That's not why I'm here."
"I know, I know," Eleanor smiled. "But looking doesn't hurt, does it?"
Sofia grinned, but her eyes were still fixed on Damon. He appeared invulnerable, a man a universe apart from her own. Nevertheless, she couldn't help but wonder what it would be like to speak with and be noticed by someone like him.
Eleanor urged her on, pulling at her arm. "Let's go mingle." You need to meet some folks.
Sofia reluctantly averted her eyes from Damon and trailed behind Eleanor into the throng. While striking up small talk with a number of the guests—mostly wealthy socialites or business executives—none of the discussions resulted in the prospects Sofia was hoping for. She got more and more disheartened as the night went on. She had expected to meet someone who could help her relaunch her career, but all she had found were passing acquaintances.
Sofia noticed that as the night went on, she started to stray from Eleanor and head towards the ballroom's more sedate areas. She required some time to gather herself and plan her next course of action. Perhaps she'd been silly to assume anything would change as a result of this incident. Perhaps all she had fought for was going to be lost.
She felt a presence behind her as she stood by one of the enormous windows overlooking the city.
"You look lost."
The voice was rich and silky and distinctly self-assured. When Sofia turned slowly and saw who was standing behind her, her breath caught in her throat.
King Damon.
He was far more formidable up close than she had thought. He captured her gaze with his brilliant green eyes, and for an instant Sofia thought the room had vanished. Though his demeanour was opaque, his stare held a trace of interest.
"I—" Sofia stumbled as she was taken aback by his abrupt arrival. "I'm not lost. Just taking a rest.
Damon, obviously not convinced, arched an eyebrow. "What am I taking a break from?"
Sofia swallowed, attempting to gather herself. "From the banter."
Damon felt a slight smile tug at the corner of his lips. "I understand. Not a big fan of small talk?
"Not when it's meaningless," Sofia shot back, startled by her own audacity.
Although Damon's eyes stayed piercing, his smile softened a little. "And, aside from idle gossip, what do you hope to gain from tonight?"
Sofia paused. She was unsure about how much to reveal. She wasn't convinced if she could trust this man because she didn't know him. But there was something honest about his candour that she found endearing.
She said, "I'm searching for an opportunity." "A method for correcting a mistake."
For a few while, Damon observed her, his countenance contemplative. "And just what went wrong, exactly?"
Sofia bit her lip, unsure of how to respond. Speaking about it with someone she had just met was very uncomfortable for her. However, there was something about Damon's presence that compelled her to be honest with him.
Finally, she stated, "I was held accountable for an error at work." "A significant one. Even though I didn't cause anything, I still have to pay the price.
Damon maintained a fixed gaze. "And you're hoping that someone here can assist you in fixing it?"
Feeling a little exposed under his attention, Sofia nodded. "I suppose so."
Damon was silent for a while. He moved closer after that, never taking his eyes off hers.
"Be careful," he said softly. "This place is not all that it seems."
Sofia scowled, not sure she understood. Damon stepped back before she could enquire, his gaze impenetrable as ever.
With a low, methodical voice, he wished Sofia well. Without saying anything else, he turned and vanished into the throng.
With a surprised expression, Sofia's heart was pounding. How was her name known to him? She hadn't given her name. She hadn't conversed with him before to this evening.
Sofia couldn't get rid of the sensation that she had just been thrust into the centre of something far bigger and riskier than she could have ever imagined as she saw Damon vanish into the crowd of people.
The remainder of the evening flew by. Sofia hardly remembered leaving the gala or saying goodbye to Eleanor. Damon King had taken over her thoughts; his mysterious remarks, his intense stare, the way he'd seemed to know precisely who she was without her having to utter a thing. It felt unnerving and somehow exciting at the same time.
Once she was back in her tiny flat, Sofia threw off her heels and fell onto the sofa. She kept going over the incident in her head, trying to put it all together. Damon King was a guy of great influence and power who had the ability to turn fortunes around with a single choice. But why was she the one he had chosen? In what way was she known to him?
Sofia’s phone vibrated, and she glanced down to see a message from Eleanor.
Eleanor: So? How'd it go?
Unsure of how to react, Sofia paused. In what way could she describe what transpired with Damon? How could she describe the uncanny attraction she'd felt to him, or the caution he'd issued?
She typed a brief response after a brief pause.
Sofia: It was, um, interesting.
Eleanor replied nearly right away.
Eleanor: Interesting? Give me deatails!
Sofia gave a slender smile, but her mind was already elsewhere. She wanted to meet Damon King again because of something about him that she couldn't get rid of.
Sofia knew deep down that their paths would eventually cross again.
