The scent of antiseptic hung faintly in the air, softened by the fragrance of white lilies arranged around the corners of the hospital's large event hall. Crystal chandeliers sparkled overhead, casting a golden glow over the modestly decorated room.
Stephanie moved from table to table with practiced grace, checking on seating arrangements and assisting elderly donors with refreshments. Despite the warmth of the indoor lighting, her hands were cold — something she always experienced when she was nervous.
And she was nervous.
Not because of the crowd, or the event, but because of him.
Every time she glanced up, she'd catch Raymond talking to someone — a hospital board member, another businessman, a journalist. Yet somehow, she could still feel his eyes on her every now and then, like he was monitoring her movements from across the room without any effort to hide it.
Why was he even watching her?
They barely knew each other. And he certainly didn't seem like the type to care.
She shook the thoughts from her head and returned to her duties.
Across the room, Raymond was nursing a glass of sparkling water. He'd declined the wine earlier, which was unlike him — but something about the atmosphere made him feel less indulgent tonight.
He'd watched Stephanie bustle around in that irritatingly modest outfit, her long bouncing braids bouncing with every step, her eyes full of quiet intensity. She looked out of place among the other women in glittering dresses and heels.
But she fit somehow. She belonged — not by wealth, but by purpose. By presence.
He hadn't meant to stare, and he hated himself for doing it.
"Raymond carter," a familiar voice interrupted his thoughts.
He turned to see Dr. Adrian Weller, one of the board members.
Raymond forced a polite smile. "Doctor."
"I wasn't expecting you to show," Weller said with a chuckle. "Big men like you rarely have time for charity."
"I show up where it matters," Raymond replied coolly. "Besides, I was in town."
Weller's eyes sparkled with curiosity. "Rumor has it the Lancasters are stirring the waters again. Something about a merger with the Aurora Group?"
Raymond's jaw ticked. "Business is business. No confirmations yet."
"Of course," Weller replied, leaning in with a knowing grin. "And the beautiful young lady helping at the registration? Friend of yours?"
Raymond didn't respond. Instead, he set down his glass and adjusted the cuff of his suit. "I'm here for charity, Doctor. Let's leave the gossip to the tabloids."
Weller laughed, but Raymond was already walking away.
Meanwhile, Stephanie was helping an elderly woman into her seat when her phone buzzed. She fished it out of her pocket — a message from Katherine.
Katherine: All done over there? Need me to come rescue you from the rich wolves? lolzz
Stephanie smiled to herself and replied quickly.
Stephanie: I'm okay. Just trying not to stab someone with my pen.
She slid her phone back into her pocket and turned around — only to bump into a firm chest.
Startled, she looked up and saw Raymond staring down at her.
"Distracted again," he said, tone unreadable.
"You keep appearing in front of me," she replied.
"Or maybe you keep walking into me."
A beat of silence passed. The room buzzed around them, but they might as well have been standing in their own bubble.
"Is this what you do for fun?" he asked suddenly.
"What?"
"Volunteer. Take on ten jobs. Save the world one clipboard at a time."
Stephanie folded her arms. "I'd rather do this than float through life without purpose."
He didn't flinch. "And you think that's what I do?"
She tilted her head, studying him. "I don't know you enough to say. But from what I see, you look like someone who's never lifted a finger unless it benefited him."
A flicker of something — amusement? Annoyance? — passed through his eyes.
"You really don't know me," he said quietly, almost to himself.
Then, without another word, he turned and walked off, disappearing into the mingling crowd.
Stephanie stood frozen for a moment, wondering if she'd gone too far. But no — she was being honest. And if he didn't like that, it wasn't her problem.
Still… her heart beat faster than usual.
Across the room, Raymond sat at the far corner table, pretending to engage in a conversation with a hospital board executive. But his mind had wandered.
She had fire. And it burned through his carefully constructed indifference like it was nothing.
But this wasn't what he came here for.
He had responsibilities. Secrets. A deal waiting in the shadows.
And a wife… at home.