Chapter 13 - THE LION'S DEN
The grand ballroom of the Plaza Hotel was a glittering sea of diamonds, expensive champagne, and whispered secrets.
When Ethan Caldwell and Rosa Martinez stepped onto the red carpet at the top of the grand staircase, the entire room seemed to hold its collective breath.
The orchestra continued to play a soft classical melody, but the conversations below them instantly died down.
Hundreds of curious, calculating eyes locked onto the mysterious woman in the emerald gown.
Ethan placed his hand firmly on the small of Rosa’s back, a silent, comforting anchor in the middle of a raging storm.
Together, they descended the staircase with flawless, slow precision.
"Just keep breathing," Ethan whispered softly into her ear, leaning close enough that his warm breath sent a shiver down her spine.
"They are just staring because they have never seen anyone as breathtakingly beautiful as you before."
As they reached the bottom floor, a wealthy, older socialite named Eleanor Vance immediately intercepted them.
Eleanor had been a close, personal friend of Victoria Sterling’s mother, and she wore a sour, judgmental expression on her heavily Botoxed face.
"Ethan, darling, what a massive surprise to see you here tonight," Eleanor purred, though her eyes were cold and sharp.
"And you brought a... guest."
Eleanor looked Rosa up and down with blatant, intentional disrespect.
"I must say, dear, I do not recognize you from any of the usual country clubs," Eleanor remarked, taking a slow sip of her champagne.
"Have you just recently moved to New York?"
Rosa felt her heart begin to race, the familiar, suffocating feeling of being inadequate threatening to pull her under.
But before Ethan could step in and annihilate the woman, Rosa found her own voice.
"I have lived in New York my entire life, Mrs. Vance," Rosa replied, her voice perfectly steady and clear.
"Though I highly doubt our paths would have ever crossed, as I spent most of my time working hard to provide for my daughter rather than attending country club luncheons."
Eleanor choked slightly on her champagne, clearly shocked by the polite but incredibly sharp response.
Ethan’s eyes darkened with intense pride as he looked down at the brilliant woman beside him.
"Rosa is currently focusing on raising our daughter and overseeing the new charitable foundation I am launching next month," Ethan added smoothly, wrapping his arm around Rosa’s waist.
"If you will excuse us, Eleanor, we have much more important people to greet tonight."
He smoothly guided Rosa away from the sputtering socialite, completely ignoring the shocked whispers trailing behind them.
"You handled that flawlessly," Ethan praised, squeezing her waist gently.
"I had an excellent teacher," Rosa smiled, feeling a genuine surge of confidence course through her veins.
May you like
They spent the rest of the evening dancing under the crystal chandeliers, completely lost in their own private world.
The elite society had tried to intimidate her, but Rosa realized she had absolutely nothing to fear as long as she was holding his hand.
