Chapter 3 The Gala of Ghosts

The Grand Orpheum glittered like sin dressed in velvet.

Crystal chandeliers rained down light over marble floors polished so bright they reflected every lie worn tonight. Gold and wine, diamonds and secrets - the city's elite were gathered like predators circling prey.

At the edge of it all stood Adrian Vale.

The suit fit his body like armor: dark navy, cut sharp across the shoulders, a whisper of elegance masking the danger underneath. He adjusted his cufflink, felt eyes sliding toward him - curious, appraising, whispering. He was a stranger to them, but in a city like this, power didn't need a history. It only needed presence. And Adrian carried it like a weapon.

He scanned the crowd once, and then he saw them.

Lucian Cross.

The man who had once kissed her skin and promised eternity. The man who had watched her fall bleeding in a pool of roses.

Lucian hadn't changed much, and yet everything about him was different. His black tuxedo molded to a body honed sharper than memory. His jawline looked carved in stone, his gaze colder than when she last saw it. Only the faint tightening of his hand on his wife's waist betrayed anything human.

And then there was her - Evelyn Sloane-Cross. Beautiful, poised, perfect in her white satin gown that shimmered under the lights. She wore a politician's smile, but her eyes were restless, calculating, like a woman already searching for something she didn't have.

Adrian's mouth curved. Perfect. The weakness always shows in the wife.

"Mr. Vale?" A steward appeared, bowing slightly, his voice deferential. "Mrs. Sloane-Cross wishes to thank you personally for your generous contribution to the foundation."

Adrian lifted his glass, the smile slow and deliberate. "Lead the way."

The crowd parted for him as if they already understood: this man was someone to notice. Someone to fear.

Evelyn turned at his approach, her smile faltering for just a second before it softened into warmth. She extended her hand, dazzling in her practiced charm.

"Mr. Vale. We've heard so much about you. Your support for our foundation is... remarkable."

Adrian took her hand lightly, bowing just enough to make the gesture intimate but not subservient. His voice, lowered, carried an edge of velvet and smoke.

"Champions are expensive. But so is the future."

Her laugh was effortless, musical, but her eyes lingered a heartbeat too long on his face. "I like that. I'll borrow it for my speech."

And then Lucian moved.

He turned, black eyes pinning Adrian with a stare that could cut glass. His hand left Evelyn's waist as he extended it toward the stranger. His voice was smooth, measured, but beneath it was steel.

"Lucian Cross. Welcome, Mr. Vale."

Adrian looked at him. Really looked. For the first time in years, they were face-to-face, skin to skin.

The past surged - roses, blood, betrayal. She drowned in it for one savage heartbeat, but Adrian Vale didn't falter. He slid his hand into Lucian's, the grip firm, his smile dangerous.

"I've heard," Adrian said softly, leaning just enough that only Lucian could hear, "so much about you... and your wife."

Lucian froze. His pupils contracted. For the briefest flicker, something raw cracked in his expression - confusion, suspicion, something darker.

Evelyn, oblivious to the undercurrent, beamed. "Then perhaps we'll give you a tour tomorrow. Ten a.m., Mr. Vale? The lab is most impressive."

Adrian inclined his head, eyes still locked on Lucian's. "Tomorrow. I look forward to it."

Lucian didn't release his hand immediately. The pressure of his grip lingered, a silent threat - or was it recognition? When he finally let go, his voice was colder than the champagne chilling on silver trays.

"Enjoy the night, Mr. Vale. Our city can be... unforgiving."

Adrian's smile deepened, cutting sharper than any blade. "I always make sure it treats me well."

As Evelyn swept him away to greet other donors, Adrian glanced back just once. Lucian was still watching him, his jaw tight, eyes narrowed with suspicion - as if a ghost had just shaken his hand.