The annual Velmore-Vellaria Foundation Gala was an event that gathered the most powerful families in the city — a grand celebration of wealth, influence, and prestige.
Reporters swarmed the red carpet, whispering about business alliances, new ventures — and the rumored rivalry between two heirs: Lucian Velmore and Caelum Vellaria.
Caliste Winslow arrived early. Her gown was sleek and simple — black satin that framed her figure with quiet elegance. She never liked attention, but tonight the cameras found her anyway. Her name was already trending online — the woman caught between two Vellaria-Velmore.
Her heart, however, wasn't focused on the gossip. She was trying not to think about the man she had avoided since that night — Lucian. The memory of his touch still lingered on her skin, haunting her each time she tried to sleep.
She had promised herself to stay composed. To work professionally. To move forward.
But every time she saw his name on the building, every time she heard his voice during meetings, that resolve faltered.
As she walked toward the hall, she noticed a stir near the entrance. Photographers rushed forward, cameras flashing wildly. A deep voice caught her attention.
"Mr. Velmore has arrived!" someone announced.
Her heart skipped.
Lucian walked in — tall, regal in a black suit that fit him like a second skin. But what captured everyone's attention wasn't the man himself.
It was the little boy beside him — Lucca Velmore.
The child wore a miniature suit that mirrored his father's, his dark hair neatly combed, his amber eyes wide with curiosity. He held Lucian's hand, looking around the room with innocent wonder.
Caliste froze.
For a heartbeat, she couldn't breathe.
Lucca.
Her hands trembled as she gripped her clutch tighter. She knew she should look away, but she couldn't. The way Lucian gently leaned down to whisper something to the boy, the faint smile that softened his normally cold expression — it hit her harder than she expected.
He looks so happy…
Her chest ached.
That was her son. Their son.
But no one knew.
Lucian's presence rippled through the hall. Whispers followed him — not about his business empire this time, but about the father-son appearance.
"Mr. Velmore rarely brings the boy to public events," one socialite whispered.
"He's so protective of him," another murmured.
Caliste swallowed hard, forcing herself to look away. She had no right to feel this ache. Not after all she had done.
Yet, deep down, she understood why Lucian brought Lucca tonight.
It wasn't just for appearances.
He knew she would be here.
He knew she would see.
---
Meanwhile, Caelum Vellaria stood by the champagne bar, watching the scene unfold. He noticed the flicker of emotion in Caliste's eyes the moment Lucian arrived — how her posture stiffened, her smile faltered.
He sipped his drink slowly, his gaze sharp.
So Lucian was playing that card now.
When Caliste finally approached him, he greeted her with an easy smile. "You look beautiful tonight, Caliste."
"Thank you," she replied softly.
But he could sense her mind was elsewhere.
Caelum leaned closer, lowering his voice. "You've been distracted since Lucian walked in. Don't tell me you're still—"
"Caelum," she interrupted gently. "Please. Not tonight."
He sighed. "Fine. But remember what I told you — I won't back down just because he's trying to remind you of your past."
Caliste's lips curved faintly. "You make it sound like I'm a prize to be won."
"Maybe you are," he said quietly, eyes glinting. "At least to me."
Before she could reply, the host's voice echoed through the ballroom, calling the key figures of Velmore Corporation to the stage.
Lucian stood up, guiding Lucca by the hand. The child clutched his father's sleeve as they walked past the crowd, earning admiring smiles.
When their eyes met — Lucian and Caliste — time seemed to still.
For a brief second, everything else disappeared. The noise, the crowd, the flashing lights — all faded into silence.
Lucian's gaze was unreadable. Calm on the surface, but heavy with something deeper — possession, regret, longing.
Caliste's breath hitched. She couldn't look away, even though every part of her screamed to.
Caelum's jaw tightened as he noticed the silent exchange. He clenched his glass until it nearly cracked.
---
After the speeches, guests mingled across the garden terrace. Music floated softly in the air, and the cool night breeze carried the scent of roses.
Caliste found a quiet corner, needing a moment to steady herself. She thought she could escape the storm of emotions — until she heard a familiar voice behind her.
"I didn't expect you to come tonight."
Lucian.
She turned slowly. He was standing a few steps away, his tie loosened, the sharpness of his suit softened by the faint shadows of fatigue.
"I was invited," she replied, her tone carefully neutral.
He gave a small smirk. "Of course. As our Creative Director, it would be odd if you didn't attend."
Caliste's throat tightened. "You brought your son."
"Yes," he said simply. "He wanted to see what his father does."
She nodded, forcing a smile. "Thank you for bringing him and letting me watch him from a distance."
Lucian tilted his head, studying her. "We have agreement, you work for me in exchange of being near him."
Before she could answer, a new voice interrupted them.
"Caliste."
It was Caelum. His expression darkened when he saw how close they were standing.
Lucian turned to him, the polite mask snapping back into place. "Caelum."
"Lucian," Caelum replied coldly. "Didn't know you'd bring your son to the event. Trying to win hearts, or just one in particular?"
Lucian's eyes glinted dangerously. "I don't play games."
"Funny," Caelum said with a smirk. "Because this looks like one."
"Stop it," Caliste interjected, her voice trembling slightly. "Both of you. Not here."
The tension was thick enough to cut. Guests nearby began to glance in their direction, sensing the storm brewing between the two men.
Lucian exhaled sharply, his eyes locking on Caliste one last time before he turned away.
"I'll see you at work, Ms. Winslow," he said formally — the words cold, but his gaze anything but.
When he walked off, Caelum muttered under his breath, "He'll never stop, will he?"
Caliste closed her eyes. "Neither of you should."
---
Later that night, when Lucian returned home, he found Lucca already asleep in his bed, clutching a small plush toy. The sight softened something in him.
He knelt beside the boy, brushing a strand of hair from his forehead.
"She saw you tonight," Lucian whispered quietly. "Your mother."
Lucca stirred but didn't wake.
Lucian sighed deeply, his voice breaking for the first time in years.
"She still looks at me like I broke something I can't ever fix."
He leaned back against the wall, exhaustion and longing weighing heavily on him.
"I don't know how to reach her anymore," he murmured.
As the city lights flickered beyond the window, Lucian Velmore made a silent promise — to reclaim the woman he never stopped loving, even if it meant confronting the ghosts of their past.
Because for him, Caliste Winslow was not just a memory.
She was the unfinished chapter his heart refused to close.