Dahlia's POV
Soren appeared before me dressed in an impeccably tailored black suit, his white dress shirt crisp against the dark fabric. His presence commanded attention even in the dim evening light. When his eyes met mine, that familiar smile played at the edges of his mouth, the kind that made my pulse skip despite myself.
"You..." The words stuck in my throat. My brain felt sluggish, unable to form coherent thoughts, but I understood perfectly why he was here. The disaster at tonight's charity auction had been spectacular enough to reach his ears.
While Cobb's fury barely registered as a concern, the fact that I had brought shame to the Zaid name was another matter entirely. I had mentally prepared myself for the consequences, just not for Soren to appear so quickly.
