Melissa had barely walked away when another presence stepped into Selena's quiet corner. A shadow fell across her table, and she looked up—only for her eyes to widen in surprise.
"Andrew?" she breathed.
Standing before her was Andrew Gomez, heir to the prestigious Gomez family, dressed in a black tailored suit that made him look even taller than she remembered. His fair skin glowed under the warm lights, his black hair was neatly brushed back, and his deep blue-black eyes held the same warmth she had always admired.
The moment she recognized him, her face brightened—genuinely, for the first time that evening.
"Selena," Andrew said, his lips stretching into a soft smile. "I almost thought my eyes were playing tricks on me."
She laughed lightly. "I can't believe you're here. It's been so long."
Andrew motioned to the empty seat beside her. "May I?"
"Of course," she said.
He sat, leaning slightly toward her, and for a moment, Selena felt like she was back in New York—in classrooms filled with sketches, late-night coffee runs, and stress-filled design projects. Their friendship had been one of the few warm memories she carried from those years.
"How have you been?" Andrew asked, his voice gentle in a way that made Selena's chest loosen. "You disappeared after graduation. I tried to reach you, but you changed your number."
Selena looked down briefly. "A lot happened when I returned to Lagos… personal things."
He frowned slightly, concern flickering in his eyes. "Are you okay now?"
"I'm fine," she said with a faint smile. "Really."
Andrew nodded, though worry still lingered. He had always been protective of her—more than he ever admitted. From the moment he met her during freshman year, he had admired her: her calmness, her intelligence, the softness in her eyes. But he had never confessed. Selena saw him as a friend, and he never wanted to ruin that.
"You look… different," he said quietly. "More mature. More… elegant."
Selena chuckled. "Is that your way of saying I look tired?"
He shook his head. "You look beautiful."
She blinked, caught off guard—but before she could respond, Andrew continued speaking, asking about her mother's health, her current life, her work. The conversation flowed easily, naturally, like a gentle stream. It was the first peaceful moment Selena had felt since arriving at the party.
But peace wasn't meant to last.
Because not far away, a pair of stormy gray eyes were locked onto them.
Jace stood near the bar area, surrounded by people trying to engage him in conversation. But he barely heard any of them. His gaze kept drifting—no, fixating—on the sight of Selena smiling, leaning forward, talking freely to another man.
And not just any man.
Andrew Gomez.
Jace's jaw ticked, his hand tightening around his glass. He watched the way Andrew looked at Selena—soft, warm, knowing. And the way Selena's eyes lit up in response.
Why is she smiling like that?
And who the hell is he?
The irritation simmered low in Jace's chest—unfamiliar, unwelcome, but impossible to ignore.
Andrew leaned closer, saying something that made Selena laugh softly.
Jace's expression darkened.
Across the room, Melissa followed Jace's line of sight. When she saw where he was looking, her own face fell. Who is that man with Selena? Why does Jace look so… bothered?
Unaware of the stares burning into their backs, Selena and Andrew continued talking, two old friends catching up—while the spark of a new tension began to crackle silently through the crowd.