Elijah moved faster than lightning. In an instant, he leaped across the restaurant, tackling Olivia to the ground just as the gunshot rang out. They fell hard, but it was enough to save her from being shot.Olivia’s body shook with fear, her wide eyes brimming with tears as she looked up at Elijah, her savior. The waiter, seeing his shot missed, vanished into the crowd, slipping through the chaos before anyone could stop him.A few people tried to chase him down, but he disappeared like a ghost, leaving only confusion and panic behind.Olivia was trembling, her breath shaky."Oh my God... James," she whispered, clutching Elijah’s arm."He was going to kill me. He was really going to kill me!"Elijah, still on high alert, wrapped his arms around her."You’re safe now," he said in a low voice, his eyes scanning the room for any other threats."I won’t let anything happen to you."The restaurant manager hurried over, clearly flustered by the situation."Sir, madam, please, let me offer

Inside the opulent halls of the Winters' Palace, tension crackled in the air. The news of Olivia's near-death experience had already spread, but instead of rushing to her side in concern, the family was far more preoccupied with something else—what her death could have meant for their empire.In the grand study, Olivia’s father, Gerald Winter, sat behind an expansive mahogany desk. His graying hair was slicked back, his piercing blue eyes sharp with worry, but not for Olivia. He drummed his fingers on the polished wood, deep in thought. William, his son, leaned against the fireplace, a glass of bourbon in his hand, swirling the liquid as he brooded."If Olivia had been killed today, our stock would have plummeted," William muttered, not bothering to look at his father."Do you realize how fragile her position makes us? She holds too much sway with the board."Kate, standing by the window, crossed her arms, her face twisted in annoyance."She’s a liability," she said coldly."Always ha

Olivia lay in bed, her thoughts racing, her emotions tangled between fear and yearning. The memory of the attack at the restaurant still haunted her, the sound of the gunshot replaying in her mind. She had narrowly escaped death, and it left her feeling fragile, exposed.But then, as if to comfort herself, she thought of James—the man who had saved her. "Such a humble guy," she thought.His strong arms, his steady gaze... she hadn’t been able to stop thinking about him. His masculine presence had been both protective and tender.Even in the chaos of the shooting, he had been calm, his touch reassuring. She found herself longing for that warmth again, the way his hands had steadied her trembling shoulders. Her family never showed her such care. They were cold, distant, only concerned with the family fortune. No one would lose sleep over her safety—not her father, not William, not even Kate. But James... he was different. He had saved her. He cared. A soft sigh escaped her lips as she

Sophia sat quietly at the breakfast table, her eyes fixed on the plate in front of her. She didn’t touch her food, nor did she say a word.Elijah glanced at her from across the table, sensing the tension in the air.She hadn’t spoken much the night before either, and he respected her need for space. But now, watching her silently push her food around, a pang of guilt tugged at him. He sipped his coffee, contemplating whether to speak, but before he could say anything, his phone buzzed with an urgent message.Sophia noticed the sudden shift in his expression. Elijah stood up, walking over to her."Sophia, I have to go. There’s something urgent at the military camp," he said, his voice steady but laced with concern.Sophia’s eyes flickered up at him briefly before she nodded."Alright, be careful," she replied softly.Elijah paused, considering telling her more, but decided against it. She was already upset, and the details could wait. He gently kissed her forehead and turned to leave.

Elijah leaned back against the kitchen counter, his phone still buzzing in his pocket from the threats earlier that day. But tonight wasn’t about that. It was about Sophia. His thoughts shifted as he heard soft footsteps behind him.Turning, he found Sophia walking into the kitchen, her white nightgown flowing around her like a soft breeze. She looked both elegant and effortless, her hair tumbling over her shoulders. Despite the simple look, there was something ethereal about her tonight.“Hey,” she said, her voice soft, “I was thinking… since it’s such a beautiful night, what if we had dinner on the roof? Just the two of us, under the stars?”Elijah’s serious expression melted into a warm smile. He reached for her hand, pulling her closer. “You always have the best ideas.”Sophia beamed. “I’ve always dreamed of doing something like this, but I never thought I’d get the chance. My... appearance used to make me so anxious. I’d feel like I was hiding behind something, never comfortable