LAUREN'S POV

The whole hall went silent after what Roman just said. His voice, deep and commanding, carried easily over the microphone, cutting through the air like a blade. He stood there on the stage, tall and confident, but his eyes… his eyes were locked directly on me.

For a second, it felt like the two of us were the only people in the entire room. The sound of murmurs, the clinking of wine glasses, even the faint hum of the chandelier lights above, it all faded into a heavy silence ...