Chapter 3

　　For the rest of the gala, Dylan Carter could not stop noticing her.

　　It irritated him immediately.

　　Because Dylan was not a man easily distracted. His entire life revolved around control, discipline, routine, and emotional distance. He attended galas because business demanded it, smiled when necessary, and ignored women politely but efficiently. That was how things worked for him.

　　But somehow…

　　his eyes kept returning to Cate Sullivan.

　　Across the ballroom she laughed with another woman near the dessert table, completely unaware that Ashford City's most feared billionaire kept watching her between conversations. Unlike every other woman at the gala, Cate looked painfully out of place there. Not uncomfortable exactly. Just… uninterested in pretending. While elite women adjusted designer gowns and monitored who was looking at them, Cate stole tiny pastries when waiters passed by and rolled her eyes at long political speeches.

　　At one point she caught Dylan staring.

　　Instead of blushing flirtatiously like most women would…

　　she narrowed her eyes suspiciously at him.

　　As if HE was the strange one.

　　God.

　　That almost made him smile again.

　　Victor noticed everything from beside him and looked deeply entertained. "You're doing it again."

　　Dylan didn't look away from Cate. "Doing what?"

　　"Looking emotionally invested."

　　"I'm observing."

　　Victor laughed into his drink. "That's even worse."

　　Meanwhile across the ballroom, Cate leaned toward her best friend Joyce with growing concern. "Why does he keep staring?"

　　Joyce nearly dropped her champagne glass. "OH MY GOD, YOU NOTICED?"

　　"How could I not notice? He looks like he's analyzing my bloodline."

　　Joyce grabbed Cate's arm dramatically and peeked toward Dylan before squealing quietly. "Cate… that man hasn't voluntarily looked interested in a woman since dinosaurs existed."

　　Cate looked unconvinced. "Maybe he's still angry about the wine."

　　"No," Joyce whispered with absolute certainty. "That man wants to know you."

　　The thought unsettled Cate far more than it should have.

　　Because unfortunately…

　　she wanted to know him too.

　　And that was dangerous.

　　Very dangerous.

　　The gala finally ended near midnight. Guests slowly filtered out beneath flashing cameras and city lights while luxury cars lined the entrance outside. Cate quietly exhaled in relief while pulling her coat tighter around herself. Her social battery died at least two hours ago.

　　"I'm never attending another rich people event," she muttered.

　　Joyce ignored her completely because she was too busy staring toward the entrance. "Uh… Cate?"

　　Cate frowned. "What?"

　　Joyce looked seconds away from fainting. "Don't panic."

　　Naturally Cate panicked immediately.

　　Slowly she turned.

　　And froze.

　　Dylan Carter stood near the exit watching her again.

　　Not casually.

　　Intentionally.

　　The cold night air suddenly felt thinner somehow.

　　Joyce immediately abandoned her emotionally. "Okay bye, I suddenly remembered I support romance."

　　"JOYCE."

　　Too late.

　　The traitor disappeared into the crowd instantly.

　　Cate considered following her.

　　Unfortunately Dylan started walking toward her before escape became possible.

　　Every woman near the entrance immediately noticed. Whispers spread instantly through the crowd because Dylan Carter did not approach women publicly. Usually women approached him.

　　Cate's heartbeat betrayed her embarrassingly fast the closer he came.

　　When he finally stopped in front of her, she realized something unfair immediately.

　　He looked even more attractive outside the ballroom.

　　Less polished. More real. Dangerously real.

　　For several quiet seconds neither spoke.

　　Then Dylan looked at her calmly and said, "You disappeared earlier."

　　Cate blinked. "What?"

　　"You left the ballroom for twenty-three minutes."

　　Silence.

　　Complete silence.

　　Cate stared at him slowly. "That is honestly terrifying."

　　One corner of his mouth lifted faintly. "You're expressive. Easy to track."

　　She should not have found that attractive.

　　And yet…

　　Dylan studied her face quietly before asking, "Do you always hate events like this?"

　　Cate folded her arms. "Do you always interrogate women outside buildings?"

　　"No."

　　"Then why are you interrogating me?"

　　A pause.

　　Then calmly, honestly—

　　"Because I wanted another conversation."

　　The answer hit her harder than expected.

　　No games. No fake billionaire charm. Just direct honesty.

　　And somehow…

　　that felt far more dangerous.

　　Before Cate could respond, a female voice suddenly interrupted behind them.

　　"Dylan."

　　The warmth disappeared from Dylan's face instantly.

　　Cate turned.

　　And immediately understood trouble had arrived.

　　Vanessa Whitmore stood a few feet away in an elegant black dress, her expression calm but her eyes fixed sharply on Cate like she already disliked her on sight.

　　Then Vanessa smiled beautifully and asked the question that made the atmosphere change completely.

　　"Aren't you going to introduce me to your nurse?"

　　The moment Vanessa Whitmore looked at Cate Sullivan…

　　something cold moved silently through the air.

　　Cate felt it immediately.

　　Not obvious hostility.

　　Worse.

　　Polished hostility.

　　The kind wealthy women mastered young.

　　Beside her, Dylan Carter's expression cooled noticeably, and somehow that alone told Cate everything she needed to know.

　　Vanessa was important enough to affect him.

　　Not emotionally.

　　Historically.

　　And for reasons Cate didn't fully understand yet…

　　that realization unsettled her slightly.

　　Vanessa stepped closer gracefully, rain softly misting the city lights around them while cameras flashed near the entrance. Every movement about her looked expensive and practiced. Unlike Cate, who suddenly felt painfully aware of her simple black dress and tired posture after hours trapped inside a ballroom she never belonged in.

　　Dylan's voice turned flat. "Vanessa."

　　Vanessa ignored his tone completely. Her eyes remained fixed on Cate with elegant curiosity that somehow felt insulting. "You disappeared with her during half the gala," she said lightly. "People are beginning to think miracles exist."

　　Cate immediately understood one thing:

　　This woman knew Dylan well.

　　Well enough to recognize unusual behavior instantly.

　　Vanessa finally extended her hand toward Cate. "Vanessa Whitmore."

　　Cate shook it politely. "Cate Sullivan."

　　"Ah yes," Vanessa said softly, smiling without warmth. "The nurse."

　　Something about the way she said it made Cate's chest tighten slightly.

　　Not because she was ashamed of being a nurse.

　　But because Vanessa clearly believed she should be.

　　Dylan noticed too.

　　His jaw tightened almost invisibly before he calmly stepped slightly closer beside Cate. Small movement. Barely noticeable.

　　Protective.

　　Vanessa noticed THAT immediately.

　　And suddenly…

　　something sharp flashed through her eyes.

　　Interesting.

　　Very interesting.

　　"You left before dessert," Dylan said quietly to Cate, completely ignoring Vanessa now.

　　Cate blinked slightly at the sudden shift back to her. "I was socially exhausted."

　　One corner of Dylan's mouth almost lifted again. "I noticed."

　　Vanessa stared at him in disbelief.

　　Because Dylan Carter almost never adjusted conversations around other people's comfort.

　　Yet here he was speaking softly to Cate Sullivan like the rest of the world barely existed.

　　Vanessa's fingers tightened subtly around her clutch purse.

　　"No wonder Sophia embarrassed herself," she murmured lightly. "You do seem distracted lately."

　　The atmosphere shifted instantly.

　　Cate frowned slightly, confused by the sudden mention of another woman.

　　But Dylan's expression hardened completely.

　　"Don't," he said coldly.

　　Vanessa lifted one elegant eyebrow innocently. "Don't what?"

　　"You know exactly what."

　　Cate looked quietly between them while tension thickened in the rain around the entrance. Something clearly existed beneath this conversation. History. Rivalry. Warnings she didn't understand yet.

　　Vanessa sighed softly like Dylan was exhausting her emotionally. "You humiliated a woman publicly last week and now the media is convinced you're secretly in love with a stranger. Forgive me for being curious."

　　Cate froze slightly.

　　Publicly humiliated a woman?

　　Dylan immediately looked toward her. "Cate—"

　　But Vanessa continued smoothly before he could explain. "Sophia Laurent practically proposed marriage to him in front of half the city."

　　The breath caught in Cate's chest unexpectedly.

　　Because everyone knew Sophia Laurent.

　　International billionaire heiress. Magazine cover royalty. The kind of woman who looked born beside powerful men.

　　Vanessa's gaze sharpened slightly while watching Cate absorb the information. "Poor thing cried for two days after Dylan rejected her."

　　Something uncomfortable twisted inside Cate now.

　　Not jealousy exactly.

　　More like sudden awareness.

　　This was Dylan's world.

　　Women like Sophia. Women like Vanessa.

　　Beautiful, wealthy, sophisticated women who understood elite society naturally.

　　Meanwhile Cate worked twelve-hour hospital shifts and sometimes forgot matching socks existed.

　　The difference suddenly felt enormous.

　　Dylan noticed the exact second she emotionally withdrew.

　　God.

　　He noticed everything about her already.

　　"Vanessa," he said quietly, dangerously, "go home."

　　Vanessa looked stunned for half a second.

　　Not because of the words.

　　Because of the tone.

　　Dylan had chosen a side.

　　Publicly.

　　Again.

　　Vanessa slowly looked at Cate.

　　Then smiled faintly.

　　Coldly.

　　"You should be careful, Miss Sullivan."

　　Cate held her gaze despite the growing discomfort in her chest. "About what?"

　　Vanessa's eyes flickered briefly toward Dylan before returning to Cate.

　　"Men like him don't fall softly."

　　Silence settled heavily around them.

　　Then Vanessa stepped back toward her waiting car, elegance flawless as ever.

　　But before getting inside, she looked at Dylan one last time and quietly said—

　　"Your grandmother already hates this."

　　And just like that…

　　she drove away into the rain.

　　Leaving Cate standing beside Dylan with one terrifying realization slowly forming inside her chest.

　　His family didn't know her.

　　And somehow…

　　they already wanted her gone.