CHAPTER 8: THE CHAMPAGNE
After the applause died down, Grace found herself surrounded by people who wanted to meet her.
She shook hands, smiled, and made small talk.
But her mind was elsewhere.
She kept thinking about Dominic.
The way he had stood up for her.
The way he had looked at her.
The way he had called her "his guest."
She finally managed to escape to the balcony, where she stood alone, staring at the lights of the city.
"Beautiful night, isn't it?"
She turned.
Dominic was standing behind her.
"Beautiful," she agreed.
"Are you okay?"
"I'm fine. Just... processing."
"It's a lot to take in."
"Just a little."
They stood in comfortable silence.
"Dominic, why are you doing this?"
"Doing what?"
"Protecting me."
He was quiet for a moment.
"I told you. My mother is grateful."
"That's not the whole reason."
Dominic studied her face.
"You're right," he said. "It's not."
"Then why?"
"Because you remind me of someone."
"Who?"
"Someone I lost."
Grace's heart ached at the pain in his voice.
"Who?" she asked softly.
"My sister."
He looked away.
"She was like you. Brave. Selfless. She stood up for people who couldn't stand up for themselves."
"What happened to her?"
"She was killed. By people who wanted to hurt me. People like Vivian."
Grace gasped.
"I'm so sorry."
"It was a long time ago. But I never forgot her. And when I saw you standing up to Vivian, I saw her again."
Dominic looked at her.
"So I'm not just protecting you. I'm also trying to protect what she stood for."
Grace didn't know what to say.
So she did the only thing she could.
She reached out and took his hand.
"Thank you," she said. "For telling me the truth."
"Thank you for listening."
They stood there, hand in hand, as the city lights flickered below them.
And for the first time, Grace felt like she had found something she had been missing.
A connection.
May you like
A purpose.
And maybe, just maybe, a future with someone who understood her.
