THE MISTAKE I WASN'T SUPPOSED TO WANT

"Never slap a stranger in public. Especially if that stranger owns half the city." Aria Bennett had imagined this moment a hundred different ways. In every version, Daniel begged.In some, he cried. In others, he denied everything until she threw the evidence in his face. But never—not once—had she imagined slapping the wrong man. The grand ballroom of the Imperial Crown Hotel glittered beneath crystal chandeliers. Wealthy investors, celebrities, and politicians filled the room, champagne glasses clinking as cameras flashed. Aria ignored all of it. Her eyes were locked on the man standing near the entrance. Black tailored suit. Broad shoulders. Dark hair. Exactly like the photo her best friend had sent her ten minutes ago. There he is. Her heartbeat thundered. She marched across the ballroom, heels clicking against the polished marble floor. People glanced at her. She didn't care. "Daniel!" The man slowly turned. Without thinking...Smack! The sharp sound echoed through the ballroom. Gasps erupted. "You lying, cheating—" The words died in her throat. The man staring back at her wasn't Daniel. He was taller. Far more handsome. His piercing gray eyes held no confusion—only cold, dangerous silence. The room froze. Someone dropped a champagne glass. Another whispered,

"Oh my God..."

"No..."

"She didn't..."

Aria's stomach sank.

"I'm..." she began weakly.

"...sorry?"

The stranger rubbed his jaw once. He didn't shout. He didn't move. That somehow made him even more terrifying. A woman beside him covered her mouth. "Miss," she whispered in horror. "...do you know who that is?" Aria shook her head. The woman looked as though she'd seen a ghost.

"That's Adrian Blackwood."

Silence.

The name meant nothing...Until everyone around her reacted. Phones appeared.

Cameras lifted.

People stepped back as though she were standing beside an explosion waiting to happen.

Adrian Blackwood.

The billionaire CEO.

The man newspapers called The Ice King. The youngest business tycoon in the country. The man no one dared offend. And she had just slapped him. Her face drained of color. "I...I thought you were someone else." Adrian finally spoke. His voice was calm. Too calm. "I know." That was all. No anger. No yelling. No threat. He simply adjusted the cuff of his expensive suit. Then looked directly into her eyes. "I'll remember your face." A chill ran down her spine. He walked past her. His security team followed without another word. Only after the massive doors closed behind him did the ballroom breathe again. The whispers exploded instantly.

"She's finished."

"Did you record it?"

"Who even is she?"

Aria wanted the marble floor to open up and swallow her whole. Her phone vibrated. Maya: PLEASE tell me you didn't just slap Adrian Blackwood. Aria stared at the message. Then slowly typed back. Aria: ...I think I just ruined my life.Before she could slip her phone back into her purse, another vibration followed.Maya: Don't move.Aria frowned.Maya: I'm coming to get you. Just stay where you are.She let out a shaky breath she hadn't realized she'd been holding. Around her, the ballroom slowly returned to life, but not for her. Conversations resumed in hushed tones, and every few seconds she caught someone stealing a glance in her direction.Some were curious.Others looked almost... pitying.As she bent to pick up her clutch from the floor, she noticed a pair of polished black dress shoes stop a few feet in front of her.Her heart lurched.Please don't let it be him.She slowly looked up.Instead, a middle-aged man in an expensive navy suit offered her a hand."You dropped this."He held out a small silver bracelet she hadn't realized had slipped from her wrist."Thank you," she murmured, accepting it.The man studied her for a brief moment before lowering his voice."If I were you, I'd leave before the press starts asking questions.""The press?" she repeated.He nodded toward the entrance.Several reporters had already gathered outside the ballroom doors, alerted by the commotion inside. Camera flashes flickered through the glass panels."They're faster than wildfire," the man said with a sympathetic smile. "And Adrian Blackwood... well, he's news."Before Aria could ask another question, the man disappeared into the crowd.A cold knot settled in her stomach.This was bad.Worse than bad.She adjusted the bracelet with trembling fingers and headed toward the exit, keeping her head down.Just as she reached the hallway outside the ballroom, the elevator doors slid open with a soft chime.Out stepped Adrian Blackwood.He wasn't alone.Two men in tailored suits followed closely behind him, speaking in low voices. Adrian silenced them with a single glance.He looked up.Their eyes met.For one endless second, the bustling hallway seemed to disappear.Aria's mouth went dry.Should she apologize again?Should she run?Before she could decide, Adrian reached into the inside pocket of his jacket and pulled out a sleek black business card.He extended it toward her.She blinked."I... what?""Take it."His voice was quiet, unreadable.With hesitant fingers, she accepted the card.There was nothing on the front except a single embossed name.Adrian Blackwood.No phone number.No company logo.Nothing.She looked up, confused."What is this for?"The corner of his mouth lifted—not quite a smile, but something far more unsettling."When you're ready to know why I let you walk away...""...call me."Without another word, he stepped into the elevator.The doors slid shut.Aria stared at the black card resting in her palm.For reasons she couldn't explain, it felt heavier than paper.As if, by accepting it...She had unknowingly accepted something else.Something that would change her life forever.