“Maybe,” I admit. “But at least it’ll be my mistake.”
Then I turn and walk away, pulse thudding like war drums in my ears. I don’t check to see who’s watching. Don’t care if the whispers start before I hit the stairs. For the first time in a long time, I know exactly where I stand.
And who I’m walking toward.
Chapter 23
JADE
I didn’t expectthe hush.
Didn’t expect the way every pair of eyes tracked me as I stepped into the ballroom like I’d just walked off a magazine cover instead of a plane of nerves.
The gown fit like it had been painted on—rich, iridescent silk the color of midnight storms. My hair was clipped back, short now, fierce and modern. I had smoky eyes, a bold lip, and a face that said:I survived hell. And I’m still here.
Kannon offered his arm, grinning like he already knew we were about to break the internet.
“Damn, J,” he murmured. “You’re about to make some hearts stop.”
I gave him a tight smile. “Let’s hope the paramedics are on call.”
The ballroom was straight out of a winter fairy tale—glass and gold and garlands everywhere. Beneath it all, the undercurrent of cameras clicking and whispered names.
And Leo?
Yeah. I felt him before I saw him. His stare slid over me like a secret. I didn’t look. Couldn’t. Not yet. Not when I had something to say.
When they called me up, I walked the stage alone. My heels clicked, and my heart thudded loud enough to drown out the orchestra. My PR guru gave me a nod from the sidelines.
I took the mic. Breathed. And spoke.
“We all wear masks.”
“Some are made of glitter and glam, others are invisible—stitched together from pain and shame and fear. But no matter what they’re made of… we wear them. To survive. To protect. To hide.”
“Tonight, we’re raising money for kids who fight battles in hospitals. Battles most of us could never comprehend. But not all fights leave visible scars.”
“Some of us fight every day to be seen. To be heard. To prove we matter. We carry wounds from betrayal. From cruelty. From silence.”
“I know what it’s like to be underestimated. Judged. Torn apart by people who’ve never walked a step in my shoes. But I also know what it’s like to rise anyway.”
“This night is about courage. Not just the courage to heal—but the courage to bereal.”
“So if you’ve ever felt broken, dismissed, discarded—this is your reminder that you’re not done. You’re not finished. You’re just beginning.”
I didn’t realize I’d stopped breathing until the crowd erupted. Not polite clapping—roaringapplause. People on their feet. Hands cupped over hearts. Even some tears.
My throat was tight, but I smiled. Not for them—for me.
I stepped down and instantly felt Leo’s eyes like heat on my skin. I didn’t have to look to know he was watching. Every curveof this dress, every flicker of emotion on my face, every breath—I felt it like gravity.
But he wasn’t beside me.
He wasn’t fighting for me.
And that ache? It twisted sharp. Because Kannon’s hand on my waist was steady. Proud. Supportive. But it wasn’this. Wasn’t Leo’s. And I wanted it to be.
I took a flute of champagne. I posed for photos. I smiled at the cameras.
