Her friends sent her to a millionaire as a joke, but his reaction made every person at the table stop laughing.

Two months later, the Grand Oak was unrecognizable.

The annual winter charity gala—usually a stuffy, rigidly formal affair where corporate elites paraded around in designer gowns to secure tax write-offs—had been completely transformed.

At the center of the ballroom stood a towering, magnificent archway constructed entirely out of vintage book pages, curated by Mrs. Higgins and constructed under the bemused supervision of a dozen tech executives.

The press was outside, of course—massed behind velvet ropes, cameras flashing continuously. But tonight, the narrative was entirely different. It wasn't a scandal; it was a fairy tale.

Inside, the ballroom was filled with laughter, jazz music, and the clinking of crystal glasses.

Emily Carter stood in front of the tall mirrors in the Grand Oak’s private suite, smoothing down the fabric of her dress. It wasn't the simple navy dress she had worn two months ago. It was a stunning, floor-length gown of deep emerald silk that caught the light like polished jade, paired with delicate silver earrings that sparkled with every movement.

The door opened softly, and Daniel stepped into the room.

He wore a classic black tuxedo, impeccably tailored, but as soon as his eyes landed on Emily, his corporate armor vanished entirely. He walked over, wrapping his arms around her waist from behind, resting his chin on her shoulder as they both looked at their reflection in the mirror.

“You look breathtaking,” Daniel murmured against her neck.

“You clean up all right yourself, Mr. Brooks,” Emily teased, turning around in his arms and resting her hands against the lapels of his jacket.

“Are you ready for this?” Daniel asked, gesturing toward the heavy double doors that led to the ballroom and the sea of flashing cameras waiting beyond. “We can sneak out the back service elevator right now. Fly to Paris. Or open a bookstore in rural Maine.”

Emily laughed, rising slightly on her tiptoes to press a kiss to his cheek.

“No hiding, Daniel. We face the music—bookstore style.”

Hand in hand, they walked toward the heavy oak doors.

As the doors swung open, the murmurs in the ballroom instantly died down. Hundreds of pairs of eyes turned toward them. For a fraction of a second, Emily felt that familiar flutter of anxiety in her chest, but then she felt Daniel’s thumb stroke reassuringly against the back of her hand.

She lifted her chin, smiled brightly, and walked into the light.

There were no gasps of mockery tonight. Only polite applause, genuine smiles, and the warm, approving nod of Mrs. Higgins standing near the front with Olivia, who was currently crying tears of joy into an overly expensive silk handkerchief.