Emma’s POV

The silk of the dress felt impossibly soft against my skin, a second skin of anxiety and anticipation. Tonight was a corporate dinner, not a gala. Adrian had explained it was a more intimate affair, a gathering of his closest business associates, key investors, and their spouses. He hadn’t framed it as an obligation, not this time. He’d looked at me with those intense, dark eyes, a soft plea in their depths. “I want to share this with you, Emma. I want you to see… my world. Not just the cold, calculated parts, but the people. The network. The life I’ve built.”