ECHOES OF LOVE

chapter 8

—-
Chapter 8: The Gala

I stepped out of the Uber, the cool night air sending a shiver down my spine. Beside me, Ayla looked stunning in her cocktail dress, her confidence shining through.

As we walked towards the entrance of the gala, I couldn't help but feel a mix of nerves and excitement. The venue was alive with the sounds of chatter and music, and the air was filled with the scent of perfume and anticipation. "Camilla, over here!"

We turned to see Leia, Nathan's wife, waving at us from across the room. She looked stunning in her gown, her smile warm and welcoming. We made our way over to her, weaving through the crowd.

"Leia, you look gorgeous!" I exclaimed, embracing her.

"Thank you, you both look amazing too," Leia replied, returning the hug. I look around and see how beautiful this venue is. As Leia excused herself to greet other guests, Ayla and I found ourselves momentarily alone in the gala. It was then that an impeccably dressed men approached us, his smile charming and his demeanor confident. "Good evening, ladies," He greeted, his voice smooth. "I couldn't help but notice how stunning you look tonight. May I have the honor of a dance?" He asked to Ayla who turned to look at me with a wide smiling asking for my permission I laughed "Go ahead have fun." I winked at her, As Ayla disappeared into the crowd to dance, I found myself standing alone at the bar, sipping my drink and watching the room. The music pulsed around me, and the chatter of the guests filled the air, but I felt strangely detached from it all.

I stood at the bar, swirling the drink in my hand, trying to appear nonchalant. The man next to me was handsome in a rugged sort of way, and despite my best efforts, I couldn't help but feel a twinge of curiosity.

"Can I buy you another one?" he asked, gesturing to my almost-empty glass.

I smiled, feeling a bit daring. "Sure, why not?" I replied, my voice light.

As he ordered another drink for me, we struck up a conversation. He was charming, with a quick wit and an easy smile that put me at ease. We talked about everything from work to travel to our favorite books, and with each passing minute, I found myself enjoying his company more and more.

As we talked, I couldn't help but notice Adrian sitting across the bar, his expression dark and brooding. I knew he was watching us, and a part of me felt a thrill at the thought of making him jealous.

I turned back to the man in front of me, flashing him a smile. "Do you want to get out of here?" I asked, my voice low and seductive.

He grinned, standing up and offering me his hand. "Lead the way," he replied, his eyes sparkling with mischief.

As we walked past Adrian, I couldn't resist glancing over at him, a smirk playing on my lips. I knew I was playing with fire, but in that moment, I didn't care.

I turned to look back at Adrian with a smirk on my face for it to be quickly wiped away when 8 I see his determined strides, he approached us, his eyes blazing with anger. Adrian stepped closer, his jaw clenched. "I suggest you back off," he growled, his tone leaving no room for argument. "She's not interested." Adam looked at him and put his hands up in defense and just walked away.

Adrian waited until he was gone and didn't even turn to glance at me he just started to walk away.
a mix of emotions swirling inside me. Anger bubbled up as I thought about his interference. After all, he was the one who had told me to move on, to let go of any hope they had left. And now, here he was, acting possessive and jealous.
I hurried after him, catching up just as he reached the edge of the dance floor. "What was that?" I demanded, my voice tinged with anger. "You're the one who told me to move on, Adrian. You can't just swoop in and play the protective ex-boyfriend whenever it suits you." Adrian turned to face me, his expression unreadable. "I was just looking out for you," he replied, his tone defensive. "That guy didn't seem like he had good intentions." I crossed my arms, my eyes narrowing. "And you think you do?" I retorted, my frustration boiling over. "You don't get to dictate who I talk to or how I live my life, Adrian. We're not together anymore." Adrian's jaw clenched, his gaze intense. "I know that," he said, his voice low. "But that doesn't mean I don't still care about you."

I felt myself waver at his words, but I quickly pushed it aside. "Well, maybe you should have thought about that before you pushed me away," I replied, my tone cold. "I don't need your protection, Adrian. I can take care of myself." With that I turned on my heels and walked away.

ADRIANS POV:

I watched from across the bar as the man flirted shamelessly with Camilla. My jaw clenched, and anger simmered inside me. How dare he come onto her like that, I couldn't bear the thought of anyone else touching her, of anyone else making her smile the way she used to smile at me. I. knew I had no right to feel this way. I had pushed Camilla away, told her to move on, but seeing her with someone else ignited a fire in me. I realized in that moment that I still cared deeply for her, maybe even still loved her, despite everything. As the man lead Camilla away from the bar, I couldn't take it anymore. I strode across the bar, my fists clenched at my sides. I reached them just as the man was about to touch Camilla's hand, and I grabbed his wrist, stopping him in his tracks.
"Back off," I growled, my voice low and dangerous. "She's not interested."

The man looked surprised, taken aback by my sudden appearance. He glanced at Camilla, then back at me and with a muttered apology, he backed away, disappearing into the crowd.
I turned around and without a glance towards Camilla I started walking away I heard her footsteps behind me then I heard her speak "What was that?" she demanded, her voice tinged with anger. "You're the one who told me to move on, Adrian. You can't just swoop in and play the protective ex-boyfriend whenever it suits you."
I was annoyed but also was to amazed by how amazing she looked in this red cocktail dress then I responded "I was just looking out for you" in a nonchalant tone "that guy didn't seem like he had good intentions" she crossed her arms and rolled her eyes at me "and you think you do?" She asked me "You don't get to dictate who I talk to or how I live my life, Adrian. We're not together anymore." Her statement made me clench my jaw in annoyance I don't care if we aren't together anymore she will always be mine the next words that came out of my mouth surprised both her and I "that doesn't mean I don't still care about you." I could see the shock on her face when I said that but she quickly masked it "Well, maybe you should have thought about that before you pushed me away," she replied before I could respond she said "I don't need your protection, Adrian. I can take care of myself."As I watched Camilla walk away, my mind raced with thoughts of her. I tried to distract myself with the attention from other girls at the bar, but my eyes kept drifting back to her. She seemed worried, talking on the phone before rushing over to her best friend, Ayla, who was with one of my colleagues. Something was clearly wrong.

I decided to approach Nate, hoping he might have some insight. "Hey Nate, how's your night going?" I asked, trying to sound casual.

Nate looked at me with a grin. "It was going great until that beautiful lady had to leave me," he joked. I chuckled, trying to steer the conversation towards Camilla. "What was that about? Why did they have to leave so soon?"

Nate shrugged. "Something about Elle choking and being rushed to the ER. That's all I really got from their conversation."

I furrowed my brow, trying to piece together who Elle could be. "Any clue who Elle might be?" I probed, hoping for more information.

Nate shook his head. "No idea, man. I just wanted to get her number before she left, but they were in such a rush."

I thanked Nate and walked away, my thoughts consumed by Camilla and this mysterious Elle. I spotted Nathan and Leia talking in a corner, their smiles reminding me of the happier times with Camilla. I approached them, and Nathan spoke up, concern evident in his voice.

"Hey bro, have you seen Camilla? I didn't get to speak with her all night; I was so busy."

I shrugged, relaying what I knew. "Yeah, I saw her. She had to leave, though. Someone named Elle was rushed to the ER for choking."

Nathan and Leia's faces paled, and they immediately got up, worry etched on their faces. I was left standing there, wondering what they knew that I didn't.

As I drove to the office to distract myself with work, I couldn't shake the feeling of unease. Who was this Elle, and why did her name seem to hold so much weight?