FALLING FOR FOREVER

1: The E

rectly on her. She leaned against the marble railing of the outdoor terrace, letting the cool breeze soothe her nerves. Inside, th

Olivia mumbled, glancing at her phone. Lily, her assistant and younger sister, ha

e had only recently risen to fame with a breakout role, and already she felt like

ugh the terrace doors. "Olivia! You're not hiding o

treated Olivia's career like a personal mission, making sure her older sister di

tepped onto the terrace, her eyes sparkli

eriously, Liv. It's your night. Your career is on fire. Y

feel like I'm pretending to be someone else," Oli

her a sympa

. You deserve this. Jus

ing a deep breath, she nodded. "

the figure who stepped through was tall, dressed in an impeccably tailored black suit, and ooz

. He was the billionaire CEO who owned half of Silicon Valley. Olivia had heard rumors about

ook and whispered, "That's E

ther wealthy figure in a sea of powerful men. Yet something about the way h

Olivia. Their gazes locked for a second too long before a slight smile curved his lips

tened, ready

pleasure to meet

fly to Lily, but his attenti

d smoothly, his voice low and

he know her? Wasn't he too wrapped up in hi

rself. "Yes, that's righ

a hint of amusement in

ou to it. Looks like you're in good hands." With a knowing win

regain her footing, said, "So, what brings you to a place l

But it's good for business, so

t if this is my scene o

a dream, other times like

eir arms almost brushing. "I get that. Everyone here is

ty in his voice. It wasn't what sh

e you wearing

mething unreadable fl

all are, to

ure she had imagined. They spoke about everything-from movies to business to the ridiculousness of the pa

there was tension. An undeniabl

er her shoulder at the noise coming from the ballroom. She should probably h

ng, aren't you?" Ethan's voic

dded. "Yeah, I think I've

e," Ethan offered, his tone

of her was tempted. It wasn't every day someone like Ethan Cole walked into

erself say before sh

#

Ethan's sleek black car glided through the city streets, the distant hum of traffic fading into the backg

e the city stretched out before them, a sea of lights twinkling beneath the inky s

king to the edge of the terr

ady warmth at her side. "I come here to thi

she asked, gen

Everything. Expectations, responsibiliti

e'd always assumed men like him thrived on the attention an

erfect, you know," she s

mething real. Before she could say anything else, he closed the distance between them, his lips brushin

e hadn't expected this, but

gent, more real, and for a brief mom

, her heart racing. Ethan rested his forehead agai

hesitate. No

#

e, casting soft, golden light over the room. Olivia stirred awake, blinking

ents of the previous night flooding back. Her cheeks warmed

ble, her phone buzzed from the nig

p for the press junket. Don't t

't have time to linger here. This wasn't her world, not really

old herself as she quietly d

tor, she couldn't shake the feelin