After writing my Immunology test early Friday morning, I felt so relieved that I wanted to go out and celebrate. I had to admit, I couldn't have done it without Mitch. Despite his help, I didn't want to go out for drinks with him like he suggested we should. Instead, I showered and pulled on my red dress after I came home from school.

Sighing, I gave up on trying to tame my unruly hair and pulled on a pair of golden heels. Normally, I avoided wearing heels but I felt good tonight. When I stepped out of the room, Zane was standing by the counter with one hand in his pocket and the other holding his phone.

He quickly passed his gaze over my body before raising his eyebrows slightly. "I'll call you back," he muttered and ended the call. "You look very beautiful," he beamed.

I picked up my purse and strode towards the door, feeling his eyes on me. "It's rude to stare," I threw over my shoulder.

When we arrived at the house, my mouth fell open at the sheer enormity of it. People dressed in extravagant clothing gracefully exited expensive cars that drove up to the front door of the house.

A man wearing white gloves opened my door for me and I stepped out, trying not to trip on my heels. Zane was beside me within seconds. I looked up at the house, already feeling out of place.

My family was pretty well off. Money had never been a problem. My dad's job as a professor paid well and after my mom's business starting taking off, we were more than comfortable. But we rarely ever went out to fancy restaurants and attended such elaborate "get-togethers".

"You okay?" Zane asked, placing his hand on the small of my back. I wanted to coil away from his touch but instead, I found myself leaning into it.

"Small get-together, hm?" I asked, turning to look at him. Even with the heels he still towered over me. He responded with a sheepish grin and guided me inside.

Zane's coworker greeted us with a bright smile before leading us deeper into the house. Everything in the mansion projected sophistication and class. The man, who insisted that I call him Paul, took us to a ballroom that was illuminated by an ornate glass chandelier.

People chattered and laughed with one another over glasses of champagne. There was even live music.

"I'm very glad that you were able to make it, Zane. It's a pleasure to finally meet your wife," Paul said, coming to a stop in front of a gorgeous young woman. "This is my daughter, Katie."

He looked at her with such pride in his eyes that my heart twisted. Would my dad have looked at me like that if he was still alive?

Smiling, I shook her hand. "Congratulations on getting accepted to med school," I said, genuinely happy for her.

She gave me a shy smile but and her eyes on my face. Her blonde hair was pulled into a tight bun on her head and she was wearing a blue dress that hugged her curves perfectly.

"You are so pretty," Katie gushed while she played with the chain around my wrist. "Zane has told me so much about you." The comment took me by surprise. I raised an eyebrow at him and he shrugged his shoulders in response.

"Please excuse me for a moment," Paul said before stepping around me to attend to another guest.

"He told me that you enjoy reading. Before you head out tonight, please let me show you our library."

"I would love that," I replied.

"There is one thing he hasn't told me, though. Perhaps he mentioned it but I'm really curious about how you two met." I froze and looked at Zane with my mouth wide. He simply smiled and placed his hand on my back again. Just like before, his touch grounded me.

"It was through my mother, actually. She is the one who introduced us," he said calmly, his face revealing very little about the truth.

Katie didn't push for more details which came as a relief to me. A man wearing a grey suit tapped her shoulder and she excused herself, leaving the two of us alone.

"I'm going to need a drink," I stated and grabbed two glasses of champagne, one for myself and the other for Zane.

We sipped our drinks in silence, keeping our gazes averted from each other. We were both on our second glasses of champagne when the music became softer and couples started gathering at the center of the room.

Zane held out a hand for me. "Would you like to dance?" he asked.

I cocked my head at him, examining his outstretched hand. "I thought you didn't dance."

He shrugged his shoulders and glanced behind me. "I thought that maybe you would like to dance," he said before he downed the rest of his drink.

"I can dance," I said, taking the glass from him and setting it on the table along with my empty one.

Zane gripped my fingers and led me to the middle of the room. A smile tugged at his lips as he placed his hands onto my hips. Letting out a heavy breath, I wrapped my arms around his neck. Maybe it was the champagne or the atmosphere of the room but I didn't mind being so close to Zane.

I let him lead me across the floor, swaying to the soft music. Katie had her arms wrapped around the man in the grey suit. Her eyes were closed and she looked at peace. "That's her fiancé," Zane whispered in my ear, shaking me from my thoughts. "He's a graphic designer."

I cringed at the mention of his career. "My ex was a graphic designer," I mumbled. I didn't mean to say it out loud but it was too late. Zane leaned back to look at me, scanning my face quickly.

Furrowing his eyebrows, he took in a sharp breath. "Did you break up with him because of -"

"Nah. I broke up with him cause he was a dick." Anger bubbled in my veins at the reminder of Anwar. My good mood seemed to have dissipated and I felt really hot all of a sudden. "The asshole hit me a while back. That's why I broke up with him. Also turns out he was cheating on me. So, there was that."

The champagne was causing my thoughts to become fuzzy. I was known to be a talker when there was alcohol running through me.

Zane stopped moving, his body becoming rigid. "He hit you?" I stopped swaying and looked up at him, studying his tense jaw. "Did you hit him back?"

Rolling my eyes, I laughed. "Of course, I hit him back. Do you even know me?"

He brought his lips near my ear. "That's my girl." His words caused a shiver to run down my back. One thing was for sure, I wasn't anybody's girl. To my surprise, I didn't protest.

The slow song came to an end and people began to scatter. Grabbing onto Zane's wrist, I tugged him to the side where a young man was pouring champagne into glasses.

I glanced at his name tag. "Hey. You're Tommy, right?" The boy nodded, fiddling with a bottle of champagne. Pointing at a random waiter behind me, I said, "he was asking for you."

Tommy set the bottle down and frowned at me. Up close I realized that he was probably fresh out of high school. Freckles were sprinkled across his nose where a set of think-rimmed glasses sat. "He was asking for me?" he questioned, tilting his head to the side. Tommy reminded me of a lost puppy.

"What are you up to?" Zane murmured in my ear. Ignoring him, I nodded at Tommy who straightened his tie and slipped around the table.

As soon as he was out of sight, I grabbed the bottle and moved towards the door. The hallways outside the ballroom were dimly lit and silent, void of any sign of life. A wide-eyed Zane scurried alongside me. "Where are you going?" he asked.

"I'm looking for that library," I said with a grin. We came to the end of the hallway. "To go left or right, that is the question."

"This doesn't feel right," Zane said, placing his hands on his hips. We were standing near a window that overlooked a pristine garden. For a brief moment, the moonlight lit up Zane's features. It made him look enchanting.

Shaking my head, I took a sip of champagne. It was strawberry flavoured. Not the best but still good. "This place should have signs or something. It's huge."

"We should go back," Zane whispered as a lady wearing a freaking boa walked past us.

"Have a nice night!" I yelled at her receding back, raising the bottle above my head. "Love the boa!"

Letting out a small chuckle, Zane said, "what am I going to do with you." 

"Help me find that library." I grabbed his shoulder and pulled him forward.