Shonee’s POV
So, it’s been a week since Vincent and Avril’s engagement party and despite all the social media buzz it created, Avril’s family wasn’t entirely done revelling in all the attention.
To increase media proclamation and business ventures, Avril and her father, Richard Payne, decided to host a charity gala at the premises of Beckham Incorporated. All the proceeds from tonight’s event would go towards funding educational initiatives for underprivileged children. Though I admired the thought put into this event, I couldn’t help but feel like this was another manipulation tactic from the Payne family.
Our car came to a stop in front of Beckham Incorporated, and with my usual entourage—Gerta and Mirasol—we all stepped out and moved into the grand ballroom located in the company’s five-story building. 
The grandeur of the venue took my breath away—the shimmering chandeliers, the lush floral arrangements, and the murmurs of anticipation in the air.
Yep, trust Avril to go all out with decorations, I thought.
Seriously, it was like the engagement party all over again. With a sigh, I plastered on my best socialite smile and began to mingle. Compliments on dresses, small talk about the weather, and the occasional laugh at a joke I barely heard over the din of the crowd. It was all so mechanical, so rehearsed.
Amidst the sea of familiar faces, I spotted Vincent for the first time tonight across the room. His presence commanded attention as he and his fiancée strolled through the sea of guests, hand-in-hand. Avril looked regal in a red velvet gown that swept the floor in a stylish twirl. As usual, her make-up, jewellery and everything about her appearance was flawless and she didn’t hesitate to show it off with a few hair flips to the side.
To everyone they looked like the picture-perfect couple they were meant to be: the good-looking billionaire settling for the fabulous fashionista extraordinaire. But only a few of us knew what really went on behind all that façade of glitz and glamour.
Keeping my eyes on them as they made their rounds, I gulped down the last of my champagne until a strange feeling that someone was watching me sent a shiver up my spine. At first, I ignored it, thinking it was just my imagination, but when I turned slightly to the left, my eyes met Michael, who was intently staring at me from where he stood with a group of business people.
My eyebrows immediately narrowed into a frown. Has he been watching me this whole time?
When he noticed that I’d caught him staring, his lips pulled into a coy smile as he abandoned his company and moved towards me.
Michael and I hadn’t exactly spoken since our…misunderstanding on the dance floor during the engagement party, and because I wasn’t in the mood to approach the topic again in another public setting, I faked an excuse about needing to use the bathroom so I could get away from Vincent’s probing assistant.
Honestly, the fact that Michael suspected something was enough reason to avoid him. 
Maybe I should inform Vincent so he can warn him to stay away, I thought. But what good would that do? If anything, it would only confirm Michael’s suspicions and make things worse.
Shutting the bathroom door, I walked up to the mirror and shook my head in an attempt to clear out my thoughts. There had to be another and safer way of getting rid of those suspicions before they blew up into something else.
I took some time to work on my make-up while hoping my mind could at least come up with something before I exited the bathroom. But by the time I was done, my brain was blank. The only thing I could come up with was telling Vincent and I wasn’t entirely certain how good that idea was. Taking one last breath, I walked out of the bathroom, re-strategizing in my head. Tonight, I was just going to try my best to keep my distance from Michael. Then when we returned home, I’d try to talk to Vincent about the situation.
Walking in the direction of the ballroom, I noticed a balcony nearby, overlooking the city skyline. The cool breeze wafted through the open French doors, inviting me for a moment of solitude away from the bustling crowd. As I approached, I saw a figure standing there, silhouetted against the city lights.
"Vincent?" I called softly as I stepped onto the balcony, not wanting to startle him.
He turned towards me, surprise flickering across his features before he quickly composed himself. "Shonee, hey. Wow… you look amazing.”
A wave of heat crept up my cheeks. “Thanks umm… What are you doing here anyway? Shouldn’t you be with Avril and her dad, making the rounds?”
Lips curving downwards, Vincent turned back to the stunning skyline. “I’ve had enough of them,” he mumbled, then took a sip from his whiskey glass.
Sensing there was more to his moody demeanor, I drew closer, parking myself right beside him. The fresh air felt invigorating, carrying with it a sense of freedom from the stifling atmosphere inside. I leaned against the railing, mirroring Vincent's contemplative stance as we both gazed out at the glittering city below.
“Have you ever felt like you’re trapped in a situation you can't escape from?” Vincent's voice was low, almost lost in the gentle rustle of the wind.
“More times than I care to admit,” I self-confessed, a twinge of vulnerability colouring my tone. “But in your case, does this situation have anything to do with your fiancée and her family?”
“That and more.” He placed the whiskey glass on the railing ledge, making sure it was stable before letting go. “Like tonight for example. Avril and her dad, they don’t really care about the initiatives I had planned when we came up with this program. All Richard cares about is using Beckham Incorporated to make himself and his company look good and Avril’s doing everything she can to back him up. I'm just... stuck in the middle of it.”
I reached out, placing a comforting hand on his arm. “You don't have to stay, Vincent. You can just leave; you are the CEO after all.”
He glanced at me, a flicker of uncertainty in his eyes. “And have them threaten to pull the plug on my company? Not a chance.”
“Well, maybe it's time to break free,” I suggested, my voice firm with conviction. “I don’t know much about business strategies, but I do know that you deserve to live your life and run your company on your own terms. You shouldn’t have to sacrifice your integrity for the sake of their image.”
Vincent turned to look at me, his eyes searching mine. “You really believe that?”
“I do,” I affirmed, squeezing his arm gently. “And I believe in you, Vincent. You have the strength and the courage to make the right decision, no matter how difficult it may seem.”
A small smile tugged at the corners of his lips, and for a moment, the weight of his worries seemed to lift. “Thank you, Shonee. I needed to hear that.”
Before I could respond, he leaned in, closing the distance between us, and pressed his lips to mine in a tender kiss. Time seemed to stand still as we basked in a moment of romance, the world fading away around us. My arms curved around his neck, pulling him close and at the same time, I relished the feel of his hand lingering on my lower back. Mmm, pure bliss…
But our embrace was soon cut short by the sound of shattering glass. We pulled away, startled, our hearts racing as we exchanged a wide-eyed glance.
Vincent's whiskey glass had slipped from the ledge and tumbled down to the street below with a resounding crash.
“We should... probably go back into the party,” I murmured, my voice strangely hoarse with emotion.
“Yeah,” Vincent replied, his cheeks flushed with embarrassment. “Before they figure out that it was us.”
Quickly, we both slipped past the French doors, nearly running into a figure who stumbled back at the sight of us.
“Michael?” My heart jumped and I immediately let go of Vincent’s hand.
“What the hell are you doing here?” Vincent quizzed in anger. 
“Enjoying the show,” came Michael’s reply. Then his lips stretched into that coy smile of his as he lifted his phone, displaying a video of the entire incident that had occurred a minute ago.
Oh crap!