Chapter 100

SEBASTIAN

The restaurant glowed that night — warm lights, soft laughter, clinking glasses, the kind of energy that made success feel almost tangible. I didn’t regret choosing my restaurant as the spot for the celebration at die minute. And most importantly, I didn’t regret giving my staff the chance to celebrate like this. They were in their element: smiling, drinking, toasting to another milestone. It should’ve been a perfect night.

But my eyes weren’t on the crowd.

They were on her.

Dahlia sat across the room in a low-lit corner, surrounded by a few waiters. She was smiling, laughing — but not her usual soft, effortless laugh. This one was louder, looser, the kind that told me she’d had more than one drink. They were obviously having fun.

I watched her tip another glass of wine back, head tilted, cheeks flushed, and something in me tightened. I have no idea if she wasn’t a heavy drinker. I kept my eyes on her until I noticed she was alone once agai