Chapter 57. For You, Layla

Layla’s POV

My breath hitched as Ezra’s words echoed, “For you, Layla.” The gemstone, a serpent series stone, pulsed with an inner light, catching and refracting the ambient glow from the chandeliers above. The room buzzed a hive of whispers and gasps, a collective breath held in anticipation.

My gaze locked with Ezra’s, and for a moment, time felt suspended. His eyes, usually a cool grey, were alight with something warm, something that made my heart flutter—a flicker of mischief wrapped in deep sincerity

In that dizzying instant, I almost believed it. Almost believed he could buy the stars, wrap them in silk, and present them to me as if they were mere trinkets. He continued, his voice a steady rhythm amid the rising tide of excitement.

With each piece, each exquisite work of art, he demonstrated an ease that veered on reckless abandon. I admired the way his fingers danced over the artifacts, his aura commanding yet inviting, drawing the room’s attent