The Kiss that Sparked it All

“Thanks a bunch. I’d be lost without your help finding a gown,” Regina said with a relieved sigh.

Talon rolled his eyes, his voice dripping with sarcasm. “Do you really think you need to look elsewhere with me around? I’ve told you, your wardrobe is my domain. Now, let’s not waste any more time here. You’ve got a photoshoot, and we can’t have you being fashionably late to tonight’s gala, can we?”

“Roger that!”

The crowd surged forward, some even hauling in heavy-duty cameras to capture Regina’s splendor.

Ever since Regina and Talon’s paths had crossed, her every appearance here was meticulously documented by the eager onlookers.

These photographs weren’t just snapshots; they were treasured learning materials valued as much for their aesthetic as for their educational content.

They all wanted to decipher Talon’s impeccable taste, how he styled Regina to accentuate her features, and bring out her best. It was a masterclass in aesthetics.

Regina left for home half an hour early, glancing at her wristwatch before diving back into the documents she had been studying the previous day. She had a hunch that Dahlia would get in touch soon, but she needed a deeper understanding of this person’s background to prepare for the upcoming interview.

Plus, there was an unmistakable tension between her and that man, a vibe that her intuition, her woman’s sixth sense, told her spelled a story waiting to be uncovered.

What Regina hadn’t expected was that the very man she was pondering would appear at her doorstep half an hour later.

Her car pulled up to the mansion’s entrance, right behind another vehicle, whose driver was tossing the keys to a valet.

“Miss, if you could wait just a moment. I’ll let you out as soon as they’ve moved the car ahead,” her driver, Uriah, suggested politely.

“Just open the door, Uriah. I’ll get out here. And make sure no one touches these documents,” Regina instructed, gathering her things.

“Of course, Miss. Your father entrusted me with driving you; I won’t let anyone near your car,” Uriah assured her.

Nodding, Regina stepped out, her right foot hitting the ground just as she locked eyes with the man.

Nolan raised an eyebrow in surprise. It was quite the coincidence running into Regina here, of all places. Overlooking her previous erratic antics, he had to admit she was striking.

He was somewhat taken aback that such a woman, with her looks, would choose a career in journalism when she could easily glide through other professions.

Regina, facing her nemesis, didn’t mince words. “What are you doing here? Don’t tell me you’ve scammed another invite? Listen, there’s no Dahlia to save you this time, and no one’s holding a spare invite for you.”

Her lips curled into a smirk, ready to relish the drama that was about to unfold, which only made Nolan frown.Published by Nôv'elD/rama.Org.

He wanted to retract his prior assessment of her; she was far too smug, too arrogant. He disliked such rude behavior.

“Maybe you should check if your own invitation wasn’t scalped. Don’t show up at the wrong event; tonight’s soiree isn’t the kind of place a little reporter like you can just waltz into.”

Regina, clutching her designer dress, stepped up to Nolan’s face and pointed an accusatory finger. “You… You dare to belittle my profession? I knew it; your character is as low as I suspected.”