The Charity Gala

"You clean up nice," Jackson murmured appreciatively as Ava descended the grand staircase.

She fought the urge to tug at the hem of her dress, a scrap of crimson silk that clung to every curve. "Amazing what a designer label can do."

Jackson's eyes gleamed as he took her arm, his touch searing through the thin fabric. "It's not the dress, Ava. It's you."

Ava's heart stuttered at the compliment, but she brushed it off. Empty flattery, that's all it was. A means to an end.

As they glided into the ballroom, the opulence took Ava's breath away. Crystal chandeliers cast a golden glow over the cream-and-gilt space, waiters wove through the crowd with trays of champagne, and a string quartet played softly in the corner.

It was like stepping into a fairy tale...or a gilded cage.

"Mr. Reynolds! So glad you could make it." A silver-haired man in a tuxedo approached, his smile wide and polished. "And who is this stunning creature?"

Jackson's hand tightened on Ava's waist. "Senator Bradshaw, allo