Chapter 20

The gallery was bright and bustling, filled with the quiet shuffle of well-dressed guests and the soft murmur of conversation. Trina, one of the young artists featured in the exhibition, stood before her painting, fielding congratulations and interviews from guests. She carried herself with effortless grace, her words and gestures exuding charm. Julian lingered at the edge of the crowd, his gaze fixed on her, unable to look away for even a moment. At that moment, a well-dressed young man with blond hair and blue eyes approached Trina enthusiastically, holding a glass of wine. He spoke to her fluently in a foreign language, his eyes full of open admiration and affection. The young man, Lance Watkins, seemed to be the son of a diplomat. He was handsome and from a prominent family. He looked at Trina with the kind of fiery gaze a man reserved only for the woman he loved. Julian felt a surge of jealousy searing through him, consuming all his reason and restraint. He could no longer b