Chapter 12-First Time a Man Complimented Me

Katelyn’s POV The bass thumped through the walls, vibrating under my skin as colored lights flashed in rhythmic pulses. The club was alive with energy, bodies moving in sync with the music, laughter mingling with the pounding beats. I danced. It wasn’t graceful, it wasn’t perfect—but it was freeing. The week since I’d left Lucas had been the hardest of my life. I tried everything to distract myself from the gnawing emptiness his absence left behind, but nothing worked. I missed him more than words could say. It was the longest time we’d ever been apart, and every night without his little voice, without his arms around my neck, felt like a slow suffocation. I hadn’t contacted Ethan since the day I officially moved out of the villa. There was no point. Whatever remained between us had been severed the moment I handed him those divorce papers. Still, as I moved to the beat, I couldn’t help but notice the man dancing with me. His dark hair, sharp jawline, and piercing eyes reminde