“You’re far too modest, Mr. Gomez.”

Hadley smiled, clearly not taking his modesty at face value. Regardless of his reasons for attending, achieving his rank at such a young age was truly impressive.

“You’re an exceptional captain,” she acknowledged sincerely.

“And you—you’re no less remarkable, are you?” Ellis arched a brow with a faint smirk.

“You don’t need to work to live comfortably, yet you still push yourself.”

“Me?” Hadley laughed softly, shaking her head.

“How could I possibly compare to you?”

“Why not? Of course you can.” Ellis looked genuinely intrigued.

“Do you secretly undervalue your profession?”

Hadley fell quiet, momentarily lost in thought. Though his words were courteous, the reality was that the entertainment world was often seen as overly rewarding for the effort it demanded.

Ellis continued thoughtfully.

“Every line of work has its worth.”

Details of Hadley’s background flickered across his mind like a mental dossier.

“No effort ever goes to waste. You were a dancer once, weren’t you?”

“Yes,” Hadley replied with a nod.

“You knew that?”

“I did,” Ellis said, giving a subtle nod, his expression unreadable.

“You’re a public figure—I’ve heard a thing or two.”

The revelation took Hadley by surprise. Ellis hardly seemed like the type who followed entertainment news.

“Dancing is no easy craft,” he noted, his gaze sincere and steady.

“And for a professional like you, it demands a great deal of discipline.”

L?t?st cнαpt?rs ιn glnov?ls.

Hadley chuckled in surprise.

“You know even that?”

“I do,” he said quietly, his voice calm and gentle.

“My younger sisters gave dance a try. It was too demanding—they couldn’t keep up.”

That much was undeniably true.

Dance schools were plentiful, but true success in the field was rare. Hadley mused silently. Ellis’s profession might have shaped a serious exterior, but his words betrayed a softer, more thoughtful side. In every sense of the word, he was a gentleman.

A soft melody began drifting through the venue. Ellis turned to her, extending a hand.

“May I have this dance?”

“With pleasure,” Hadley replied with a warm smile. After all, what was a ball without a dance?

Ellis took her hand with quiet grace and guided her toward the dance floor.

“I’m no professional—don’t expect much from my dancing,” he said with a sheepish grin.

“Just promise you won’t laugh.”

“Never,” Hadley promised with a smile.

.

.

.