Sophie's POV
I didn't plan to go to Velvet Crown that night. The day had already been exhausting before the sun even set. My head was still full of the argument I had earlier at the office.
It started that morning, just after nine. My boss stood behind his desk with a serious look on his face, flipping through a report I had submitted the day before. The room was quiet except for the faint sound of papers moving.
"Sophie," he said, adjusting his glasses, "this report should have been completed yesterday." I crossed my arms slightly, trying to stay calm. "I told you I needed more time," I replied. "Some of the figures were not complete." He shook his head slowly. "That's not how this company works."
His tone made my stomach tighten. It wasn't just about the report anymore. It felt like he was questioning everything I did. "You expect perfection in half the time," I said quietly. "That's not realistic." He leaned forward on the desk. "You're letting personal distractions affect your work." That was when I knew the conversation was going nowhere good.
I didn't argue anymore. I simply picked up my bag and left his office. The rest of the day felt heavy. Every email, every phone call, every small task felt like a burden. By the time work finally ended, I needed a way to clear my head. That was when my friend Tasha mentioned the club. "You still looking stressed," she said as we packed our things. "I am," I admitted.
Tasha smiled.
"Then you need Velvet Crown tonight." I looked at her curiously. "Velvet Crown?" "You've never heard of it?" she asked, surprised. I shook my head. "Best club in town," she said confidently. "Good music, good crowd. Perfect place to forget a bad day."
That sounded exactly like what I needed. So later that night, after changing into something a little more exciting than my usual office clothes, I found myself standing outside Velvet Crown. The purple lights from the sign glowed brightly over the entrance. Music poured out every time the door opened.
For a second, I hesitated. This wasn't usually my kind of place. But tonight wasn't about usual. Tonight was about escape. When I walked inside, the energy hit me immediately. Lights flashed across the dance floor. The music was loud and alive. People danced freely, laughing and raising their glasses. I felt the tension from the day slowly leaving my shoulders. I walked to the bar and ordered a drink. "First time here?" the bartender asked. "Is it that obvious?" I replied with a smile.
He laughed and slid the drink toward me.
"Enjoy the night. That was exactly what I planned to do. I moved toward the dance floor and joined the crowd. The music was good, the people were lively, and for a moment I forgot completely about the stressful day I had just lived through. I laughed with a few strangers and danced to the rhythm of the music.
Then I felt it.
That strange feeling of someone watching me. I turned slightly and scanned the room. That was when I saw him. He sat at a table not far from the dance floor. Calm. Confident. The men around him seemed careful with how they spoke to him. Even from across the room, there was something powerful about his presence.
Our eyes met briefly.
I looked away, pretending to focus on my drink. A few minutes later, I noticed someone approaching me. It was him. He stopped in front of me, his expression calm but curious. For a moment, neither of us spoke. Then he said simply, "Dance with me." His voice was steady, almost like he expected me to say yes. I looked around the room. "Everybody dey look you," I said lightly. He glanced around once, then looked back at me.
"Let them look." Something about his confidence made me smile "Alright," I said. We stepped onto the dance floor together. He placed one hand gently at my waist while I rested my hand on his shoulder. The music slowed slightly, and we began to move with the rhythm. After a few moments, he spoke again. "What's your name?" "Sophie," I answered.
He nodded.
"I'm Mitchell." I studied his face for a moment. "You run this place, don't you?" He shrugged slightly. "I keep things running." I laughed softly. "So the man who runs the club just walks up and asks strangers to dance?" Mitchell looked at me calmly. "Only the interesting ones." I raised an eyebrow. "And you decided I'm interesting already?" He smiled faintly. "I can tell." For the first time that night, I felt slightly nervous. But not in a bad way.
We kept dancing as the music filled the room. "You come here often?" he asked. "No," I said. "Tonight is actually my first time." "Then Velvet Crown is lucky tonight." I laughed again. "You say that to all the girls?" "No," he replied calmly. "Just you." For a moment, the loud club around us seemed to fade. I had only come to Velvet Crown to forget about my problems at work.