Victoria stared at her reflection in the mirror, applying a final coat of lipstick. The house was silent, Louis absent yet again. She checked her phone – no messages, no explanations. Just emptiness.
A text from Barry lit up her screen: “Ready for a night out? You deserve some fun.”
Victoria hesitated, her finger hovering over the reply button. She shouldn’t. It wasn’t right. But the thought of another lonely night in this gilded cage made her heartache.
“You know what? I am ready,” she muttered, typing back a quick “See you in 20.”
As Victoria slipped out of the mansion, she failed to notice the sleek black car parked across the street, its tinted windows concealing the watchful eyes inside.
The club pulsed with energy, bodies writhing on the dance floor. Barry greeted Victoria with
