The party had reached its peak, the music louder, the chatter more insistent, the air thick with the scent of wealth, ambition, and subtle danger. I stayed close to Damien, clinging to the protective aura that surrounded him like an invisible shield. Every time someone’s gaze lingered on me for too long, every whisper that hinted at curiosity or judgment, I felt the tension coiling tighter in my chest.
And then I saw her. Selena.
She moved across the room like a predator, every inch of her posture perfect, controlled, deliberate. Her eyes found me immediately, sharp and calculating, and a small, dangerous smile curved her lips. I felt my stomach knot. She wasn’t just observing—she was planning. I could feel the charge in the air, the undercurrent of a storm that might erupt at any second
