Elara's friends Mia and Jade made it a point to schedule another hangout just four days later. This time they insisted on coming to the penthouse again, bringing takeout from their favorite old spot and a new board game. They wanted to see how Elara was really living.
The afternoon started light. They ate, laughed, and filmed a collaborative t****k video - a silly "best friend" trend that had been going viral. Elara felt relaxed for the first time in days. Her follower count had just crossed 1.2 million, and the engagement on her recent solo videos was through the roof but the peace didn't last long.
Kai came home early from a meeting. The moment he saw Elara, he pulled her onto his lap on the couch in front of her friends, kissing her neck openly while his hand slipped under her shirt,
