Chapter Two
1144 Words
Eliana Jones had always known that there were different worlds in the city.
There was her world.
A world of lecture halls, handwritten notes, affordable restaurants, and dreams that required patience.
Then there was the world she was entering that night.
A world of luxury.
A world where people wore clothes that cost more than some people's yearly income.
A world where names opened doors before anyone even knocked.
And as Eliana stepped through the entrance of the club, she immediately realized one thing.
She did not belong.
The first thing she noticed was the music.
It was louder than anything she was used to.
The second thing was the crowd.
Everyone looked confident.
Everyone looked like they knew exactly where they were supposed to be.
Eliana looked around quietly.
"Stop looking like you are about to run away."
Joan Peters leaned closer to her and laughed.
Eliana looked at her friend.
"Maybe because I am considering it."
Joan gasped dramatically.
"You promised me."
"I promised to come here, not to survive the entire night."
Joan shook her head.
"You are impossible."
Eliana smiled.
Despite her complaints, she was happy.
Because Joan was happy.
Her friend had been trying for weeks to convince her to relax.
Between final exams, assignments, and preparing for graduation, Eliana barely had time to breathe.
Maybe one night away from everything would not hurt.
At least, that was what she believed.
The club was bigger than Eliana expected.
The entrance alone looked like the kind of place she would only see in movies.
The walls were decorated with expensive designs.
The lights reflected against glasses filled with expensive drinks.
People laughed freely, surrounded by friends and strangers.
Eliana followed Joan through the crowd.
"How do you even know places like this exist?" Eliana asked.
Joan smiled proudly.
"Because unlike you, I leave my room sometimes."
Eliana laughed.
"I leave my room."
"For school."
"That still counts."
Joan gave her a look.
"No, it doesn't."
They found a table away from the busiest part of the club.
Eliana sat down while Joan immediately started observing the people around them.
"You see that?"
Eliana followed her gaze.
"See what?"
"That woman."
Eliana looked at a woman wearing a beautiful dress surrounded by people.
"What about her?"
"She looks like she owns half the city."
Eliana smiled.
"And?"
"And I want that confidence."
Eliana looked at her friend.
"You already have too much confidence."
Joan laughed.
"Exactly."
For a while, they simply enjoyed themselves.
No pressure.
No studying.
No worrying about tomorrow.
Just two friends enjoying one night together.
But not everyone in the club was there for fun.
On the upper floor, away from the noise and excitement, another kind of conversation was happening.
The atmosphere was completely different.
Quiet.
Controlled.
The men standing outside the private room did not laugh.
They did not drink.
They did not act like ordinary guests.
They stood like guards.
Waiting.
Inside the room, Lorenzo Blackwood sat alone.
He was not the type of man who needed attention.
Attention found him.
His name carried enough weight.
The billionaire CEO who built an empire before most people his age even discovered what they wanted from life.
To the public, Lorenzo Blackwood represented success.
Power.
Influence.
A man who had everything.
But the people closest to him knew something else.
Lorenzo was not a man who enjoyed celebrations.
He did not smile easily.
He did not trust easily.
And he never forgot betrayal.
A man standing across from him finished speaking.
"Everything has been handled, Mr. Blackwood."
Lorenzo did not immediately answer.
His eyes remained on the city outside the window.
Thousands of lights.
Thousands of lives.
People who believed they understood the world.
People who had no idea what existed beneath it.
Finally, Lorenzo looked back.
"Is that all?"
His voice was calm.
Too calm.
The man nodded.
"Yes."
Lorenzo picked up his glass but did not drink.
"Good."
That was all he said.
No celebration.
No satisfaction.
Just another problem removed.
Downstairs, Eliana watched Joan disappear onto the dance floor.
She smiled.
Joan belonged here.
Not because of the money or the luxury.
Because Joan could make herself comfortable anywhere.
Eliana admired that.
She was different.
She always thought before speaking.
Always considered consequences.
Sometimes, she wondered if she was too careful.
Her phone vibrated.
A smile immediately appeared when she saw the name.
Ryder.
She answered.
"Hello."
"Are you actually at the party?"
Ryder's voice made her laugh.
"Yes."
"That sounds like something someone would say while still sitting at home."
Eliana looked around.
"I am here."
Ryder smiled through the phone.
"I wish I could see your face right now."
"Why?"
"Because I know you."
She smiled.
"And?"
"You are probably sitting somewhere judging everyone while pretending you are enjoying yourself."
Eliana laughed softly.
"Maybe."
"I knew it."
For a moment, the noise around her disappeared.
Talking to Ryder always made everything feel simple.
Safe.
"I will call you when I get home."
Ryder's voice became softer.
"Promise?"
"I promise."
"Good."
After the call ended, Eliana looked at the screen for a moment.
She felt lucky.
She had someone who cared about her.
Someone who made the future seem less frightening.
She had no idea how quickly everything could change.
Hours passed.
The party became louder.
The crowd became bigger.
Joan returned and placed a glass in front of Eliana.
"I don't drink," Eliana said, pushing it back.
"It's just one," Joan pleaded. "For me."
Eliana sighed, gave in, and took a small sip.
Joan smiled. "That's my girl."
Joan walked away while Eliana sat there, taking another sip, then another, until she had drunk more than she had ever imagined
Joan returned several times, each time trying to convince Eliana to dance.
Finally, Eliana gave in.
Only for a few minutes.
But those few minutes were enough for her to realize something.
Maybe she had been too serious.
Maybe she needed moments like this.
Moments where she was not thinking about grades.
Or responsibilities.
Or the future.
Later, when Joan became distracted by someone she met on the dance floor, Eliana decided to find the restroom.
"I will be back."
She told Joan.
Joan nodded while laughing.
"Don't disappear."
Eliana smiled.
"I won't."
She walked away.
But the club was larger than she expected.
The hallways looked similar.
The signs were confusing.
And with the music echoing everywhere, she took a wrong turn.
She pushed open a door.
At first, she thought she had entered another hallway.
Then she noticed the silence.
The expensive furniture.
The men were standing around.
The sudden change in atmosphere.
Eliana slowly loo
ked around.
This was not the restroom.
This was somewhere else.
Somewhere she was never supposed to be.
And somewhere above the city, the man who never noticed anyone was about to notice her.
- Writer
