Bella moved through the pulsing crowd of the club like a shadow, music thumping through her veins, drowning out the lingering ache of heartbreak that had lodged itself deep in her chest. Neon lights painted her skin in shades of pink and electric blue, reflecting off her sequined dress and mirroring the storm raging inside her. She had come here to forget—to lose herself for just a few hours in rhythm, heat, and chaos.
Her best friend, Mia, swirled beside her, waving a cocktail and shouting over the music. “You need this, Bella! Dance! Drink! Forget!”
Bella forced a smile, letting the alcohol slide down her throat, burning and soothing at once. She danced, laughed, and let the music take over, but Damien’s shadow loomed over every movement. She saw him in every flash of dark hair, every
