tragedy
1819 Words
Brooks Mansion...
Kimberly Brooks' room looked like something pulled straight from a luxury magazine, all silver tones and soft lighting, every detail carefully arranged to reflect a life built on beauty, control, and attention. Plush carpets softened every step, the faint scent of fresh lilies drifting through the air, while her vanity sparkled beneath the morning light, lined with perfumes, diamonds, and polished glass bottles that mirrored her world back at her perfect, curated, admired.
She sat at the edge of her bed, legs crossed, her phone resting in her hand as a slow, satisfied smile spread across her lips while she scrolled. Every headline, every post, every video it was all about her. Her party. Her night. Her name.
"Of course," she murmured, tilting her head slightly as she opened another article, watching clips of her entrance replay on the screen—her dress catching the light, cameras flashing, guests turning to admire her. Comments flooded in beneath each post, praising her beauty, her elegance, her ability to command attention so effortlessly. Her smile deepened, pleased, expected.
Then her thumb paused.
The shift was subtle, almost imperceptible, but it was there.
Her eyes narrowed slightly as she read the headline again.
'CEO of Lu Dra Jewelries makes striking appearance at Kimberly Brooks' birthday party.'
Her smile didn't disappear, but it changed, sharpening into something brighter, more intrigued. Images loaded instantly, and there she was, Hailey. Walking through the crowd, turning just enough for the camera to catch her, standing like she belonged in a space she had never been invited into.
Kimberly leaned forward slightly, her brows pulling together. "…her?" she whispered, more to herself than anyone else.
She kept reading. Words like mysterious, powerful, unannounced filled the screen, each one adding weight to a presence Kimberly hadn't anticipated. The article went on about her company, her quiet rise, her influence, her wealth, her power power that seemed to rival names Kimberly had grown up hearing.
Kimberly remained motionless, sure most of the articles were more about the Hailey appearance but she was still happy. She couldn't believe the hidden CEO of one of the most talked-about luxury jewelry brands had shown up at her party. She scrolled further, deeper, consuming every detail.Just then she heard the low rumble of a car pulling into the driveway cut through the silence.
Kimberly's head snapped toward the window , just in time to see Elijah's sleek black sedan glide across the estate, smooth and controlled as always.
Her gaze lingered for a second.
Then she looked back at her phone before placing in down and made her way downstairs. Without a second thought, Kimberly pushed off the bed and moved, smoothing her dress with a quick flick of her fingers as she hurried out, her heels striking sharply against marble as she descended the grand staircase. Excitement rushed through her, making her steps almost uneven by the time she reached the bottom, just as Elijah and Ethan stepped out of the car. Both brothers looked composed, calm, and entirely prepared for the storm of energy heading straight toward them.
"Hey!" Kimberly called, practically bouncing as she reached them, her voice bright with excitement.
Ethan exchanged a quick look with Elijah before a smirk tugged at his lips. "I see the princess is satisfied," he said lightly. "Heard your party is the talk of the nation… actually, no—probably the world."
Elijah chuckled under his breath.
Kimberly squealed, the sound echoing through the foyer as she slipped the bracelet off her wrist and held it up to the light like something unreal. "Oh my gosh, can you believe it? The CEO of this brand actually gave me this!" Her eyes sparkled as she turned it slowly, her fingers tracing every detail like she needed to confirm it was real.
Ethan watched her quietly, amusement flickering across his face, while Elijah shook his head with a soft sigh, though there was a hint of curiosity beneath it. They had both seen the articles. Done their own digging. And somehow, that only made this feel… stranger.
"I mean, can you imagine?" Kimberly continued, grinning. "Me."
The bracelet itself was deceptively simple, a thin band of platinum lined with flawless diamonds, each one cut so precisely it caught the light from every angle. Tiny engravings ran along the inner edge, subtle and deliberate, the kind of detail only the most exclusive craftsmen bothered with. It wasn't loud, it wasn't excessive—but it radiated wealth in the quietest, most undeniable way.
Elijah glanced at it briefly as they stepped inside. "What's the excitement about? It's just a bracelet."
Kimberly stopped mid-step and turned to him, incredulous. "Just a bracelet?" she repeated, almost offended. "There are only three of these in the world. Three. And it's made from some rare diamond—whatever, that's not even the point. It's insanely rare, Elijah. That's why it costs a fortune."
She tilted her head, expression shifting slightly. "Two of them went to Lena and Lana—you know, those twin singers. I hate them."
Ethan frowned slightly, leaning against the doorframe. "Wait, I thought they were your friends. Didn't you have them over with Valerie and Olivia last month?"
Kimberly wrinkled her nose in disgust. "What? Ew, no. Don't even say that. They're Olivia's cousins. Her parents forced her to bring them. It's complicated. You wouldn't understand." She waved it off, already losing interest in the topic.
"Anyway," she continued, lifting the bracelet again, "after those two were sold, the third one just disappeared. People said the CEO was saving it… waiting to give it to someone she thought deserved it." She smiled slowly, lifting her wrist higher so the diamonds caught the light. "And now look at this."
The bracelet shimmered like liquid fire.
"Proof that some things are just meant to happen," she added, clearly pleased with herself. "Looks like destiny picked me."
She barely waited for a response. "If you'll excuse me, I have posts to make. Being this popular is exhausting."
With that, she spun on her heel and rushed back up the stairs, her laughter trailing behind her as she disappeared, the bracelet still glinting in her hand.
Silence settled once she was gone.
Elijah's expression shifted first, the lightness gone. "Why would the CEO suddenly show up after all these years," he said slowly, "walk into a private event, and hand over something like that?"
Ethan didn't answer immediately. His gaze lingered in the direction Kimberly had disappeared, thoughtful, distant.
Elijah glanced at him. "Heard from Mom and Dad?"
"They should be back by sunset," Ethan replied.
Elijah nodded once. "Meet me in the office later. There's something we need to talk about."
He turned and headed upstairs, already lost in thought.
Ethan stayed where he was.
Alone now, the silence felt heavier.
His mind drifted back to the night, replaying it piece by piece. The way she had entered. The way the room had shifted without her trying. The calm in her eyes. The control in every movement. And that moment when she looked at him smething about it hadn't felt new.
It had felt… familiar.
Uncomfortably so. He sighed and also made his way upstairs.
Inside the vast CEO's office of Lu Dra, New York....
The city bowed to power.
From the top floor of a towering glass building, Hailey Matins stood in silence, her reflection stretching across the floor-to-ceiling windows behind her. Below, New York pulsed with life money, influence, ambition.
All things she had mastered.
"Miss Matins, the board is waiting."
Her assistant's Suzy's voice was careful.
Hailey didn't turn
"Let them wait."
There was a pause. Then footsteps retreating.
Silence returned.
Her gaze dropped to the sleek velvet box resting on the table beside her. Inside lay a piece, a worthless one. None like the others that were flawless, rare, untouchable.
Just like the brand she built.
Lu Dra.
A name whispered in elite circles across Italy, the United Arab Emirates, the United Kingdom… and now, the United States.
A name born from something much smaller.
Something softer.
Lex Jewels.
Her sister's dream.
She remembered sadly like it was just yesterday. She had been twelve when it all began.
They had come to Italy for a vacation. Just a normal family trip, laughter, sightseeing, memories.
But her sister had seen more than beauty. She saw an opportunity. She begged their parents to let her stay behind, to build something of her own, a jewelry brand, her dream. They had refused at first. They already had a company waiting for her, a legacy prepared.
Why chase something uncertain?
Something small?
But her sister had insisted.
And somehow… she stayed.
Hailey stayed with her.. And that's when it's all started, a small shop tucked away in Italy. Barely known. Barely surviving. But to her sister it was everything. While their parents returned to the United States, Hailey had stayed behind, choosing her sister over comfort, over familiarity.
She remembered the way her sister smiled when she sketched designs. The pride in her voice when she sold even the simplest piece.
It wasn't a big success.
But it was honest.
And Hailey loved her for it.
Until everything was taken.
Not by accident.
Not by fate.
By betrayal.
Felix Luz her father, Catherine her mother and her sister Piper Luz, the one who dreamed.
All gone in a single, calculated night.
A "tragic incident," the world had called it.
A lie. A betrayal
Hailey remembered the chaos. The fear. The way everything burned and shattered at once. She remembered hiding silent, shaking, unseen.
She remembered that day too clearly.
A Saturday filled with laughter. The Luz home alive with warmth, voices, happiness. She had returned from Italy with her sister only after two years to plan a family vacation to the Maldives.
She was supposed to be with them.
On that flight.
But she stayed behind.
Work.
Responsibility.
Even at fourteen, she had already begun stepping into the family company. Her presence was needed. Her future was being shaped.
So she stayed.
And they left.
Later that night
Everything ended.
Her thoughts were interpreted again by a assistant.
"Miss Matins." She called out softly
Hailey sighed and made her way out of her office to board room to have her meeting.
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