As the evening at the ball wound down, the atmosphere shifted from celebratory to subdued. William Walton, president of Triple C, was preparing to leave, his gaze drifting across the remaining guests. Most were either too inebriated to notice the late hour or sensible enough to bid their farewells.
Inaya sat nearby, nursing an injured ankle she had strained while struggling with a jammed staff room door. William's frustration with her was evident, though he tried to mask it.
"Hey, William, stop glaring at her and drink some juice. Here, take it," Ella said as she approached with two glasses, one for William and one for Inaya. William accepted his glass with a nod, unaware of anything.
"Don't worry. Abraham picked this out for you. He knows you don't drink alcohol," Ella said reassuringly as Inaya took a cautious sip of her own drink.
"Where are Joon and Lucas?" William asked, sipping his juice.
"Aria and Lucas are pretty out of it from a drinking contest. Joon went to help them home," Ella replied.
"And how about you, Inaya? How are you planning to leave?" Ella asked, noticing Inaya's late hour to leave.
"Just waiting for a cab," Inaya replied, her voice tinged with concern.
"Are you sure there will be any cabs later? This place is pretty deserted," Ella warned, her tone subtly urgent, urging her to leave as soon as possible.
Jenny, clearly tipsy, stumbled into the scene, her voice raised in a drunken slur. "Ella, darling! I was searching for you!"
With no free chairs available, Inaya decided to take Ella's comment and leave, citing the need to find a cab. She bade William and Ella farewell and stepped out into the cold, desolate street.
As Inaya waited, her ankle throbbing and the chill seeping through her clothes, she realized that finding a cab was becoming increasingly unlikely. After half an hour with no sign of one, she reluctantly decided to return inside to ask for a ride from Ella or William.
Re-entering the building, she found the lights off and the place eerily quiet. The cars of Ella and William were still outside, indicating they hadn't left. Climbing the stairs carefully, she saw Jenny stumbling down, her movements erratic and her gaze unfocused. Confused but determined, Inaya continued up.
Reaching the staff rooms, Inaya peered into the first one and found it empty. She moved to the second room and, finding it dark and silent, was about to leave when she heard a groan. Hesitant, she peered in and saw William lying on the bed, his shirt torn and his face showing signs of distress.
"President, is that you?" Inaya called softly, stepping closer.
"President, are you okay?" she asked as William's eyes fluttered open, his expression a mix of pain and confusion.
In a sudden move, William's arms shot out, pulling her onto the bed with a strength that surprised her. Inaya's attempts to call out were muffled as he pinned her hands above her head.
"What are you doing here? Didn't you leave?" William's voice was husky and strained, clearly affected by the drug that had been slipped into his drink.
"I couldn't find a cab," Inaya said, her voice shaking. "I was hoping to get help from you or Ella."
"Then leave now, or else—" William began to threaten, but his words were cut off as the door to the room clicked shut. Panic surged through Inaya as she realized she was trapped. Meanwhile William's eyes on the other hand turned dark. Even though his body was burning with amorous sensation he didn't miss that hand. That watch, he knew who that belonged to.
"President, Wh- what are you doing?", Inaya was terrified. " Leave me, please", Inaya requested, her eyes dampening. Inaya tried to break free again but was unsuccessful. William was way too much strong for her. William hovered over her face, trying to focus his gaze on the person. His body was burning as he tried to crash his lips on hers. Inaya determined to loose free kicked her legs without any distinct direction. Determination to break free gave her a strength she couldn't master otherwise. She kicked his thigh with her pointy shoes so hard that his body shaked. Taking the chance she broke free from William's grip and ran towards the door. She tried to open the door, but it was locked, she still banged the door and called for help but no one was there to help.
She went towards the window and screamed for help. But the place was way too deserted to hear Inaya's cries.
Desperation and fear drove Inaya to act. Using the hairpin she always kept under her hijab , she jabbed it into William's thigh. He grunted in pain, his grip loosening as he recoiled. Inaya seized the moment to struggle free, her injured ankle throbbing painfully with every movement. She darted into the bathroom, seeking refuge.
Inside the bathroom, Inaya grabbed William's phone from his discarded jacket. Her hands trembled as she dialed numbers she memorised from before,
Lucas, no answer
Aria, unreachable
Joon, unreachable
Ella, Busy
Stubborn to not wanting to let it go, she dialed a number, she had seen on his phone before—the only person she thought might be able to help.
The phone rang a few times before someone answered. "Hello?"
"Hi, this is Inaya," she said, her voice urgent. "We need help. William is in trouble—he's been drugged. Please help"