The spotlight followed Rose as she descended the staircase, commanding attention like clockwork. It was a routine at every party—they threw, and Rose effortlessly stole the show. Dressed in a stunning ensemble, she radiated confidence, her beauty overshadowing everyone, including Emily.
Emily, who had thought she was the center of attention, found herself cast aside. Her nearly nude outfit barely turned heads, making her feel invisible. Scanning the room for Harlan, her gaze landed on Simon and Rowan, and she forced a smile.
As a VIP, she made her way to the exclusive table, taking a seat across from Simon.
"Hello, sexy," Emily purred, her sultry voice making Simon nearly choke on his drink. His eyes raked over her, his expression drenched in lust.
"So, where's Harlan? I need to talk to him."
Rowan's interest piqued. He stepped closer, his lips curving into a smirk.
"Oh, Emily, you look gorgeous tonight," he said smoothly. "But, unfortunately, Harlan is with Slyvia. I don't know what's wrong with that guy these days—he's been spending so much time with that blind bitch. I barely see him anymore."
Rowan made sure to lace his words with venom, and they hit their mark. The slight twitch in Emily's jaw told him everything—she was in love with Harlan. What a scandal.
"Hmm, thanks. I should get going now," Emily muttered, attempting to stand, but Rowan grabbed her wrist, pulling her back down.
"Nonsense," he whispered, leaning in. "You really think we'd let you leave without having a little fun? Come on, Emily, let's make this night unforgettable."
Simon moved in closer, their presence suffocating. Together, the three of them left the VIP table, vanishing into the crowd.
Rose, who had been keeping an eye on Emily, frowned when she noticed her disappear with Rowan and Simon. A wave of unease washed over her.
"Oh my God," she muttered under her breath, scanning the room. "Emily, where the hell are you?"
Her heart pounded as a horrifying thought struck her—could they be molesting her? She had sworn she wouldn't interfere anymore, but damn it, that was her friend.
Just as she was about to leave, the party boy finally made his entrance.
Dressed in a baggy red shirt, matching shorts, and red sneakers, Zeke exuded raw sex appeal. Gasps filled the air as he walked in, his effortless confidence electrifying the room.
"Sometimes, you just have to sit back and say, 'Damn,'" Ava shamelessly shouted, downing a shot of alcohol.
Zeke's friends had snuck drinks into the party, making it even wilder. As Rose stood beside Ava, her gaze locked onto Zeke. The shameless bastard removed his shirt, revealing his sculpted abs, and strutted around, greeting people and collecting his gifts.
Across the hall, Nina paraded around, drooling over him while whispering to Vesper and Ophelia. Rose scoffed.
"I can't believe Vesper and Ophelia are so cheap," she said, turning to Ava. "Who in their right mind would ditch you for that plain Jane? That wretched, parading fool? Guess they have zero taste."
Ava only smiled. She had gotten over it. At least for now.
The music shifted as Zeke signaled the DJ. The bass dropped, and the crowd erupted into cheers. He was searching for Asher when the double doors at the entrance slowly creaked open.
Zeke's jaw dropped.
Jeremy stepped in, flanked by Asher.
Jeremy wore a tailored red suit, exuding dangerous allure, while Asher donned a red vintage shirt and matching trousers with intricate patterns. His boots added to the sexy ensemble, making him look almost untouchable.
Asher's entrance was in slow motion, as if the world had frozen just to admire him.
Rose stared, completely spellbound. Jeremy was exactly her type—sexy, confident, and smooth. How could she have rejected him before? Screw it. She was asking him out tonight. Since Asher had confirmed that Jeremy was straight, he was going to be hers.
Zeke was about to approach them when Nina tried to talk to him. He didn't even spare her a glance—he shoved her aside, sending her crashing into the birthday cake. The crowd gasped as icing splattered everywhere.
"How dare you, Zeke?!" Nina shrieked.
Zeke grabbed her by the neck, his grip firm but not tight. His eyes were ice-cold.
"Point of correction," he said, his voice dangerously low. "Don't ever raise your voice at me again. Because if you do, I can't guarantee you won't lose it forever."
Nina gulped, trembling in his grasp.
Nearby, Kai stood with a gift in his hands, watching the scene unfold. He had planned to give Zeke his present, but before he could, Zeke brushed past him, making a beeline for Jeremy and Asher. Kai's hands tightened around the box as silent tears slipped down his cheeks. He had thought they were friends. But tonight, Zeke had abandoned him.
The gift slipped from his hands, hitting the floor with a soft thud. Without a word, Kai turned and walked out of the party.
Zeke stood before Asher and Jeremy, his gaze locked onto them.
"You both look breathtaking," he said smoothly, his voice dripping with admiration. "Especially you, Asher."
Asher offered a small smile, while Jeremy merely scanned the room. His eyes landed on Rose.
"Asher, enjoy the party," Jeremy said. "I'm going to grab a drink."
But instead of heading to the bar, he sneaked toward Rose.
"OMG, Jimmy!" Rose beamed. "I never knew you were this sexy. Dance with me?"
She extended her hand, and Jeremy took it.
They swayed to the soft, melodious tune in the background, Jeremy twirling Rose effortlessly, his movements smooth and controlled.
"I never knew you could dance," Rose murmured. Then, gathering her courage, she added, "Jeremy, would you be my boyfriend? I know I rejected you before, but this time, I'm doing the asking."
Jeremy froze, speechless.
Meanwhile, Asher's eyes remained glued to Jeremy. He didn't know why, but watching him dance with Rose made something twist painfully in his chest.
Zeke's voice snapped him out of it.
"Dance with me, Asher," Zeke said, his tone raw with intent.
Asher stiffened.
"Dancing with a guy in public… won't that cause a scandal?" he whispered. "Especially for you, Zeke. You're adored by everyone."
"I'm already hated," Zeke replied. "What's a little more?"
"Asher, please. I can't watch you keep hiding yourself because of what people think."
Before Asher could protest, Zeke grabbed his waist and pulled him into the dance.
The music played, the crowd watching in stunned silence as Zeke twirled him gracefully before stopping midway.
Asher's heart pounded. What was Zeke playing at? His kindness, his teasing—it was all too confusing.
Zeke leaned in, his breath warm against Asher's ear. "Tonight, before we retire to bed, I want to spend my last moments with you and Jeremy. Just the three of us. We'll play fun games—thrilling ones."
But Asher wasn't listening. His focus was solely on Jeremy—on the way his body moved against Rose's.
Why did it hurt so much?
The spell of the moment shattered when Rose suddenly stopped dancing. A sense of dread crept over her.
Emily hadn't returned.
A shiver ran down her spine, and without thinking, she bolted out of the hall.
The corridor was eerily silent. A thick, suffocating darkness wrapped around her. Something was wrong.
Then, out of the shadows—
A heavy metal object struck her skull.
Her vision spun. Pain exploded in her head. Blood pooled beneath her.
As her consciousness faded, she heard a voice from the darkness.
"Good job, girl. We can have her to ourselves now. You can leave."