The year had passed in a blur of performances, flashing lights, and sold-out arenas. The world tour for Pool Boys was officially over, and Celeste had become a household name. At just 25, she had already sold millions of records—Birth of a Popstar alone had gone Diamond, while Pool Boys was sitting pretty at 5 million copies sold. The charts were hers to command, her name etched into the fabric of pop culture.
Her social media was an empire. 164 million followers on Instagram, 59 million on Twitter, all hanging on her every post, every lyric, every performance. She had become a phenomenon—an icon in the making. But even in the midst of all her success, something was beginning to shift. Something she had felt creeping into her life ever since she had signed that fateful contract.
It was subtle at first. Cody, the golden boy who had been swept up in her whirlwind, was starting to pull away.
She'd known something was wrong when he'd asked her, in the middle of their late-night conversations, "When was the last time we just… hung out? Just us? No cameras, no label, no madness."
She hadn't known how to answer. Her life had become this constant machine—everything was about the next performance, the next release, the next image she needed to cultivate. She hadn't noticed how much she was slipping away from everything that had once felt real.
And now, with the release of her second album Pool Boys, the floodgates had opened. The album had skyrocketed, propelled by the controversy of its tracks—Cameron's Footage, Dominating, and the haunting Can't Let Go—all earning her both adoration and criticism. People loved to love her, and just as much, they loved to hate her. But it didn't matter. She was untouchable now.
Yet, as the accolades poured in, she could feel the cracks forming in her personal life. Cody was becoming distant. The late-night talks had turned into quiet dinners. The passion had slowly been replaced by a quiet frustration she couldn't put her finger on.
It was early 2022 now. Celeste was about to turn 26, and though she was on top of the world, the loneliness was creeping in. The world tour was over, and the next step was clear: the third studio album. The pressure was on. Her label, Columbia, was already demanding she begin work on the next record. There was no time to rest. The machine kept turning, and Celeste had to keep up, or risk losing everything.
But something wasn't sitting right.
She had grown accustomed to the lavish parties, the private jets, and the men who now catered to her every need—Marcus and Julian still hovered in the background, their roles blurred between pleasure and servitude. She was the queen, and they were her loyal subjects, feeding her with every kiss, every touch. But now, the hunger was something else entirely. The power she had amassed was intoxicating, but at what cost?
Riot's messages had been haunting her.
She hadn't spoken to him in months, but his words echoed in her mind:
"Your power is growing, Celeste. You have no idea what you've become. The next step will change everything. You're ready."
She hadn't replied. She couldn't. But now, she felt like she was standing on the edge of something she couldn't control. The hunger was worse than ever. The need to feed—to bind herself to new sources of power—was gnawing at her every day. She could feel the darkness tugging at her, threatening to consume everything.
But there was still the question: what did Riot mean by "the next step"?
Her phone buzzed.
It was a message from Cody.
We need to talk. About us. About everything.
Her stomach twisted. She had known this moment was coming.
She had known that Cody was growing tired of the life she had created, the life she had thrust him into. What had started as fun, as a thrilling escape from the madness of her career, had turned into something he couldn't handle anymore.
He had always been different from the others—he hadn't asked for her fame, her power, or her attention. But now, it seemed like he was suffocating in it. And Celeste could feel it.
She opened the message, fingers trembling slightly.
When can we meet? I'm serious about this.
The words hung heavy in the air. She didn't respond immediately. Instead, she threw on a jacket and grabbed her keys, heading out the door.
She needed to see him. Needed to understand what was happening before it all fell apart.
Cody was waiting for her when she arrived at the secluded spot they had chosen—a small, quiet café on the outskirts of town. No one would recognize them here.
He stood when she walked in, a sad smile on his face. He was the same Cody she had fallen for, but now there was something different in his eyes. Something distant.
"Celeste," he said, his voice soft but firm. "We need to talk about where we're going from here."
She sat across from him, her heart pounding. "What do you mean?"
He exhaled, looking down at his hands before meeting her gaze. "I love you, but I can't do this anymore. I can't be a part of your world."
Celeste felt a lump form in her throat. "Cody, I don't understand. I thought we were good."
"We were," he said, shaking his head. "But I'm suffocating in your world, Celeste. The fame, the attention, the… the power. I didn't sign up for all this. I don't want to be just another piece of the puzzle. I want to be me. Not a part of your image. Not a character in your story."
His words hit her like a punch to the gut. She had known it was coming, but hearing it still hurt.
"I've changed, Cody," Celeste said quietly. "I can't go back to who I was. I'm not the same person anymore."
He nodded slowly. "I get it. But that's the problem. I don't know who you are anymore."
The silence stretched between them, heavy and thick. Celeste opened her mouth to speak, but before she could, her phone buzzed again.
It was Riot.
"You've taken the first step, Celeste. It's time for you to fully embrace your power. But you can't do it alone. Not anymore."
Her heart skipped a beat. She glanced at Cody, his face full of concern. But Celeste could only stare at the message, knowing deep down that her life was about to change again.
The next step. The darkness. She was ready. But was Cody?
And more importantly, was she willing to lose him?
She closed her eyes, took a breath, and typed a response.
"I'm ready. I can't turn back now."
As she hit send, she knew that this was the beginning of something far darker, far more consuming than she had ever anticipated.
Riot had been right. She was becoming something else. Something powerful. Something unstoppable.
But at what cost?