Chapter 2-Room 99

An hour earlier, at the Auberge Resorts

Bianca arrived at the hotel, booked exclusively for the crew, due to its proximity to the filming sets. As she entered the lobby, the receptionist greeted her with a respectful bow. "Good evening, Ms. How may I help you?"

Bianca flashed a bright smile. "Hi, I'm Bianca Browns."

The receptionist's eyes widened in recognition. "Oh, wow! So great to see you. I'm actually a huge fan of your sister."

Inside, Bianca felt a surge of white-hot resentment. Always Alita. The name was a parasite, clinging to everything she touched. But she kept the mask perfectly in place, her voice dripping with honey.

"Yeah, everyone loves Alita," Bianca sighed, the words tasting like poison. "She’s just so talented, isn't she?"

The girl didn't catch the edge. She was too starstruck. "She really is! A true icon."

"Anyway," Bianca pivoted, leaning in with a conspiratorial look. "My sister just called me. She’s in a bit of a panic—she left some very important movie files in her room and needs them immediately. I was nearby, so I told her I’d swing by and grab them."

The receptionist didn't even hesitate. She quickly checked for the room number then reached for a plastic key card and slid it across the counter. "Of course! Here you go, Ms. Browns. Room 66, sixth floor."

"You're a lifesaver," Bianca purred, taking the card.

"Oh, wait!" the receptionist called out, sounding shy. She held out a small slip of paper and a pen.

"If you don't mind... could you please give this to her? I would love it if she could sign an autograph for me."

Bianca batted her long lashes, looking every bit the supportive sibling. "Of course I can. I'll make sure she gets it."

The moment Bianca rounded the corner, the smile vanished. She stared at the piece of paper for a second before ripping it into shreds. She crumpled the scraps into a ball and flicked them into a nearby trash can with a sneer.

"You can thank me for this later, bitch," she muttered. "Your precious idol is going down tonight."

Flashback ended.

The hotel hallways were dim, the plush carpets swallowing the sound of footsteps. Bianca leaned against the wall in a shadowed alcove, her phone pressed tight to her ear.

"Everything is ready, babe," she cooed. Her voice had shifted—it was lower now, breathy and thick with anticipation. "It was honestly much easier than I thought. She’s practically walking into the cage."

On the other end, a man’s low, gravelly chuckle vibrated through the line. The sound made a shiver of excitement run down Bianca's spine.

"And the room?" he asked.

"All set," Bianca whispered, her eyes shimmering with malice. "I just can't wait to have her out of the way. Then I can finally have you all to myself. No more distractions. No more 'perfect' Alita."

"I can imagine," he replied, his voice dropping to a suggestive growl. "I can't wait to see the look on her face when she realizes she's not alone... and I can't wait to reward you for being such a good girl."

Bianca bit her lip, a hungry look in her eyes.

"See you tonight ."

She ended the call and stared into the empty hallway. "Your doom is here, bitch," she whispered. "Watch out."

Unaware of the sinister plot unfolding against her, Alita continued to enjoy her evening, laughing and joking with her colleagues. As exhaustion eventually caught up with her, she made her way back to the hotel.

At the reception desk, she collected her room card and headed towards the elevator. In her tired state, she inadvertently held the card upside down and mistakenly headed towards room 99 instead of her actual room, 66.

As she approached the door, she tried to insert the card, but to her surprise, the door was already open. A faint frown creased her forehead, but her exhaustion got the better of her. Too tired to investigate further, she pushed open the door and stepped inside.

And that was the last thing she remembered about that night...