Sebastian The rain came down in sheets, soaking me until my clothes clung like a second skin. But no amount of water could rinse away the heaviness inside me. If anything, the storm mirrored what I felt—loud, merciless, endless. I stood there in the middle of it, letting it beat down on me like I deserved every drop. The cold didn’t bother me. Misery had a way of numbing you, and I welcomed it. Every time I closed my eyes, I saw her. Olivia—her smile, her warmth, her stubbornness that used to both drive me insane and keep me alive. And then I remembered the last time I saw her face, broken by me. By my choices. By my silence. The rain blurred the streetlights into halos, and for a second, I imagined her walking toward me through the haze, reaching for me like she always did. My chest ached because I knew it was a cruel trick of my mind. She wasn’t here. She might never be again. I moved forward aimlessly, my footsteps splashing through puddles, my body dragging itself through the
– Olivia The funeral began, but I might as well have been standing in a soundproof box. The officiant’s lips moved, words spilling out in polished rhythm, yet nothing reached me. The air was thick, muffled, like grief had pressed its palms over my ears. My parents were gone. Not in the metaphorical way people say when they leave for a long trip. No. Gone, cold and lifeless, lying inside two polished oak coffins like strangers trapped in boxes. Just a week ago, they were alive, my father still arguing over property deals, my mother planning her next charity gala with that bossy sparkle in her eyes. And now they were reduced to silence. A silence that screamed louder than anything I’d ever heard. The church smelled too much like roses, artificial, suffocating, the kind you buy in bulk for appearances. My mother despised roses. She said they were predictable, overrated, flowers for people without imagination. Of course, the room was filled with them, a final insult she couldn’t roll
My fists clenched until my knuckles popped. “Cut the performance. Why am I here? If you think I’m going to grovel at your feet, you’ve got the wrong man.” He smirked knowingly, like he’d been waiting for that exact line. “I don’t need your knees on the floor, Phillip. I need your ears open. You’ve spilled blood—you’re past the point of return. You’ve carved yourself enemies who would peel the skin from your bones without hesitation. And that list? Includes me.” A chill ran through me, though I masked it with a flat stare. “So what do you want?” He stood, his silhouette framed by a towering window. Outside, the estate stretched endlessly, manicured and perfect—a kingdom, and he the king surveying it. “What I want,” he said, voice carrying like a verdict, “is to offer you the truth. A chance at survival. Maybe even victory. No more lies. No more cheap tricks. Just power—real power. The price?” I swallowed, though my throat was dry. “And what’s that?” His eyes glinted. “Loyalty.”
– Phillip “Ah, Mr. Phillip,” he drawled, his tone carrying that smug, silk-slick edge I despised. “I honestly didn’t think you’d show up. Judging from the way you practically trembled the first time we crossed paths, I assumed fear would keep you away.” I scoffed, heat already rising in my chest. “Trembled? Don’t flatter yourself. You stormed into my house uninvited, remember? I wasn’t terrified, I was blindsided.” The lie tasted bitter even as it left my tongue. Terrified wasn’t the word, but unsettled? Yeah. This man had a presence that felt like a loaded gun aimed right at your skull. My gaze swept the room as if searching for a way to breathe. His mansion was an exhibition of arrogance—high ceilings dripping with crystal chandeliers, the faint musk of old wood polish mixing with the sharp tang of whiskey. Every corner screamed of wealth and menace, like the walls themselves could whisper secrets too heavy for the air. The only reason I’d stepped foot into this viper’s den wa
But I wasn’t finished. Not by a long shot. I finally understood why Phillip had been so restless, why he couldn’t stop obsessing over her. And I’d laughed, told him she wasn’t that smart, that she’d never manage to beat us. Well. She did. She ripped my life apart without breaking a sweat. But what cut deepest wasn’t her victory. It was the possibility that she wasn’t just pretending. What if she really wanted him? What if she actually loved Sebastian? What if all of this wasn’t just a power play, but her heart? That thought burned more than anything. Because I could take her success, her glory, her empire. But her having the one man I’ve ever loved? No. That was unforgivable. I didn’t care if Sebastian never looked at me the same way. I’d make him. I always got what I wanted. Always. This wasn’t just a rivalry anymore. It was war. And I hadn’t even realized I’d already been losing. Olivia—sweet, soft, spineless Olivia—had been playing the long game. And she played it lik
Kaylee She’d been playing us this entire time. The realization still felt like a slap across my face. Oh my God. No ,scratch that. Oh my fucking God. I couldn’t believe it. It had been days since I pieced it together since I learned the truth about who the “masked model” really was. And yet, my mind still refused to process it. It was too insane. Too impossible. Too Olivia. The same Olivia I had written off. The same Olivia I had stomped over like dirt beneath my heels. All this time, while we thought we were the ones moving the chess pieces, she was sitting across the board, smirking, knowing damn well we were already checkmated. When I ranted about tearing down the masked model, when I tried everything in my power to destroy her brand, her fame, her very existence—no wonder I couldn’t win. It was her. Olivia. The one person I never saw coming. The one person I had underestimated. And she had cost me everything. My career. My name. My crown. But why? Why would she do