LOGINMaya’s POV
The next day felt heavy inside my stomach like I was carrying small butterflies that kept flying around nervously. I spent the afternoon getting ready, opening the box Chloe sent to me slowly like it was a treasure. Inside was the mask.
Black lace with silver sparkles along the edges. It covered half my face but left my lips and eyes free. I liked how mysterious it looked.
My dress was dark green silk, soft against my skin, moving like water when I walked. Under it, hidden where nobody could see, I wore a small strip of red fabric that made me feel bold and a little secret at the same time.
Chloe was waiting outside the huge Vandermere house when I arrived. Bright lights shined from every window and loud music was coming from inside like waves hitting the walls.
“You look stunning!” she shouted happily, wearing a gold mask and pink dress. She grabbed my hand and pulled me inside quickly.
The party felt wild. People with different masks moved everywhere like colorful birds. I felt free because nobody knew my real name. I drank champagne slowly and danced with Chloe until my heart beat fast, not from fear but from excitement.
Later, we sat on large soft couches inside a dim room where music was softer. A girl wearing a purple mask smiled slyly. “Let’s play truth or dare,” she said.
Everyone agreed while laughing. My stomach suddenly felt tight again, like the freedom from earlier was starting to disappear.
Chloe was still laughing loudly beside me, enjoying the party like always. I stayed quiet, holding my champagne glass, feeling nervous and excited at the same time.
Then the girl with the purple mask clapped her hands. “Truth or dare?” she asked. “But we play in the library room. Come on.”
A cheer went up. We stepped into a large room filled with old books. The floor was covered in rich carpets, and fifteen of us sat in a circle. The game began.
The dares started small. A kiss on the cheek. A shot of expensive liquor. Then they grew.
A girl in green was dared to suck a man’s cock for three minutes right there in the circle. My breath caught.
She let out a wild, happy laugh and crawled toward the man in the wolf mask. She pulled down his trousers. I watched, my skin heating, as she took him into her mouth. The wet sounds filled the quiet library. He groaned, his hands fisting in her hair. I felt a strange pull low in my belly, a mix of shock and a dark, curious thrill.
Another girl was told to give a lap dance. She chose a man in a suit and moved against him for a full song, her hips grinding in slow, deliberate circles. He watched her, his hands resting on his knees, his knuckles white.
The game went on, spinning like a carousel of bare skin and quiet secrets. Each turn made the room feel heavier and the air tighter. I drank more champagne, the bubbles going straight to my head, making the room swim in a pleasant, dangerous way.
A boy was dared to French kiss a girl for ten minutes without using his hands. They kissed deeply, tongues sliding, until they were both breathless.
“Truth or dare,” a voice asked chloe. It was a guy in a silver mask.
Chloe bit her lip. “Dare,” she said. Her voice was a whisper.
The circle of masked people got quiet. The silver masked guy leaned close. “Okay. Your dare. You pick two guys. Right now. You have a twosome with them. Here. In front of everyone.”
Chloe’s breath caught. Here? She looked around. So many eyes behind masks. Chloe’s mouth felt dry. She looked at the crowd. Two figures stood out. One was tall with a black bird mask. The other was broad with a simple white mask. She pointed. “Them,” she said.
The two men stepped forward. The crowd made space. A big, plush rug was in the middle of the floor. The bird masked man took her hand. His touch was warm. “Lie down,” he said softly.
Chloe lay down. The lights were low. But she could feel everyone watching. The white masked man knelt by her feet. He did not rush. The bird masked man knelt by her head. He traced a finger down her cheek. “Shhh,” he said. “Just feel.”
The white masked man’s hands went to her shoes. He took them off slow. One by one. His fingers brushed her ankles. A shiver went up her leg. He moved to the button of her jeans. The sound of the zipper was loud in the quiet room.
He pulled her panties. So slow. Her panties were black lace. He looked at them. The bird masked man’s fingers went to her top. He undid the first button. Then the next. His knuckles brushed her skin. She gasped. He opened her top. Her bra was black too. He just looked. His eyes behind the mask were dark.
“Your boob is pretty,” the white masked man said. His voice was rough.
He finally touched her panties. One finger slid under the lace. It touched her lower lips. She was already wet. He rubbed in a tiny circle. Oh. Chloe’s back arched a little.
The bird masked man bent down. He put his mouth on her neck. He sucked the skin there. Not hard. A soft, sucking kiss. His tongue flicked out. It made her squirm.
The white masked man pulled her panties down. Now she was bare from the waist down. The air felt cool on her skin. Then his hand was back. His fingers spread her open. He looked at her. Everyone could see.
One finger pushed inside her. It was thick. It filled her up. He moved it in and out. Slow. So slow she could feel every bit. Her hips moved with his hand.
The bird masked man kissed her mouth. His kiss was deep. His tongue pushed past her lips. His hand found her breast. He squeezed it over her bra. Then he undid the clasp. Her breasts fell free. His mouth left hers. He went to her nipple. He took it in his mouth. He sucked. Harder than on her neck.
The white masked man added a second finger. She was stretched more. The feeling was so good. He curled his fingers inside her. He rubbed a spot that made her gasp into the other man’s mouth.
“She likes that,” the bird masked man said. He moved to her other breast. He licked and sucked.
The white masked man’s thumb found her little nub. He rubbed it in circles. The pleasure built fast. It was a tight coil in her belly. She was panting. Her legs shook.
The bird masked man stopped sucking. He sat back. He looked at the white masked man. “My turn,” he said.
They switched places. The bird masked man went between her legs. The white masked man came to her head. He kissed her. His kiss was different. More hungry.
The bird masked man put his hands on her thighs. He pushed them wider apart. He looked at her for a long time. Then he lowered his head.
His tongue touched her. It was flat and warm. He licked a long stripe from her opening to her nub. Chloe moaned into the white mask’s kiss.
The bird masked man did it again. And again. Then he focused on her nub. He sucked it gently. He flicked it with the tip of his tongue. The pleasure was incredible. It was too much. She pulled away from the kiss to cry out.
“Yes… oh…” she whimpered.
His tongue pushed inside her. It wiggled. It felt so different from fingers. Deeper. Wet. The white masked man kissed her neck. He pinched her nipples. Two points of pleasure.
The bird masked man worked her with his mouth. He was an expert. He knew just how to move.
“I’m… I’m gonna…” she choked out.
He sucked hard on her nub. His fingers pushed back inside her. That was it. The pleasure broke. It crashed over her. Her body shook. She cried out. The sound echoed in the room. She shook for a long time.
He slowed his tongue. He gave her soft licks. She was panting. Spent.
The white masked man smiled down at her. “Good girl,” he said
People laughed and clapped after each turn. The air in the room felt thick and tense.. My little black dress felt too thin. Underneath, the hot red scrap of my thong felt like a secret fire against my skin.
Then it was my turn. All the masked faces turned toward me.
“Truth or dare?” the peacock girl asked, her eyes glittering behind her mask.
My mouth was dry. Truth meant questions. Questions about my life, my job, my secrets. I could not risk it.
“Dare,” I said. My voice did not sound like my own.
A murmur of excitement went around the circle. The peacock girl smiled. She leaned forward, speaking slowly to make sure every word was heard.
“Your dare,” she said, “is to pick one man from this circle. You will give him a lap dance. A real one. For thirty minutes. No stopping.”
Maya’s POVI stood outside the old bank building with the small key from the housekeeper in my hand, and my heart beat fast with both hope and fear. Liam waited beside me, his eyes scanning the quiet street for any sign of trouble. The vault key labeled “Vault 17” felt heavy, like it carried all of Sarah’s secrets. Elena had arranged quiet access through a trusted contact. This could be the real evidence we needed after so many days of shadows and lies.Liam touched my shoulder gently. “Are you ready?” he asked. “This vault might hold everything Sarah worked for. We go in carefully. No risks.”I nodded and squeezed the key tighter. “I am ready,” I replied. “Sarah left this for someone to find. The missing hours, the woman in white, the cover-up. Vault 17 opens the truth. Let us see what my sister prepared.”The bank manager met us inside a private room after hours. He looked nervous but helpful. “Vault 17 has not been accessed in years,” he said. “The instructions listed your sister’s
Maya’s POVI waited in the small safe room Elena arranged after my release from the holding area, and my hands still shook a little from everything that happened. The missing hours in Sarah’s death stayed heavy in my mind. Now a new message from Elena brought unexpected hope. A frightened former housekeeper had contacted her secretly. This woman saw things on the night Sarah disappeared, and she wanted to talk. I hoped her words would bring real answers.Elena sat across from me with her phone in hand. “The housekeeper reached out through a friend,” she said. “She worked at the Cross estate for years. She is scared, but she agrees to testify. She saw Sarah arguing with Victoria only hours before everything changed.”I leaned forward quickly. “What exactly did she see?” I asked. “Did she hear their words? This could prove Victoria’s involvement in the cover-up.”Elena nodded and checked her notes. “The housekeeper remembers the argument clearly,” she replied. “Sarah raised her voice ab
Maya’s POVI sat in the holding room with my mind spinning after Victoria left, and the new information about Sarah felt like a heavy weight on my chest. The forensic report had changed everything. Several hours were missing from my sister’s official timeline, and someone had moved her body on purpose. The crime scene looked altered too. Someone inside the Cross family had ordered a cover-up, and I needed to understand why. Sarah may have discovered something much bigger than the abuse she suffered.My hidden phone vibrated again. I answered it fast, keeping my voice low. Elena spoke quickly on the other end. “Maya, listen carefully,” she said. “The report confirms it. Several hours are missing from Sarah’s timeline that night. She was not found where the first reports claimed. Someone moved her body after the fact.”I stood up and paced the small space. “Who would do that?” I asked. “Havisham? Victoria? Tell me what else the report shows. I need every detail.”Elena breathed deep bef
Maya’s POVI sat on the hard bench in the holding room with my hands still cuffed, and the lockdown alarms continued to echo through the walls. The red emergency lights flashed on and off, making everything feel tense and uncertain. My mind raced with questions about the leaked files. Someone had helped me, but I did not know who or why. The Cross family had enemies inside, and one of them seemed to be on my side for now.The door opened suddenly with a loud click. Liam slipped inside quickly, his face serious and his clothes a little messy from the chaos outside. He closed the door behind him and looked at me with worried eyes. “Maya, we do not have much time,” he said. “The confusion from the lockdown gives us a small window. I can get you out of here right now. Come with me.”I stood up fast, but I shook my head. “No, Liam,” I replied. “Running now would make me look guilty forever. The council already doubts me. If I disappear, they will believe every lie Victoria tells about me.
Maya’s POVI stood in the middle of the emergency board meeting with my hands cuffed lightly in front of me, and every executive, shareholder, and council member stared at me like I was the enemy. The room felt cold and full of judgment. Victoria stood tall at the front, her voice sharp as she pointed at me. Havisham sat silently in his big chair, watching everything with calm eyes because he believed I had no escape this time. Julian stayed in the shadows near the back, pretending to support his father while his gaze moved across the room, looking for weaknesses.“Members of the council,” Victoria said loudly. “This girl has manipulated the Cross family from the very beginning. She came as Havisham’s assistant, but she worked against us all along. Look at the evidence. She turned people against the empire with her lies.”I kept my back straight and looked around the room slowly. My heart beat hard, but I refused to show fear. The men and women at the long table whispered among themse
Maya’s POVI walked into the grand hall with my heart beating fast, wearing a simple black dress and a scarf over my hair as my disguise. The Cross family council meeting felt heavy with power and danger. Important men sat around the long table, their voices low as they talked about money and control. Julian had brought me as his quiet guest, and his hand rested on my back the whole time. I kept my head down, but my eyes scanned everything around me. We needed strong evidence today, and I hoped my words would help bring Havisham down.“Stay close to me,” Julian whispered near my ear. His breath felt warm. “Listen to every word they say. The council decides Havisham’s fate right now. Your face looks calm, that is good. Help me finish him.”I nodded slowly and sat in the chair he pulled for me, my hands folded tight in my lap. The men kept talking about deals and power, their words sharp like knives. One older man with gray hair leaned forward. “Havisham takes too much from us,” he said
Maya’s POVMy heart was beating very fast i. It felt like a small drum was hitting my ribs over and over. I quickly pulled my hand from under my dress and smoothed the blue cloth down with shaky fingers. My face felt hot. Not from happiness. From panic.I heard Chloe’s soft footsteps walking on the
Maya’s POVThe first thing I heard when I stepped into the office is his voice. “You are late.”I looked at the clock on the wall. It said 8:55am. I was five minutes early. “I… I am sorry, sir,” I whispered. My voice shook.He was sitting behind his huge desk. He looked up from some papers. His eye
Maya’s POVMy phone kept buzzing on my pillow like it is angry at me. I opened one eye and see five missed job application emails.All of them say the same thing. “We are sorry. No vacancy at this time.” I sighed loudly and roll over on my bed.“Why does survival feel like homework I cannot finish?
Maya’s POVMidnight is rude.It removes logic. It removes fear. It removes clothing in your imagination before you can stop it. And unfortunately, my imagination has a favorite victim.My next door neighbor is tall, unfairly attractive, and has the kind of voice that could convince a nun to sin wit







