I used to think my eighteenth birthday would be the day my life truly began. I was wrong, It was the day it shattered. The ballroom downstairs was a blur of bass-heavy music, flashing strobe lights, and the scent of expensive champagne. My friends kept dragging me into Polaroids, screaming over the music that I was finally a legal adult. For a few hours, the glittering crown on my head felt real. I was happy. Then Jack caught my eye near the grand staircase. Jack had always been the quiet anchor in our social circle calm, observant, he was my boyfriend. When he gestured toward the quiet upper levels of the estate, away from the suffocating crowd, I didn't hesitate. I wanted a breath of fresh air.Stepping into the dimly lit hallway upstairs, the thumping bass faded into a distant heartbeat. "Happy birthday, Charlotte," Jack said, his voice unusually thick. "Thanks, Jack. It’s wild down there," I laughed, leaning against the balcony railing. He didn't laugh. He took a step clos
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