Moonlight Valley was waking up to a storm it hadn't seen in years—limousines, camera flashes, university banners, security drones hovering like hawks above a den of snakes. The Winter Prom had begun, and with it came the arrival of beauty, betrayal, and secrets tightly stitched beneath velvet gowns and tailored suits.
Ochieng stood outside the Eclipse Royale Hotel, his tall, commanding figure clad in a midnight-blue designer tux. The glint in his dark eyes wasn't just for show—it was a warning. Around him, cameras clicked, reporters whispered, and students watched in awe.
He wasn't alone.
Beside him was Elsa Mwende, dazzling in a satin champagne gown slit high on the side, revealing honey-toned skin and legs sculpted by years of dance. Her hair was braided into a regal crown, and her confidence walked ahead of her like a second body. At 22, Elsa was more feared than adored. Rumors said she once slapped a professor for calling her "emotional" during a debate—and somehow still got a scholarship raise the next week.
Ochieng leaned toward her. "You sure you want to be seen with me?"
Elsa smirked. "Tonight, chaos is the dress code."
Inside the ballroom, luxury melted into excess. Crystal chandeliers bathed the room in golden light, while rich classical jazz laced with Afrobeat vibrated through the atmosphere. Girls in floor-length gowns laughed over champagne, boys flexed in tailored suits, and behind every smile, a knife waited.
The university unions were all present.
The Royal Sparks: offspring of billionaires, known for their ego, private jets, and house parties that made headlines.
The Black Violets: mostly girls, seductive and cruel, who ruled over fashion, gossip, and manipulation like it was an Olympic sport.
The Shadows of Logic: quiet, nerdy types, but secretly the brains behind rising tech companies and investment leaks.
And of course—The Circle of Light. Silent. Watching. Always dressed in black and white. No one knew their full members. Only their victims.
At the center of it all stood Bianca Asher, wearing a backless ruby dress that shimmered like blood in candlelight. Her red lips curved as Ochieng and Elsa entered.
"So he brought the rebel tonight," she murmured to her cousin, Nevan Asher, 24, heir to the Asher industrial empire, known for his addictive charm and destructive habits.
Nevan sipped his glass. "I thought he'd bring Tesslyn."
"She's being saved for Act Two," Bianca said coolly.
Meanwhile…
Tesslyn, 21, journalism student, sharp-tongued and observant, was watching from the hotel's rooftop lounge. She hadn't been invited to the prom—but that didn't stop her. Dressed in a sleek black coat, glasses hiding her fire, she was filming everything. Watching. Waiting.
Because tonight, she'd reveal something.
Back inside…
Ochieng and Elsa walked to their table, but before they sat, the announcer's voice boomed:
"And now, a surprise performance from the newly formed Trinity Temptations! Please welcome… Zara, Nalia, and… Keziah!"
Gasps.
Zara appeared in a scarlet dress that fit like a sin, her long legs striding across the floor like she was walking over Ochieng's memory. Nalia was dark-skinned perfection with eyes like midnight, while Keziah was the quiet storm—petite, but with a voice that shattered hearts.
The three girls sang a hauntingly beautiful jazz number—"Forgive Me… But Don't Forget Me."
The lyrics twisted Ochieng's gut.
> "I kissed your mouth to hide the lie,
I watched you burn and didn't cry…"
When it ended, silence hung.
Then Denzel Omondi stood up.
"A toast!" he shouted. "To heartbreak kings and queens who think their thrones won't fall!"
Ochieng's fists clenched, but Elsa laid a hand on his shoulder. "Not yet," she whispered. "Let them bark."
Bianca approached the stage.
"Let's make things more… exciting."
She turned to the crowd.
"How about a game?"
Whispers. Smirks. Fear.
"It's called The Confession Circle," she purred. "Every couple or date must stand and reveal a secret. True or false? The crowd decides."
Groans. Cheers.
Ochieng rose before she could finish.
"Fine," he said. "I'll go first."
He pulled Elsa to the stage.
"I built my first business under a fake identity. I sold code that destroyed one of the biggest dating apps in East Africa. And my father's death… wasn't natural."
Gasps. Shouts.
Bianca's smile faltered.
Elsa took the mic. "I hacked into the Circle of Light's encrypted archives. If anything happens to me—those files go public."
Silence. Broken only by Bianca's trembling wine glass.
Elsewhere, Tesslyn hit upload.
Live footage of the event streamed to every student's feed.
The lies were out. The games were live.
And war had just declared its second phase.