The prom had reached its climax, but not everyone was on the dance floor. Beneath the hotel, in a velvet-lined secret lounge accessible only to high-profile guests, a very different kind of party had just begun.
Ochieng followed a masked figure down the candlelit hallway. The scent of roses and smoke lingered in the air. He wasn't sure why he was invited—or why his name was whispered like prophecy.
---
The door opened into a space where time felt suspended. Gold and black adorned the walls. Everyone wore masks—gilded, feathered, and bejeweled. It was a gathering of heirs, elites, and unknown royals.
He spotted Zara Delacroix again—this time, sitting on the lap of a tech prince from Dubai, her mask shimmering like fire. She winked at Ochieng.
On the far side sat Celeste Noir, 23, the billionaire heiress of Noir Pharmaceuticals, known for her beauty and cruelty. Raven black hair, snow-pale skin, lips like wine. She never loved—she owned.
"Welcome, Mr. Ochieng," she purred. "Do sit. You're the story everyone wants to write about tonight."
---
Upstairs, Liliana Wren sipped her drink quietly, but her eyes locked onto Ivy.
"You're the reason he's broken," she whispered. "He deserved better. And I gave him everything—"
She almost crushed the glass in her palm.
---
In the hotel corridor, Naomi opened an envelope slipped under her dressing room door.
Inside was a picture. Blurry. But unmistakable.
Ochieng kissing someone—and it wasn't her.
Her fingers trembled. Her heart didn't break—it froze.
"Game on," she whispered.
---
Ochieng leaned back as Celeste whispered something only he could hear:
> "You're not just a student, Ochieng. You're a chess piece. And someone upstairs is using you to destroy your own legacy. But don't worry… if you give me your loyalty tonight—I'll give you something better than love."
He stared at her, eyes narrowed.
"I'm not for sale."
She smiled. "Yet."
---
Upstairs, during the final prom dance, a gunshot exploded.
Screams echoed.
The lights went black.
And someone in a silver mask collapsed on the dance floor—bleeding.
---