Nick came home grinning from ear to ear, tossing his keys on the counter as he strolled into his sleek, modern condo unit. A few hours ago, his bank account had received a jaw-dropping deposit: 100 million dollars straight from Solaria. Not bad for just a few nights of scheming, partying, and a little signature trickery. He poured himself a glass of his favorite whiskey, kicked his feet up, and let the weight of his victory settle in. Finally, he had enough money to fund all his ambitious travel plans, side businesses, and whatever luxurious whims came to mind.
But his celebration was short-lived.
The front door burst open with a loud bang, and before Nick could even stand up, a hard punch landed squarely on his jaw. Staggering backward, he blinked through the shock to see Nathan, red-faced and furious.
"What the hell, Nick?!" Nathan roared, lunging forward for another punch.
"What did you do? How could you do this to Elena? We were supposed to get her out of the game — get her safe! And you… you just kept going until you got your payday?"
Nick stumbled back, holding his face but still smirking through the pain. "Are you jealous, big brother? Is that what this is about? That I'm the one married to her now, even if it's just on paper? Or is it the 100 million that stings?"
Nathan shoved him against the wall, fists shaking. "This isn't a joke, Nick! She's not some pawn in your money games!"
Nick scoffed. "Come on, Nathan. Don't pretend you care so much. You've been pining over her for years, but oh right — you're already married. So what were you gonna do? Secretly rescue her and keep her in your pocket like a prized possession?"
Nathan lost it. Another punch landed, then another. Nick didn't fight back. He let the anger pour out of his brother, knowing that no amount of physical pain could touch the satisfaction he felt. He was the winner. And the prize? Everything.
The next morning, both brothers were summoned to the estate. The Grand Elder sat waiting in the family's ancestral meeting room — calm, composed, and unreadable. The air was tense.
"I offered the General Manager of Solaria 100 million dollars," the Grand Elder began without preamble, his voice slow and grave. "It was my payment to terminate the betting game under Elena's name once and for all. The deal was nearly done… until you intervened."
Nick tried to defend himself, but the Grand Elder silenced him with a glance.
"You maneuvered your way into a game that was meant to be stopped," he continued. "You disrespected the plan, the family name, and worse — you jeopardized Elena's well-being for your gain."
Nick bit his lip. For the first time since this all started, he looked genuinely unsure.
The Grand Elder continued, "Elena's health has suffered. That drink she was given to bind her to the game — it has lasting side effects. Her energy field is unstable. Her aura is dimming."
Nathan looked sick to his stomach.
"We are taking her back to Denara," the Grand Elder said firmly. "I've already spoken to her parents. Arrangements are being made. She must be removed from the city, from all this corruption, and allowed to recover."
Within hours, a carefully crafted resignation letter was sent to Elena's office via email. Her belongings were quietly packed and sent home. No fuss, no noise. A smooth transition was made to make it look like she simply moved on with her life.
Elena, however, was in no condition to understand any of it.
She lay in bed at her family's home in Denara, wrapped in thick blankets though the weather was warm. Her skin looked pale. Her once bright aura — so radiant that even non-sensitive people could sense it—had dimmed to a flicker. Her parents hovered near her like guardian angels, offering soup, tea, and words of encouragement.
But Elena couldn't shake the feeling that something was very, very wrong.
She had no memory of the club night.
No memory of signing anything.
Only flashes of lights, music, Brenda's face, and that strange buzzing in her ears that still hadn't gone away.
Her parents told her not to worry about anything. Her job was done. Her apartment in Calendra was taken care of. All she needed to do now was rest.
But Elena's mind was racing.
Why were guys texting her out of the blue before she got sick? Why did Brenda suddenly disappear and then reappear so quickly? Why did her body feel like it had been drained of something important?
One night, she reached for her phone and typed out a message to her old friend, Mae.
"Hey Mae. Quick question. Do you remember that night at the club a few weeks ago? I think something happened. Do you know what it was?"
Mae replied a few minutes later: "I wasn't there that night, girl. Brenda didn't invite me. She said it was just her VIP crew. Why? What happened?"
Elena's chest tightened. Brenda didn't invite Mae?
That didn't make sense.
She sat up, despite her parents' protests. Something inside her—the last shred of her inner fire — refused to lie still. If she didn't find the truth, she would never feel whole again.
Elena spent the next few days messaging people from her office, her former neighbors in Calendra, even random acquaintances. Most were vague or avoided the subject entirely. A few asked if she was okay. One or two told her to let it go.
But Elena couldn't let it go.
She was starting to believe she had been drugged. Manipulated. Used.
She may never know what truly happened behind the scenes for the past few months that she was in Calendra. However, she prayed for a breakthrough in this situation.
For sure, she would find redemption in all of these. Will the heavens really see her through? Will the good guys really win in real life? Would she finally be able to solve the mess that she couldn't even put into words?