It was finally the day.The anniversary celebration was set for seven in the evening, but long before the sun began its descent, everything was already in motion. Calls were being made. Confirmations were double-checked. Stylists were scheduled. Security was tightened. The Hale name did not host ordinary gatherings — and tonight was far from ordinary.At Eli’s home, however, the morning began with chaos.ELI’S HOMEElsa sat at the edge of Iris and Eli’s bed, watching little Astrid and Aiden play innocently on the carpet. Their laughter floated through the room, untouched by the tension building around them.Iris, on the other hand, was unraveling.She moved frantically between her closet and the mirror, pulling out dresses one after another, tossing them onto the bed in growing frustration.“CEOs. Senators. Celebrities. Reporters. Generations of wealth!” she cried dramatically. “And I don’t have a dress!”Eli stood near the door, wisely keeping his distance from the emotional storm.“

“Oh!” Hailey exclaimed, lightly shaking Elsa’s hand with exaggerated enthusiasm. “I know you must have heard this a lot already, but I simply have to say—your beauty is truly understated.”“Really?” Elsa replied with a gentle smile, amused by the woman’s dramatic tone.“Yes, absolutely,” Hailey continued. “And I also hear you’re a doctor?”Elsa tilted her head slightly, her smile widening just a little.“I guess I’m more than just a pretty face.”“Of course!” Hailey laughed quickly. “It’s just… surprising, that’s all. You know how it is. Hale women never work. Ever. They’re treated like queens and precious treasures. Honestly, I would give anything for that kind of treatment.”Elsa’s eyes glimmered with quiet amusement.“I’m sure you would,” she said calmly. “However, I truly love my job. And my family is more than okay with me continuing to do what I enjoy.”“Oh, definitely,” Hailey nodded eagerly. “Especially with such a genius teacher like Patrick Doyle guiding you. You are practic

And just like that…Dina’s proposal quickly spread across the Pyramid.What had started as a private discussion among the top ten ranks soon turned into something much bigger. The idea excited them far more than anyone expected. For a long time the Pyramid had grown stagnant, its rankings rarely shifting. Everyone knew who sat at the top and who would likely remain there.But now?Now there was a disruption.Elsa Hale.The woman who had suddenly appeared in society as the wife of Levi Hale had shaken the entire social hierarchy without even trying.So the top ten agreed.The challenge would happen.Within hours the announcement was released across the Pyramid platform and tagged with a bold title:#TheElsaHaleChallengeAnd just as Jada had predicted, chaos erupted.The moment the challenge went public, the entire ranking system was temporarily voided. Every seat in the top ten circle became empty, and for the first time in years, the p

HALE MANSION – NIGHTElsa sat on the edge of the bed, her tablet resting on her lap. The screen glowed softly in the dim bedroom light.She had downloaded the Pyramid app after she left the kids. Having the app was the only way one could know trending gist. So at first, she only wanted to see what the fuss was about.But now…She was staring at hundreds of posts, photos of her, videos of her walking into Hale Hospital.Clips from the wedding.Comments. Thousands of comments.#TheElsaHaleChallengeThe hashtag was everywhere.Elsa sighed deeply and leaned back against the pillows."So this is it..…" she murmured.The bedroom door opened. Levi walked in, loosening his tie as he stepped inside.His sharp eyes immediately noticed the look on her face."Tough day?" he asked.Elsa lifted the tablet slightly."Have you heard of this so called Elsa Hale Challenge?"Levi paused."Where did you hear that?""Sara and some members during the anniversary."Elsa turned the screen toward him."Appar

The decision to remove the lower-ranked Pyramid members from the competition spread through high society faster than anyone expected.And not everyone was pleased.In fact, a large portion of wealthy socialites were furious.The Pyramid had always been designed as a hierarchy, but it still gave ambitious newcomers a chance to climb upward. Removing the commoners from the challenge felt like the Circle had slammed the door shut in their faces.Among the most furious people was Claire.She stared at the posts on her phone with a tight expression.First Elsa had refused the invitations. Then she had publicly challenged the Circle, and now the Circle had restricted the game to themselves.Every headline was about Elsa Hale.Every trending tag was about Elsa Hale.Every conversation at social gatherings somehow led back to Elsa Hale.Claire set her phone down slowly."This is humiliating," she said.Her eyes hardened."If I can't beat Elsa through the Pyramid," she said quietly, "then I'll