2025-08-03 01:17:03The glint from the mirror caught Anna’s eye as she turned her face slightly to admire the full outfit. She had never looked this powerful.
Dolce & Gabbana had outdone themselves.
The sequined bodysuit was a custom one-off design, tailored to hug every dip and rise of her perfectly sculpted hourglass frame. Each seam sparkled under her vanity lights, embedded with hand-stoned embellishments shaped like miniature car insignias—a nod to the automotive theme of the competition. She paired it with thigh-high leather boots, a pair of dark-tinted cat-eye shades, and a thin belt of diamonds around her waist.
It wasn’t just a look. It was a statement.
She took a few selfies in front of the golden velvet drapes she had specially installed in her dressing room for this moment. Click. Click. Another. Then, a full-body mirror boomerang for her story. The backdrop of neon lights, a perfectly positioned perfume bottle, and a glass of champagne completed the aesthetic. If tonight was a battlefield, she was already winning before stepping out.
Anna smirked at herself, kissed her reflection, and headed out.
Outside, her luxury coupe purred to life as she stepped in, her gloved hand adjusting the music dial. Fireworks by Katy Perry blasted through the stereo as she sped off into the night, the city lights dancing on her windshield.
Her foot pressed harder on the accelerator. She couldn't wait to arrive. This was her moment.
Meanwhile, at the venue, the atmosphere had turned electric.
The elite quad—Jerry, Anabel, Rita, Noel, and Daniel—still basked in the glow of their gold limousine entrance. The cameras refused to rest. Influencers lucky enough to bypass security swarmed the group like bees, throwing out questions, hoping to strike viral gold.
“What are you wearing tonight?”
“Which designer styled you?”
“Who’s your date for the afterparty?”
Most questions were harmless fluff—designed for clicks and reels.
Until one voice cut through the noise like a needle to a balloon.
“Is this stunt pulled off to intimidate students like John?”
The air froze.
Even with all the flashing lights and background chatter, the tension could be felt. Jerry’s eyes sharpened, Daniel rolled his, and Rita’s hand balled into a fist around her diamond clutch.
“Unbelievable,” Daniel muttered under his breath.
He turned abruptly and signaled security. “Take her out. She’s done.”
But before the guards could move in, Rita stepped forward.
Her heels echoed powerfully against the marble as she closed the gap between her and the bold influencer.
“You think this is about John?” Rita sneered, removing her sunglasses slowly to reveal piercing eyes. “You think we dressed like royalty, rolled in with gold, just to impress a nobody?”
The influencer didn’t flinch. She maintained her mic and camera with confidence. “He’s not just anyone. And neither are you—without your designer labels.”
Rita’s hand shot forward. Crash! She slapped the camera from the influencer’s hands. It hit the floor, shattering into pieces. Then she yanked the mic and crushed it under her heel with a smirk.
“She tried to steal one of the stones from my dress!” Rita screamed dramatically, clutching the side of her waist. “She lunged at me!”
The influencer’s eyes widened. “What?! That’s not true!”
But it was too late.
Security closed in, and within seconds, she was surrounded.
Jerry stepped forward just in time, wrapping his arm around Rita protectively. “Get this thing out of here,” he said coldly, referring to the woman as if she were trash on the pavement.
Then, turning to Rita with eyes filled with concern, he asked gently, “Are you alright? I hope she didn’t harm you.”
Rita let out a shaky breath and gave him a look—one she had practiced countless times in the mirror—the ‘damsel in distress’ stare. Then she turned her eyes slowly toward the influencer, a wicked grin dancing on her lips.
The influencer stood in stunned silence. This couldn’t be real.
But it was.
Jerry, oblivious to the act, bent slightly and swept Rita off her feet in full view of flashing cameras, carrying her like a knight saving his wounded queen. The crowd screamed. Phones came up. The internet had just been gifted its next trending moment.
Rita smirked inwardly. She had done it. Jerry would never doubt her loyalty now.
The influencer, once so full of confidence, stood alone—broken gear at her feet, pride in her throat. She knew the elite quad were spoiled. But this level of manipulative deceit? It was something else entirely. With one last look at the growing crowd, she turned and fled the black carpet.
Far away, John sat in the backseat of a sedan, watching it all unfold on a live stream.
The kiss.
The scream.
The theatrics.
His jaw clenched. His chest tightened. It wasn’t the first time Rita had humiliated him—but it hit differently now. More public. More intentional.
He turned off the screen with a trembling hand.
“Take another route,” John ordered the driver.
“Yes sir,” the man replied and veered off toward an alternate street.
But fifteen minutes in, something felt… off.
John leaned forward. “Wait a minute… Haven’t we passed that billboard already?”
The driver blinked. “No sir. This is a new road.”
“No. That’s the same Herbaluxe ad. I’ve seen it three times now.”
John’s voice was low but sharp.
The driver glanced at the navigation system. “Route is correct, sir. Still says ten minutes.”
“Stop the car.”
The vehicle slowed to a halt, and John stepped out.
His eyes scanned the surroundings. It wasn’t a main road; it was more of a service lane, dimly lit, with trees casting ominous shadows. Something crunched underfoot: dry leaves. Too many.
His gaze fixed on a massive bus parked by the road’s edge. It looked abandoned. Covered in dirt and dry foliage.
He stepped closer and noticed the leaves were stacked unnaturally—as if placed intentionally to obscure something.
Kneeling down, he brushed some aside.
A hidden road.
He banged on the bus. “Hey! Anybody there? Move this thing!”
No answer.
He banged again. Still nothing.
John peered into the window, no driver. But the key was still dangling from the ignition.
Without hesitation, he elbowed the glass. Crash! Shards scattered. He reached in, unlocked the door, and climbed in.
One turn of the key.
Nothing.
A second.
Still nothing.
“What the heck is going on?”
Third.
Still dead.
John’s eyes narrowed. “Who the hell dumped this bus here?”
He hit the wheel in frustration.
Then, on the fourth try—Vroom!
The engine came alive. Relief washed over him like a cold shower. He hit the accelerator and rolled the bus just far enough to clear the blocked road.
Back in the car, the driver knelt beside the bumper with his head bowed low, trembling.
“Get up,” John said firmly as he walked back.
“Please… punish me. I deserve to die for making you go through that,” the driver sobbed, still on his knees.
John raised a brow. “What?”
“This is unacceptable! For you, the heir, to do such… menial tasks while I was right here! I failed—”
John crouched down in front of him.
“Hey. Look at me.”
The man looked up, eyes swollen with tears.
“It’s fine,” John said calmly. “Back in the day, I was a delivery guy. Did worse. This?”—he gestured at the bus—“This was nothing.”
“But—”
“It’s our little secret. Don’t say a word. Because if you do…” John smirked, “you’re as good as dead.”
The driver nodded, grateful and horrified at the same time.
John chuckled and got into the car, opening a case behind the seat. His real outfit—sleek, perfectly pressed, and just as tailored as Anna’s—waited for him.
As the car pulled back onto the proper road, John changed into his suit, adjusting his cufflinks just as they neared the venue.
The black carpet was within reach.
But fate had other plans.
The driver’s hands tensed.
The steering wheel slipped.
“What are you doing?” John asked sharply.
But before a full sentence could be formed, BAM!—the car crashed head-on into a storefront. Glass shattered, metal groaned, and screams rang out.
John flew forward, barely catching himself against the dash. The driver? Out cold.
A crowd formed instantly.
“Somebody call the police!”
“I see blood! Call an ambulance!”
John sat stunned for a moment, his knuckles scraped, vision hazy. Sirens echoed in the distance.
The trap wasn’t just on the carpet.
It had begun long before he even arrived.
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Chapter 50: The missing Vase
“It’s gone!” The man in the gold outfit’s voice tore through the room like a crack of thunder. His shock was genuine, his anger unfiltered. He had been ready to pay any price for the legendary Vase of Eternity, hoping its promise of eternal life could restore his family’s legacy and heal the wounds of the past. Now, staring into the empty box, that hope collapsed like a house of cards.“How can ten ounces of gold-plated vase just vanish like that?” King’s voice rang out, incredulous. He moved forward quickly, pushing aside two ushers to look inside the case himself. His reaction was even more explosive. “Security! Close the gates! We are not leaving here until the vase is found!” His command cracked with authority, his anger barely contained.The security guards stationed near the doors didn’t hesitate. They moved swiftly, their polished shoes clicking on the marble floor, sliding the heavy gates shut.“Close the gates?” The young CEO, dressed in sleek black with diamonds glittering a
Chapter 49 : Missing artifacts
The room was alive with the kind of energy only money could buy. The air felt heavier with each raised bid card, every voice cutting through the hum of anticipation like a knife.“I bid one point two million.”The words came from somewhere near the left side of the hall, clear and certain, the bidder’s voice betraying no hesitation. Heads turned, but not for long—this was just the beginning.“I bid one point five million.”Another voice rose, sharper this time, competing not only for the jewelry but for the invisible status that came with claiming it. The crowd began to lean forward in their seats, their murmurs layering over one another like the buzzing of a hive.Then it came.“I bid three million.”The sound hit the room like a shockwave.The crowd froze. Even the waiters carrying champagne trays slowed, their steps faltering as eyes snapped toward the voice. It wasn’t just the number; it was the audacity. Three million for a single piece of jewelry when the bidding had only just w
Chapter 48: The Art or the price
King rushed downstairs to check what caused such noise and was frightened by the scene his eyes saw.He was very over it that he almost collapsed. This was not his first time being in a scene like this, but he knew better than to get his hands this dirty againHe wondered how this kind of thing could happen even after all the security measures he put in place. King turned away from the scenes and took a deep breath He knew that this was an attack from the people who hated him, and he knew just how to handle them. He asked the compere to announce to everyone that everything was fine and it was just a mistake that happened between the staff The compere was still in a state of shock as everything happened right before his eyes, the fall and the landing of the body were all very new world to him King walked up to him and slapped him “Get a fucking hold of your self and give the announcement or you are going to serve lifetime imprisonment for murder, do you get me !” King said firmly t
Chapter 47: Blue Door or Pink Door
Stuck between a wall and a brick was the best way to describe John's current state. The two doors loomed before him like silent judges, each holding a future wrapped in mystery and risk. Behind one, a world he might thrive in. Behind the other, a trap he might never recover from. And yet, he had to choose.He wiped the sweat forming on his palms and stared ahead. The blue door was cold, almost intimidating. The pink door felt louder, more energetic. Neither seemed to call his name, yet both demanded an answer.Time was ticking.John closed his eyes. He saw his grandfather’s face, that weathered look of pride mixed with burden. That man had built an empire with nothing but grit and time. He had sent John here, not just to be tested, but to be shaped. And John could almost hear his voice now, low and calm, saying: “Go where the wisdom is. Go where the fire was first lit.”He opened his eyes.And chose the blue door.He didn’t rush. He walked with a quiet dignity that belied his internal
Chapter 46: Let the Games Begin
The grand auction hall buzzed with muted murmurs and low laughter as the attendees—all paragons of old money, tech tycoons, media moguls, oil barons, and aristocrats—moved to their assigned seats. Each person carried the air of untouchable wealth, their expressions stoic yet proud, as though being there was both a privilege and an expectation.John stood at the back of the room, ticket in hand, slowly growing uncomfortable.Everyone else had located their seats with ease. Each chair was marked clearly with the corresponding code found on the guest’s invitation. But John, despite scanning the rows twice over, found no chair bearing his number. His eyes flicked over the crowd, hoping perhaps someone had taken his seat by mistake. There was, however, one vacant chair left in the entire room—a plain, metallic seat near the door with no tag or designation.He hesitated.Somewhere in the shadows of the hall, King watched through a discreet surveillance feed, a glass of dark liquor in hand a
Chapter 45 : Main hall or Terrance view
“The young master is really lucky” Jamal said as he was pissed off by how John's grandfather interrupted their plan on listening to their conversation.Jamal had been a silent observer for years, listen to Agnes sides and also to the other enemies sides to know what is happening and to help him decide which side to be on when the time was right but both sides kept logging him off when he was so close to getting solid evidences to use as leverage and today was also one of those days.“I will try again until I see my path.” Jamal said as he consoled himself over a glass of scotch near his laptop.At John's room, the makeover crew was there to help him look his best while preparing for the auction event because it was an elite event only attended by people who had $500million and above as their networth.John was honoured to be attending such an important event and really looked forward to being acquainted with his grandfather’s ally.On his way to the auction party,there were a lot of s
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