Jade stood in the middle of Lauren De-Light's glass office, her heels silent against the obsidian marble. Behind her back, her fingers trembled slightly, but her face was carved in elegance and steel.
Lauren leaned against his sleek black desk, watching her with mild amusement and something darker—interest. "So, Miss Monroe… Tell me, what do you want out of this job?"
*Revenge,* she thought. "Experience. A challenge."
He chuckled. "You'll get both. Most of my assistants quit in a week."
She gave a small, measured smile. "I'm not most."
Lauren's smirk deepened, but his phone buzzed. He turned away. "Hold my calls. And don't touch anything that glows or beeps."
"Understood, sir."
When he left the office, Jade inhaled sharply. Alone. Her eyes scanned the room—clean, organized, calculated. Everything had a purpose. A man like Lauren didn't make mistakes. Except one.
Prom night.
She slipped on gloves and moved quickly to his cabinet. Hidden behind a bottle of aged scotch was a black binder—unmarked. Inside were profiles. Transactions. *Secrets.* Her heart stopped when she saw Jayden's name… and Louis'. This wasn't just a CEO's files.
This was power.
Suddenly, the door opened.
"You really shouldn't be in here."
Jade froze. It wasn't Lauren.
It was *him.*
Kelz De-Light.
Black hoodie, boots, and danger written across his face. He shut the door behind him, staring at her with something between shock and amusement.
"You're not who you say you are."
She braced herself. "Neither are you."
A pause. Silence. Then—he smiled. Not cruel, but broken. Familiar.
"I remember you," he said. "De-Light High. Ice cream Thursdays."
Jade blinked. The memory hit like a wave. He *had* been there. Quiet, always bruised, always watching. "Kelz," she whispered.
"Jayla Monroe, huh?" he said, stepping closer. "We're both wearing masks."
She looked up at him, and something fragile passed between them—recognition. Wounds stitched with silence. Scars still bleeding beneath silk.
Kelz nodded at the binder. "You want revenge?"
She didn't answer.
"Then let's burn them all together."
—