crystal walls of the five-star Imperial Hotel was filled with Guests in designer suits and gowns moved through the grand hall, their laughter blending with the strings of a live orchestra. To everyone present, the night was nothing less than a fairy tale.
Especially for Elena Hayes.
Upstairs, in the bridal suite reserved just for her, Elena twirled in front of a mirror, her ivory gown flowing like a river of silk. A gentle blush dusted her cheeks, her dark curls cascading over her bare shoulders. She touched the delicate lace veil pinned to her hair and smiled dreamily.
tomorrow, I become Marcus's wife.
Her heart swelled at the thought. David—the only man she had ever loved. He was gentle, kind, a man who promised her forever.
"Elena, you look breathtaking." Clara said like a lovely sister.
Elena's smile widened as she turned toward her sister, Clara, she had slipped silently into the room. Clara's gown was a glittering emerald that clung to her curves, her lips painted blood red. She leaned against the doorframe, her expression unreadable.
"Do I?" Elena whispered, her eyes shining.
Clara crossed the room, the click of her heels sharp against the polished floor. She stopped behind Elena and placed her hands on her shoulders, their reflections locked in the mirror.
"Of course. Every man in the hall downstairs is talking about you," Clara said smoothly, though her eyes glimmered with something colder. "You'll be the envy of everyone once you walk down that aisle."
Elena laughed softly, brushing a nervous tear from her lashes. "Don't say that. I just want to be happy, with Marcus and you by my side, with our family."
Clara's smile faltered, but Elena didn't see it. Bitterness coiled in Clara's chest like venom. She had been second best her entire life—overshadowed by Elena's innocence, Elena's beauty, Elena's luck. Tonight, that would end. "The show is about to begin " she said with burning jealousy.
"You're trembling," Clara said, reaching for the champagne bottle on the vanity.
"Here. A sip will calm your nerves."
Elena hesitated. "I shouldn't, not before the eve the ceremony"
"One glass won't hurt." Clara poured the white liquid into a glass and pressed it into Elena's hands. "To new beginnings." she said smiling.
Elena smiled trustingly, without thinking she lifted the glass, and drank.
The first sip was sweet. The second was heavy. By the third, the room tilted ever so slightly. Elena blinked, swaying on her feet.
"Clara… I feel strange."
"Shh," Clara soothed, her voice dripping with false concern. "It's just the excitement. Come, lie down. I'll take care of you."
Elena tried to protest, but her tongue felt thick, her limbs sluggish. Clara slid an arm around her waist and guided her out of the bridal suite, she took her down the silent corridor lined with hotel rooms.
Every step deepened Elena's haze. Why am I so tired…? Marcus's waiting… I need to.." then her world blurred.
Clara's lips curled into a triumphant smile.
"This is gonna be fun, virgin righteous daddy's favorite."
Meanwhile, two floors below, the hotel's exclusive lounge hummed with energy. Business tycoons and socialites mingled, champagne flowing freely. In the center of it all sat Adrian Knight—CEO of Knight Enterprises, heir to a billion-dollar empire.
He was tall, broad-shouldered, with a face that made boardrooms tremble and women gasp. Tonight, however, his expression was cold, distant, as if he had already grown weary of the attention showered upon him.
"Adrian," called a honeyed voice.
Sophia, one of the city's most ambitious socialites, slid into the seat beside him. Her crimson dress left little to the imagination, her perfume cloying in the air. She placed a hand on his arm, her eyes glinting with calculation.
"You work too hard. Tonight should be about pleasure."
Adrian lifted his glass, expression unreadable. "you should find someone else to seduce, waste your charms on me."
Sophia laughed softly, but inside, anger flared. She had been planning this moment for months. No one rejected her. No man turned away her beauty.
When Adrian wasn't looking, she tilted the champagne bottle and slipped a crushed pill into his glass.
"Just one night," she thought, "and he'll will mine. I'll have proof. He'll have to marry me."
She clinked her glass against his. "To unforgettable nights."
Adrian downed the drink without suspicion. Minutes later, a strange warmth spread through his veins, his vision darkening around the edges. His jaw tightened.
"Something is wrong." he thought
Without a word, he pushed away from the table, ignoring Sophia's shocked protest, and strode toward the elevators. His body was heavy and unsteady, but his willpower dragged him forward.
He needed to reach his suite. Now.
Clara dragged Elena to the 17th floor, her heart hammering with excitement. A suite had already been prepared for Elena—where three men waited, paid handsomely to ruin her purity forever.
But in her haste, Clara pushed open the wrong door.
The wrong suite.
Adrian Knight's suite.
Elena collapsed onto the bed, her gown tangling around her legs, her breath shallow. Her last coherent thought was of David's smile, before darkness swallowed her whole.
Clara glanced at her watch, then leaned over to whisper in Elena's ear. "Sweet dreams, sister. By tomorrow, no one will want you."
She shut the door quietly behind her and hurried downstairs to meet Vivian.
Not long after, the elevator chimed again.
Adrian staggered into the hallway, his broad frame swaying. He fumbled with his keycard, pushed the door open, and entered.
The lights were dim. The air smelled faintly of perfume.
He didn't notice the woman on the bed until the door clicked shut behind him.
Back in the ballroom, Clara slipped into her mother's side, her smile triumphant.
"It's done," she whispered.
Vivian arched a brow. "Already?"
Clara nodded, her eyes gleaming. "She's in the suite. By now, those men are ruining her just as we planned."
Vivian's lips curved into a satisfied smile.
"Good. When she wakes, she'll have nothing left. Marcus is already on our side her father will turn away in disgust. And you, Clara, will finally have everything you deserve."
Clara laughed softly, a cruel spark in her eyes. "Of course mama,I got Marcus wrapped around my fingers." she smiled with pride.
Upstairs, however, destiny had other plans.
Two strangers,both drugged, both betrayed, were about to collide in the darkness.