"Calm down, everyone. I should be welcomed too… after all, I'm Jason's girlfriend." Vivian said, walking toward them with a confident smile.
"You are not my girlfriend," Jason snapped immediately.
"What's going on here?" Elena asked, confused, her eyes moving from one face to another.
"Easy, guys." Vivian placed a hand on her waist like she was about to pull something. "You all have something that belongs to me. It's only natural I show up."
"We have nothing that belongs to you!" Jason fired back.
"How did you even get in?" Damian interrupted, his voice cold and controlled.
Vivian smiled and stepped closer to him.
"Dating Jason was such a blessing, don't you think? I just had to use the passer's scan he gave me months ago… told security I was your guest."
She leaned in slightly and whispered, just loud enough for Damian:
"Not everyone protecting you… is your man."
Then she stepped back like nothing happened.
"You all have two options," she continued, her tone sharp now. "Daniel's head and Jason comes with me… or all of you come with me—dead."
She laughed.
"Babe… do something," Janaya whispered, gripping Damian's hand tightly.
"I'll go with you," Daniel said suddenly, letting go of Timothy's hand. "Just let them go."
"No! I'll come with you," Timothy said immediately, grabbing him again.
"You're surrounded," Vivian hummed, clearly enjoying the tension. "I don't have all day. So… who is it going to be?"
Damian didn't respond immediately.
Then—
"Drop the act, Vivian. I'm tired of playing along."
He walked past her calmly and headed toward the door.
"What?" Jason rushed after him. "What's going on?"
"Is she… one of us?" Tan whispered to Maya as they slowly followed.
One by one, everyone moved past Vivian and went inside, leaving her standing there.
Inside.
"Can you explain what just happened?" Jason demanded, his voice rising.
"Who do you think called the police that night? Me?" Damian replied flatly.
Silence.
"She… saved us?" Daniel asked, stunned.
"I need a backstory," Jason snapped. "Since when? And why the hell did she come into my life?"
Vivian walked in casually, like she owned the place.
"Oh please. I became part of this long after the breakup," she said. "I needed a seat at the power circle. Aligning with the right-hand man was a Smart move to me."
"And you just accepted her?" Jason shouted at Damian. "Just like that? After everything she did to me?"
"Power and business over emotions, Jason," Damian replied sharply. "You're healed now. What else do you want?"
"Healed?" Jason laughed bitterly, tears already forming.
"You think I'm healed? You think I'm like you? Picking up people and dropping them like they mean nothing?"
His voice broke.
"When I love… I love fully."
The room went quiet.
"Wait…" Elena stepped back slightly. "So what does that make me?"
Everyone turned to her.
"I've been here with you… all this time… and seeing your ex affects you this much?" Her voice shook.
"Did you even love me? Or was I just there so you wouldn't hurt my ego?"
Regrets and anger all over her face.
"No, baby—no, that's not what he meant," Maya rushed to her side.
Jason stepped closer, panic in his eyes.
"I'm sorry… I didn't mean it like that," he said quickly. "I was just angry. Seeing her here… it messed with me. But it has nothing to do with how I feel about you."
"So can we face the business of the day?" Vivian cut into the moment.
"And yes, if I want your man, I can still get him," she whispered into Elena's ear.
"I'd like to see you try," Elena whispered back before walking towards the couch.
"Now that everything is like this, do we have a plan yet?" Janaya asked. "We can't all stay here together forever."
"Speaking about forever..." Tan said, turning to Timothy and Daniel. "Are you two planning to keep this boyfriend act forever?"
"...don't you dare interrupt me," Janaya snapped.
"It's not an act."
Daniel's voice cut through the room.
Everyone turned to look at him.
"It's not?" Timothy asked, his cheeks turning red almost immediately.
Daniel looked at him for a few seconds before speaking again.
"The truth is... it started as an act."
The room fell silent.
"But I don't intend to keep it an act."
Timothy stared at him.
Daniel took a step closer.
"Will you be my forever? My boyfriend?"
Then he quickly added,
"And please don't say no."
The whole room froze.
Even Vivian stopped moving.
Everyone's attention shifted to Timothy.
For a few seconds, he couldn't speak.
His brain had completely shut down.
Then finally—
"Yes."
Daniel's eyes widened.
"Yes, Daniel. I will."
The room erupted.
Maya squealed.
Jason slapped the couch dramatically.
Tan sighed in relief.
Janaya almost looked like she was about to cry.
Daniel pulled Timothy into a hug, and Timothy immediately hugged him back.
Slowly, everyone drifted towards their own partners.
Damian wrapped an arm around Janaya.
Tan pulled Maya closer.
Jason found his way to Elena.
Vivian looked around the room in complete confusion.
"What's going on?" she asked. "We were about to come up with a plan two minutes ago and now everyone is all coupled up."
"Damian, can you please show us to our rooms?" Tan asked. "The plan can continue tomorrow."
"I totally agree," Maya said. "I'm exhausted."
"Someone might have to sleep on the couch," Elena said, waving casually at Vivian.
Vivian immediately turned.
"Damian, I thought you said you had enough rooms?"
"I do."
Damian nodded.
"Rooms for couples."
The room went silent.
Then—
"You are single."
The entire room burst into laughter.
Vivian stared at all of them in disbelief.
"Unbelievable."
"Babe, please show everyone to their rooms," Damian said, placing a kiss on Janaya's forehead.
And just like that, everyone headed towards their temporary rooms.
For the first time in days, they loosened their guards.
For the first time in days, they felt safe.