Sunny afternoon. Sky too blue to seem real.
And in the center of a private golf course, surrounded by acres of laser-cut grass, strategically placed ornamental trees, and decorative fountains playing low-volume classical music… stood Luna.
Dressed in a fitted white tracksuit, shiny sneakers, a matching visor, and a titanium-finished golf club with rose gold accents, she positioned the ball on the immaculate grass mat with an almost… bored look.
"Okay. Position yourself. Breathe. Aim. Swivel your hips. Play like you don't have a thousand dollars hanging from your arm."
She took a breath, turned, and…
CLACK!
The little ball flew across the blue sky like a miniature comet, making a perfect path towards the hole…
…and falling straight into a small ornamental fountain that wasn't in the plan.
"Ugh. Again."
Beside him, an impeccably dressed butler held a tray with chilled drinks, a face towel, and, of course, the newest iPhone 16 Pro model, in white gold.
"Miss Luna," he said politely, "a call from Miss Victoria Lancaster-Monroe."
Luna, still with the cue resting on her shoulder, arched an eyebrow. "The purple one? The one with the glitter dessert?"
"Exactly."
She grabbed her phone with a tap and swiped lazily. "Hello?"
On the other end of the line, Victoria's unmistakable, excited voice boomed. "Luuuuna! Oh, I'm so glad you picked up! I was thinking about you, I swear to Gucci!"
"I hope this isn't an invitation to an occult ritual with champagne and flamingos."
"Hahaha, not yet. But now that you mention it, it gives me ideas. But seriously: let's go out tonight? Me, you, Lumine, and Nikoly. Something light, fun... Just amazing girls being dangerous together."
Luna looked around at the field.
The butler was already placing a new ball on the grass.
She sighed. "Victoria, I just hit a fountain with my fifth attempt. If I stay here for another half hour, I'll start talking to the decorative birds. So yeah. I'm in."
On the other side, Victoria beamed. "Perfect! And please, look fabulous, but like you're not trying. That 'I was born this way, I'm effortlessly rich, and I might cause accidents with a glance' vibe. You know?"
Luna smiled. "That's my natural state."
"I knew you were going to say that. Kisses! Get ready to make a splash!"
Luna handed the cell phone back to the butler, twirled the club with one hand like a sword, and said with a distant look, "Golf is boredom disguised as elegance. Time to put social chaos on the agenda."
Ivy appeared in miniature form in the corner of the field, floating. "You're finally tired of pretending to care about aristocratic sports. Updating personality profile: 'sarcastic princess with a history of trauma and a dangerous golf club.'"
Luna laughed, walking back to the mansion.
As soon as she took her first step into the polished marble corridor, the wall panels lit up in sequence, as if even the architecture was eagerly awaiting the spectacle.
Ivy was already floating beside her, in a holographic fashionista version, wearing a feather boa, high heels, and an imaginary cup in her hand. "Miss Luna, time to choose your look. Available options: 'Cruel Casual,' 'Humiliating Subtlety,' or 'Disguised as a Civilian, but Still a Goddess.'"
"Hm… somewhere between the second and third. I want to cause trouble, but look like I didn't try."
"Understood. Activating 'Fluid Danger with Noble Lipstick' style."
The closet opened like the vault of an enchanted museum.
Rows of dresses hung from golden rods, shoes were arranged like works of art, limited-edition handbags sat in display cases protected by invisible (probably) anti-envy spells.
Luna walked barefoot, her toes brushing against the fabric.
Velvet? No.
Satin? Hm…
Black organza with sapphire blue reflections and a diagonal cutout? Yes.
She carefully removed the piece, feeling the softness shine between her fingers.
She wore it with thin-heeled sandals studded with microdiamonds.
Long silver sapphire earrings.
Light makeup, luminous skin, burnt red lipstick with a 'bite and conquer' finish.
Ivy commented. "Miss, this look has a 93% chance of causing gasps, an 82% chance of provoking passive hate from insecure women, and a 74% chance of starting instant love rumors."
"Great. All that's missing is the perfume that makes rich people sweat nervously."
Ivy nodded. "I discreetly vaporized Essence No. 13: 3-Second Meltdown of Ego."
Minutes later, Luna came down the stairs.
And at the end of the mansion's main hallway, the double glass doors opened to reveal… the temple of motoring dreams: his garage.
Luxurious.
Illuminated with soft blue LEDs.
Impeccable floor.
Statues of black lions.
And in the center, on a small rotating black marble platform…
The Bugatti Divo — metallic black with rose-chrome accents, custom-finished with the "LVN" monogram discreetly engraved on the rear.
Luna walked up to him with an almost predatory smile.
The car's lights turned on by themselves, recognizing their owner.
The sound of the engine starting was deep, sensual, a royal roar with adrenaline.
She got into the car, doors closing with a mechanical whisper.
Touches on the digital panel:
"How do you like that…?!" BLACKPINK began to blast from the internal surround sound system.
Luna turned up the volume.
The knock came in.
The engine roared.
And she sped up.
The wheels traced gentle curves along the mansion's private road, which opened up towards the illuminated city.
Hair in the wind, impeccable lipstick, sharp eyes.
"How you like that…?!" the song repeated while Luna smiled with her eyes on the road, driving as if the world was hers.
Elsewhere in the city...
A place where the elite not only drink, but decide the fate of entire cities between toasts and whispers.
The lights were soft, amber.
The vaulted ceiling displayed Renaissance paintings... with neon touches.
The walls, lined with dark leather.
In the center, a circular white marble table occupied by three women who are impossible to ignore.
They all had glasses of imperial ladies' beer—sparkling, pink, with hibiscus petals floating delicately.
They laughed.
They talked.
They naturally caused envy.
Victoria took a light sip, then tilted her head. "The Lancaster Group is finalizing a land purchase in Croatia. Coastline with absurd potential. So cheap it's offensive. We're going to build four five-star hotels and a floating resort..."
"...The only hard part is convincing my dad not to name everything after his children. Like, imagine a hotel called the Victoria Lancaster Resort. It sounds like a cruise ship from the '90s."
Lumine laughed with a touch of irony. "At least it sounds human. My father tried to register a perfume brand called Edelweiss No. 37—Smell of Economic Victory. We had to intervene at a family meeting."
"You guys still have problems with naming." Nikoly slowly twirled the glass between his fingers. "The Hoshinami Group is considering entering the American real estate market. Ghost towns, former military bases… forgotten places. Perfect for becoming luxury havens with a cyber-zen theme."
Victoria blinked. "Like... meditation in the bunker?"
"Exactly."
The three of them laughed.
Not because it was a joke, but because it was true.
And absurdly feasible.
Lumine placed her glass on the table and leaned back calmly. "Edelweiss Films invested heavily in a Chinese project last week. 300 million euros. It's a science fiction film based on an eighth-century poem. Visually stunning. Hardly any dialogue."
Nikoly arched an eyebrow. "That's bold."
"It's art." Lumine replied with a smile.
Victoria smiled with her eyes.
For a brief moment, they were silent, observing their surroundings.
Nobles from all over the world, tycoons in disguise, young heirs being trained to dominate countries without ever raising their voices.
The place was a sanctuary of power... masquerading as a nightclub.
Victoria was the first to say what everyone was thinking. "Is Luna coming?"
Nikoly nodded, not looking away from the entrance. "She said yes. And she doesn't seem like the type to just talk."
Lumine smiled softly. "Curious. We know nothing about her. No family name. No history in the society pages. No records at diplomatic events. But when she walks into a room… it's as if the room rearranges its priorities."
Victoria bit the rose gold straw in her glass and laughed. "She's an enigma with expensive lipstick. And I'm obsessed."
Nikoly played with the menu hologram. "Maybe she's the daughter of a reclusive billionaire. Or a princess from a microstate hidden in the Alps."
Lumine looked at her beer glass and murmured, as if she already suspected, "Or something completely different..."
So… they listened.
Not the sound of the car itself.
But the vibration.
The collective whisper of the entrance.
The subtle sound of doors opening.
The gazes being pulled, as if by gravity.
Victoria turned her neck in excitement.
Nikoly smiled silently.
Lumine raised an eyebrow.
And then, at the end of the mirrored and golden corridor…
Luna entered.