----------
The grand Brighton Wisdom Auditorium reeked of stale popcorn and triumph. On the stage, bathed in the blinding glare of the spotlights, Gabriella—wearing a shimmering, floor-length gown the color of a pearl white —was taking her final, graceful bow. She had earned her applause, but it was cut short by a horrifying sound: the metal creak of something massive giving way.
In a blur of motion, Jake, the quiet senior everyone secretly admired, lunged forward. He shielded her, covering Gabriella completely with his body, his large hands pressed firmly over her head.
The impact that followed was a symphony of destruction. The immense crystal chandelier, a Victorian artifact prized for its thousand twinkling facets, smashed onto the stage. It wasn't just a crash; it was a violent, chaotic explosion of brass and sharp glass shards.
"Are you okay? Did you get hurt?" Jake's voice was close to her ear, tight with sheer panic and a frantic worry that felt strangely personal.
Gabriella blinked, finally seeing his face, his amber eyes wide with fear. She stared for a long moment, the sound of the crash still echoing in her bones. She couldn't form words, but she nodded faintly, confirming she was alive.
She is standing like a statue and looked back at the wreckage. Her breath hitched. A heavy piece of the chandelier's frame was swinging precariously, about to sweep over the exact spot where she'd been standing.
Fear turned to cold horror. She turned wildly, looking past the stage and out into the shadowed audience. And then she saw her.
Standing in the back row, right by the main entrance, was Raina. She was in a tailored, sleek black attire, and she wasn't clapping or running; she was utterly still. Gabriella stared, shock freezing her to the spot. Raina didn't move for the exits, she just curled her lips into a slow, sinister smirk.
As Raina turned to glide out the door, she leaned in slightly, as if sharing a secret. The words cut through the remaining adrenaline.
"Don't think that you can escape from me."
Raina vanished. Gabriella felt a crushing, icy wave—was this an accident, or an attack? She staggered back toward Jake.
"Gabriella, what is it?" Jake grabbed her arm.
She tried to speak, but the room spun. Her eyes blurred, and the bright stage lights dissolved into blackness. She fell, fainting instantly, right into Jake's solid chest.
Jake caught her instantly. His hand, gripping her arm, suddenly felt something wet and sticky. He looked down and gasped, spotting a deep cut on her wrist where a sliver of shattered glass had lodged itself. He widened his eyes—it wasn't just shock; it was blood loss. He scooped her up, lifting her effortlessly, and ran. He bolted down the grand balcony, his heart pounding, his worry absolute and undeniable. Dona and Ajax followed, shouting his name, their faces terrified as they raced through the ornate halls of Brighton Wisdom.
The Calculated Threat
On the lonely Rooftop of Brighton Wisdom, the fierce wind whipped around Raina. Her earlier, triumphant facade had cracked, replaced by a calculating, frustrated rage.
"She escaped!" Raina bellowed, staring at the distant city lights. "She shouldn't have been that quick!"
Her phone rang, a jarring sound in the silence. She snatched it up. "Who is this?" she snapped.
"It's me, Ronnie. Why are you shouting?"
Raina instantly calmed her voice, making it smooth and dangerously level. "I'm fine. Why did you call me?"
"What happened? You sound stressed." Ronnie's voice was anxious.
"What happened? You tell me, Ronnie! I'm asking about Lara." Raina's voice was thick with irritation. Ronnie explained everything. Raina get pissed, "What ".
" I managed to lie her and she believed me. Don't worry "Ronnie replied casually.
Raina let out a dry, scornful chuckle. "Are you a fool? Can't you see she's testing you? She's faking her memory loss, or she's getting her old memories back! If she trusted you, why did she bring you to the exact spot where she had her accident? The place you swore you'd never go?"
Ronnie froze on the other end. He was speechless.Then said,"I think,she don't. You are one exaggerating everything ".
Raina continued, her voice cold as the stone beneath her feet. "Why are you defending her? You are on her suspicious list. You should be smarter. You should better… end her story."
"No! I can't!" Ronnie shouted back, desperate.
Raina laughed, the sound hollow. "I knew it. Have you fallen for the new, sweet little Lara? Do you really believe she won't turn against you,The moment she remembers what you did?".
Ronnie's eyes wavered. He was torn. "I don't know…"
Raina narrowed her eyes. "You have only one option. If you don't get rid of her, you will end up in jail. Do you think that she will leave the person who caused her accident? No. She won't."
Raina hung up, leaving him with the terrifying truth.
She whispered to herself, kicking a discarded cola can. "I'm wondering how Gabriella and Lara get boys this loyal. But the one I got, he isn't like that. How horrible."
Stuck in between emotion
It was a beautiful, lonely place. At the edge of the beachside bridge, where the ocean breeze carried the scent of salt and secrets, Lara stood, her dark hair flowing around her. She looked peaceful, completely unaware of the chaos she carried within her missing two years.
A hand reached for her shoulder, then hesitated. It was Ronnie. He stopped, took a ragged breath, and turned away, his entire body tense. He was so stressed he dropped the carton of ice cream he'd bought for her. He ran a hand through his black hair, trying to look normal.
Lara heard the soft splat. She turned, a bright, disarming smile lighting up her face when she saw him.
"Ronnie!" she called, and rushed forward, wrapping him in a warm, instantaneous hug. "Thanks for bringing me here. I really love this scenery."
Ronnie's body was stiff, his mind racing. He struggled to return the hug. "Do you like it, really?"
Lara pulled back, her eyes shining as she nodded like an excited child. For that moment, Ronnie genuinely smiled. Despite the war raging in his heart, her pure, sweet face always calmed the storm.
He thinks ".I can't do that to her."
He turned his face to avoid her gaze. Lara, sensing his change, gently took his jaw and turned his head back.
"What happened? Why are you looking unwell?" she asked, her voice soft with concern.
Ronnie forced a chuckle. "I'm sorry, I dropped your ice cream by accident."
Lara smiled. "Are you upset over that small matter?" she teased.
Ronnie couldn't hold the desperation in anymore. He blurted out, "Are you going to accept me, whoever I am?"
Lara blinked. "What? Don't say you're a mobster!" she laughed.
Ronnie managed a weary smile.
Lara's tone grew deep and genuine. "I would accept you, whoever you are. That's what I promised."
Without warning, Ronnie leaned in and kissed her, a passionate, desperate gesture. Lara's eyes widened in surprise. He pulled back, his face clouded with uncertainty.
"Can I kiss you… right?" he whispered, asking for permission now that his initial impulse had betrayed his control.
Lara smiled, relief washing over him like the tide.
He kissed her again, this time longer, pouring every ounce of his internal conflict and deep emotion into the moment. Lara kissed him back, holding him tightly as the sea wind swirled around them. They were kissing in a passionate, emotional embrace.
Ronnie thought fiercely: I would stand with you at any situation.
On one side stood Lara, sweet, trusting, and completely unaware of the dark secret of her missing two years—or that the loving arms holding her belonged to the very person who caused her fall. On the other side stood Ronnie, the cause of the disaster, who was now utterly, hopelessly in love with his victim. He had been given an ultimatum to destroy the girl he loved before she destroyed him.
-----------