Ruby’s breathing was uneven as she pushed her way through the crowded bar, her vision slightly hazy. The further she moved, the stronger the dizziness became.
Something wasn’t right.
Her legs felt weak. Her heart was beating faster than normal.
It wasn’t just exhaustion.
A deep, unnatural heat pooled in her chest, making her skin tingle in a way that didn’t feel normal. Her throat felt dry, and an odd sensation was creeping into her veins—a slow-burning warmth that refused to fade.
Her stomach twisted violently.
She had been drugged with an aphrodisiac.
Her breath hitched, her fingers curling into fists.
But how?! She had been so careful.
She hadn’t eaten anything from strangers. She hadn’t drunk anything she didn’t trust.
Then, suddenly, her entire body tensed.
The purple juice Celeste had given her.
A sharp pain of betrayal shot through her chest like a dagger.
Her hands clenched as she stumbled against the wall, her mind reeling.
Celeste had drugged her.
Celeste, who had laughed and joked with her.
Celeste, who had insisted she come out tonight.
Celeste, who had pushed her to drink.
It had been planned from the beginning.
A deep, ugly anger boiled inside her.
Her instincts had warned her, but she had ignored them.
Why would Celeste do this?
Had it been a random setup, or had someone told her to do it?
Ruby forced herself to move. She could feel her mind slipping, her body heating up unnaturally, but she refused to give in.
She needed to get out of here.
Her legs were sluggish, her movements not as sharp as usual, but she pushed forward, weaving through the corridors of the bar.
Just as she reached a quiet hallway, she nearly bumped into someone.
She snapped her head up, and there stood Celeste.
Ruby froze, her red eyes locking onto her.
Celeste’s expression was unreadable, but Ruby could now see it—the slight tension in her shoulders, the way she wasn’t fully meeting her gaze.
A cold rage settled into Ruby’s chest, but she forced herself to keep her voice even.
"Thank God you’re here!" she said, faking urgency. "Can you help me get out?"
Celeste tilted her head slightly, her lips curling just faintly at the edges.
"Sure," she said, but her tone felt... wrong.
She knew now, without a doubt, that Celeste had led her into this.
But Ruby wasn’t going to let her know she had figured it out.
She needed to see what Celeste was planning.
She needed to find out who was behind this.
Celeste walked ahead, guiding Ruby through a different corridor, away from the main exit.
Ruby’s fingers twitched, her sharp nails pressing into her palm.
She could feel the drug working, making her vision unsteady, but she bit the inside of her cheek hard, trying to snap herself out of the haze.
Celeste suddenly stopped in front of a door.
"This is a private room the director booked," she said smoothly, opening the door. "You can rest here. I’ll get you some water."
Celeste’s smile didn’t reach her eyes.
Her pulse slammed against her ribs, but she forced herself to nod.
The moment she did, Celeste shut the door behind her.
Ruby took a deep, controlled breath.
She turned back toward the door, reaching for the handle—
And then, the door opened again.
Tall. Handsome. Well-dressed.
But Ruby barely took that in.
Because the moment he stepped inside, she understood everything.
Her body stiffened, her heart hammering against her ribs.
They had drugged her for this.
The ghost smiled, stepping toward her.
"Ah, finally," he murmured, his voice smooth, pleased. "They told me you’d be here soon."
Ruby’s chest tightened. Her breathing slowed, but her mind raced. This wasn’t about money. This wasn’t about revenge. It felt personal. But what would Celeste gain from this?
She couldn’t understand anything, and her hazy mind wasn’t helping either.
Maybe Celeste had planned this with someone else.
She had only one question now.
"Who sent you?" her voice was eerily calm, her fingers twitching to claw him if needed.
The ghost only chuckled, ignoring her question as he took another step forward.
"Why does that matter?" he smirked. "I’d rather focus on the moment, wouldn’t you?"
Disgust churned in her stomach as his hand reached for her wrist.
The moment his fingers brushed against her skin, a sudden wave of panic rushed through her.
Adrenaline kicked in.
With a sharp twist, she ripped her arm away and shoved him backward.
The ghost stumbled slightly, looking amused.
"Feisty," he murmured. "I like that."
Ruby’s vision swam, but she clenched her fists.
She needed to get out.
But her body wasn’t fully responding—the drug was working too fast.
The ghost moved toward her again, gripping her arm.
This time, he was pulling her toward the bed.
Panic flared deep in her chest.
With all the strength she could muster, she used his grip against him, twisting her body sharply.
Then, with a forceful shove, she pushed him onto the bed.
The ghost let out a soft grunt, his back hitting the mattress.
Ruby stumbled backward, her breath uneven.
But he recovered too quickly.
He moved toward her again.
Ruby’s heart pounded.
She needed to run. Now.
Her eyes darted around the room as panic set in. Without thinking, she quickly opened the door and ran outside. Behind her, the ghost chased after her, shouting, "Come back! Don’t run!" He kept yelling something, but she couldn’t make out the words.
It was clear he wasn’t going to leave her alone. Her mind raced, and in a split second, she made a decision. She turned sharply and sprinted toward the nearest open doorway. The moment she crossed the threshold, she slammed the door shut behind her, her chest heaving as she struggled to catch her breath.
She glanced around the room, realizing she had no idea whose space she had just entered. But right now, she didn’t care. She wasn’t about to let herself get caught–not now, not ever.
—To be continued...🪄