Getting ready for Theo's birthday party felt like dressing up for a funeral—with glitter.
The past few days had been weird. Not just weird in a "I forgot to put on deodorant before gym class" way, but the kind of weird that sank into your bones and refused to leave. Like an invisible itch I couldn't reach. Ever since Angela's outburst at the hospital and that terrifying revelation, I couldn't stop thinking: people close to me were in danger. Real danger.
I tried to investigate, do a bit of digging. Not that I had some underground detective skills or anything—I was literally googling "how to know if someone is trying to kill you." I didn't get far. No leads. No connections. Nothing.
Could Aunt Julie have pissed off one of our competitors? Maybe. She could be feisty when she wanted. But enough to earn death threats? That seemed far-fetched. It's not like our company was some mega empire. Compared to names like Malrione and Almasi, we were a neighborhood sandwich shop trying to compete with a five-star hotel buffet.
The whole thing was eating me alive. And just when I thought I could use tonight to distract myself, maybe have a little fun, Aiden decided to sprinkle some salt on the open wound.
Another text. Another excuse. He couldn't make it.
Seriously? Again? From one meeting to the next, the guy was always busy. We barely had time to breathe around each other, let alone be around each other. And why did he have to be so… goddamn important?
God, if I could just kidnap him and lock him up somewhere—strictly consensual, of course—where he'd be mine and mine alone…
And there it was. Horny thoughts. Again.
I stormed into the hallway, still scowling, only to be greeted by the walking goddess that is my aunt. Julie was standing there, looking like she stepped out of a Vogue cover shoot.
"Wow, look who's going all out tonight. Okayyy," I said, raising an eyebrow.
"I know, right?" She did a little twirl. "I don't look a day over twenty."
She wasn't wrong. Her dress—I think it was blue… or purple? Whatever—had this loopy thing going on at the back, sparkled like a galaxy, and hugged her in all the right places. Her hair was down, swaying as she moved, and she wore these elegant pearl earrings that made her look like the rich wife of a billionaire villain in a telenovela.
Also, she was holding a bouquet of flowers.
"What are those?"
"Flowers," she said dramatically. "Super rare, by the way. They're… uh… well, don't expect me to remember the name. Theo wanted them, and they were hard as hell to get."
Oh. Shit.
"You didn't get Theo anything for his birthday, did you?" Julie asked, reading my guilty face like a pro.
"Did I need to? The guy's rich."
She rolled her eyes and pressed the bouquet to my chest. "Hold the flowers."
"Why?"
"They're your gift to Theo. I have something even better."
I groaned. "Ugh, fine. Can we go now?"
"Just one moment—I need to practice this," she said and suddenly began whipping her hair back and forth like she was summoning a storm.
"Woman…"
"Hold, baby. I almost got it!"
Apparently, she was rehearsing her "entrance hair flip" for the Malrione mansion. You'd think we were about to strut into the Met Gala.
Five whole minutes of that. Longest five minutes of my life.
Finally, she took a deep breath and turned to me like she was about to walk a red carpet. "Okay. I'm ready. Let's go."
And with that, we left—me holding rare flowers I couldn't name and Julie holding enough confidence to crush an army.
_ _ _
I knew Theo's parties were always flashy, but damn—this one was on a whole different level. The driveway looked like a red carpet event. Flashy cars, high heels, and enough perfume in the air to suffocate a small animal. The place was packed. Turns out, I hadn't realized just how important Theo was. We'd been close for a while, but seriously? Was he this famous the whole time?
Julie let out a theatrical sigh. "Oh great. The heir of the Malrione family throws a party and suddenly the whole market shows up. Ass-kissers."
I blinked. "What?"
She leaned in, eyes scanning the crowd like a detective in stilettos. "They're all just trying to get in good with his dad. Timothy Malrione—the richest man in the damn city. Who wouldn't want a piece of that pie?"
My stomach twisted a little. "Wait… wouldn't that mean that…?"
Julie didn't even wait for me to finish. She just gave me a knowing look and said, "Sadly, the Almasi family are here."
"Shit."
It had been what—four years? Four long years since I last saw my father or those irritating, self-absorbed uncles of mine. I just hoped to hell none of them recognized me tonight. I wasn't exactly itching for a "Hey son, sorry I abandoned you" moment in the middle of a chandelier-lit ballroom. The man couldn't win a Father of the Year mug even if he was the only dad alive.
This night just kept getting better and better.
"Brighten up, stick man," Julie elbowed me, grinning like a lunatic. "We're about to party!"
She was practically bouncing. So much for keeping things low-key. And just when I was about to roll my eyes at her hyper energy, she snapped. No joke. She went from chaotic romcom-obsessed aunt to glam goddess in 0.5 seconds flat. Head up, back straight, eyes fierce—she strutted into that hallway like she owned every brick of the Malrione mansion.
I had to fix my damn posture just to keep up. No way I was going to be outshined by a woman in her—okay, late twenties. Allegedly.
The place was massive. Every corner sparkled with money. Expensive suits. Flawless gowns. That kind of quiet confidence rich people wear like perfume. For a moment, I actually felt like I didn't belong. But nope. I wasn't gonna let that thought take root. I may not be one of them, but I wasn't going to shrink in their presence either.
We made our way to the bar. And then, poof—Julie disappeared into the crowd.
Figures.
Next time I'm putting that woman on a leash.
I felt a tap on my back and turned around. There he was. Theo. Looking damn fine in a crisp white suit.
"Dude," I said, blinking at him. "What's with the perm? You look… different."
I took a casual sip of my drink, trying to hold back the insult that was right there on the tip of my tongue.
"Oh, this?" He ran a hand through his newly puffed hair, grimacing. "My dad's idea. Guess fashion sense isn't a dominant gene."
"Yeah… I miss your curly hair." I reached up and ruffled it without thinking.
"What the hell, Isaaq! This took hours!" He tried fixing it back while I laughed.
"So… where is he?" Theo asked, eyes narrowing a little too knowingly.
"Who?"
"Aiden?"
"Oh, that who…" I trailed off.
"He stood you up?"
"What? No!" I waved it off too fast. "He's just… really busy. Student body vice president stuff, you know? Meetings. Schedules. Student emergencies. Elections. Whatever."
Theo raised a brow. "That guy? For real? How did that happen?"
I shrugged. "F**k would I know? He was already VP before I even transferred."
Theo let it go with a nod, then pointed at the bouquet still clutched in my hand. "So what you got there?"
"Oh—these? They're for you. Happy birthday," I said, handing them over.
"Aww," Theo cooed, hugging the flowers dramatically. "You got me flowers. Does this mean you pick me over Aiden now?"
"What the f**k? No!" I shot back. "Julie said you wanted them and they were hard to find. That's it."
He grinned at me, then looked down at the flowers, his smile turning playful.
"Isaaq… did you even look outside?"
"What?"
"These are Lumia Noxias," he said like it was the most obvious thing in the world. "Super rare, super expensive. Dad got me a whole garden of them last week."
My eyes widened. "Wait—what?"
"I mean, I did really want them," he added. "But I'm rich, remember? Still, I'll take anything from you. It's cute that you brought them."
I stood there, stunned, while my brain reconnected itself.
That witch. Julie knew. She knew Theo already had them. And she still shoved the flowers at me like they were my golden ticket. What the hell was she pulling? I thought she promised not to mess with my love life.
Theo tilted his head, voice softer. "Um, Isaaq? You okay?"
"Yeah, I'm fine," I muttered, already turning toward the bar. "Just need to pass out real quick."
"Whoa, Isaaq, slow down," he said as I reached for another glass. "That stuff's heavy. You might not be able to handle it, you're still—"
"A minor? I'm eighteen, mum."
Theo chuckled and snatched the glass from my hand. "In a few weeks. I know."
I groaned and turned away, dragging a hand down my face.
This night. This damn night. And it had only just begun.