The thing Laura liked about professional parties was that, unlike in clubs, the drinks were never watered down.

But as she walked into the chaos of Masque, she realised that "watered down" was the only type of party she'd ever attended.

Beneath the high ceiling, booming reverb and gyrating lights of the club, masked waiters weaved across the packed floor, serving glowing glasses that seethed in vivid, dangerous hues.

Laura picked out a mysterious pink poison and sipped, only to recoil from the saccharine sting at the back of her throat as the liquid raked down her neck. She choked out a cough.

This was pure alcohol. The sickening taste burned a worrying epiphany into her mind. She needed to stop drinking, or her body would soon be addicted to this toxin.

The waiter's mouth pulled into a grin, his laughter drowned out by the thundering bass. He patted her hand and thrusted a packet into her palm, before slipping back into the crowd.

Laura looked down. Two baby-blue pills gazed up innocently at her from beneath a striking "F" emblazoned onto the plastic.

Flaco.

This dirty business was how their rival company got their edge.

Her heart pounded with realisation, as if eager to churn the enemy's venom through her veins. Amidst the cacophony of pulsating lights and psychedelic sound, Laura rallied her reeling thoughts.

No wonder Flaco expanded so rapidly and could afford to finance their own digital marketplace. They weren't just peddling pharmaceutical drugs.

This was the hard stuff – and they were just getting started.

As she timidly hid the pills in her clutch, her phone buzzed. She pushed to a quieter side of the floor and opened the message.

Jack
Sign of trust. This is our trade secret. We give clients what they gladly pay for.

Jack
We would shell out big bucks for good talent like you.

Jack
Come to the hallway behind the bar.

So, Jack worked for Flaco, and he was somewhere here. Laura tracked her eyes through the quivering crowd, mapping out the best route to the bar. The mob on the left was thickening, making the maze of bodies on the right seem slightly more tolerable.

Gritting her teeth, she squeezed through the swaying mass, her heels kicking plastic cups and packets that littered the floor. If every one of these guests here were customers, Flaco must be rolling in diamonds. She wondered if they counted celebrities and politicians in their list of clients.

Maybe she was going to find out for herself.

As she broke free from the smothering horde, a wave of clear air greeted her. She smoothed down her leather bandeau dress and stepped into the quiet, glowing hallway.

No sooner had she caught her breath when two bodies rushed past her and smashed against the wall. Laura yelped and leaped back, adjusting her eyes to the fighting pair.

Except... they weren't exactly fighting. A stocky woman with cropped hair and a leather jacket was pinning down and madly kissing another girl in a slinky silver dress. They moaned for another heated second before breaking their embrace, turning around to stare at their onlooker.

Laura gawked. The lady pressed against the wall looked back in shock, her stark hair framing her familiar, flawless face.

"Celene?" Laura gasped, her heart leaping into her throat, desperate to flee from this insanity.

"L–Laura," she stammered, pushing the short-haired woman off and straightening the strap of her dress. "Whatever you think –"

"I don't know what to think!" Laura exclaimed and rushed out of the walkway, unable to deal with the ridiculous events in her life that were unfolding in quick succession. Strobe lights flashed in blinding bursts as her conflicting emotions ripped her apart – should she be angry that Celene was cheating on Charlie? Happy that she now had leverage to break them up?

Or eager to jump ship and leave this Spectre dumpster fire behind?

As she charged through the crowd, the music rose to a deafening boom that rattled her skull, and her brain reminded her about the pills that sat in her purse, promising her an easy escape.

Just a pop for quick relief.

They trembled in her bag and Laura resisted their call – until she realised the vibration was coming from her phone. She took it out and checked her messages.

Jack
Well, that was a rude interruption.

Jack
My offer still stands. Don't let your hard work go to waste. Bring it over to Flaco and we'll pay you well.

Jack
Think about it.

♥

Silence finally enveloped her as Laura sprawled onto her bed and glared at her dark ceiling of her room. Her mind and heart were at war once again, but this time, her stomach was in no mood to mediate.

The disturbia that had descended upon her life was almost too much to process. Celene Langford was possibly the most beautiful woman Laura had ever met, and she almost found it difficult to envy her engagement to Charlie. Yet, in a sardonic twist, she was cheating on him with another woman.

She hadn't even gotten around to solving the mystery of Charlie's past. She'd only managed to do minimal research – skim for his social media – but, as arrogant as he was, the reclusive asshole revealed nothing to the world.

But a window of opportunity had just opened, and a fresh draft was wafting in.

Laura whisked out her phone and searched for Celene Langford. She immediately landed a hit and her profile splashed out on the screen. Unsurprisingly, her page was littered with glamorous shots in beaches and mountains across the world.

Surprisingly, it contained no trace of her fiancé.

Laura scrolled fervently, forcing the feed further back into the past. The stark filters gave way to older photographs that embalmed the memories of Celene's college days. A familiar face jumped from the screen, and she stopped.

Scattered amidst images of coffee cups and palm trees were pictures of Charlie.

She tapped on one of their earliest photos – a full-body shot of the pair in rave wear.

Posted seven years ago
Lighting up the town with the bff. On the hunt tonight ;)

Seven years ago. That would place them in college. They were friends – best friends. But Charlie said they only started talking last year.

When he came back.

Laura studied the slim tank that hugged his chest and revealed his toned biceps. Even in his rebel years, he looked irritatingly irresistible.

She scrolled up to a more recent post, where Charlie and Celene were blowing smoke at the camera, his blue eyes piercing through the curling smog.

Posted six years ago
Thick and thin. Heartbreak is for losers. Can't love, can't hurt.

The creed of best friends united in heartbreak. Laura cringed at how relatable college Celene was. If they'd met under ordinary circumstances, they might have been great friends.

She thumbed through the posts until Charlie suddenly dropped off the feed. Turning back, her fingers found the last trace of his presence on Celene's profile.

Two of them in a close-up selfie, Celene's glimmering eyes winking playfully at the camera, and Charlie's face wrinkled in a stern grimace.

Posted five years ago
Spotted this rare creature today. Stop disappearing on me, Charlie boy! Who's gonna make me feel better about my bad choices?

Laura looked up from the screen, her brows furrowed in perplexed contemplation. Five years ago, Charlie disappeared. Everyone spoke as if he'd fled town.

Yet, Celene still bumped into him. He never actually left.

He'd simply abandoned his family and completely forsaken his friends.

What the hell happened five years ago?

♥