Winter sat close to Kimi at the bar, her cheeks slightly flushed, her laugh loose and uninhibited from one too many drinks.

The two of them leaned in, exchanging playful banter that flowed as naturally as the champagne they sipped. Kimi's smirk grew with each of Winter's increasingly outrageous stories, her sharp wit matching Winter's charm blow for blow.

Winter chuckled, running a hand through her blonde hair. "I'm telling you, Kimi, I could have been a race car driver if this whole 'life of chaos' thing hadn't worked out."

Kimi raised an eyebrow. "Oh, really? And yet you still nearly hit the valet when you parked that red beast outside."

Winter threw her head back and laughed. "Touché."

Their laughter was cut short by a sharp voice slicing through the air. "Well, well. If it isn't Winter Kim. Didn't think you had the guts to show up here."

Winter stiffened, her smile freezing as her head turned. There he was-Hangsak, her long-time rival, striding into the party with the kind of smugness that made her blood boil. His tailored suit and sharp grin reeked of arrogance as he strolled over, his eyes gleaming with malice.

"Hangsak," Winter said, her tone dripping with mock sweetness. "Didn't think they let dogs in here."

Hangsak chuckled darkly. "Funny. I thought they'd kicked out all the reckless, washed-up trust fund babies."

Winter's jaw clenched, but her smirk didn't falter. "Jealousy isn't a good look on you, Hangsak. Not everyone can pull off success as effortlessly as I do."

The taunting escalated, each jab sharper than the last. Kimi watched quietly, her brow furrowed as the tension crackled between them. But when Hangsak leaned in closer, his voice dropping, his words turned venomous.

"Your mother must be so proud, Winter," he sneered, his grin widening. "Oh, wait-"

The words barely left his mouth before Winter's fist collided with his jaw, the sickening thud silencing the room. Hangsak stumbled back, clutching his face, his shock quickly turning to fury.

"You're dead, Kim!" he roared, lunging at her.

Winter met him head-on, landing another punch before his fist slammed into her stomach. The two of them grappled, exchanging brutal blows as glass shattered and a nearby table splintered beneath their weight. Guests scrambled to get out of the way, shouting in alarm as the fight raged on.

Winter's nose bled profusely, and Hangsak's arm hung at an awkward angle, but neither seemed ready to back down. It wasn't until the security guards stormed in, pulling them apart with considerable effort, that the chaos finally came to a halt.

"Out! Both of you!" one of the guards barked, shoving them toward the exit.

Hangsak staggered toward his driver, clutching his broken arm as he was helped into his car. Winter, disheveled and still fuming, stood at the curb, glaring after him.

"Yeah, run back to your daddy, you coward!" she yelled, blood dripping from her nose as she waved him off. "You're lucky they stopped me!"

Hangsak didn't respond, but the look he shot her through the car window promised this wasn't over. His car sped off into the night, leaving Winter standing there, defiant and unbothered by the stares of the partygoers peeking through the windows.

Winter strolled toward her beloved red sports car, her steps a little unsteady but still full of her signature swagger. The cool night air brushed against her skin as she reached the car, leaning against it for a moment. She caught her reflection in the sleek surface of the window, blood still crusted around her nose and a few bruises forming on her cheekbone.

She smirked, running her fingers through her tousled blonde hair to straighten it. "How do I manage to still look this good?" she muttered to herself, tilting her head as if inspecting her reflection. Her grin widened into a soft laugh. "It's me, after all."

Sliding into the driver's seat, Winter turned the key, and the engine roared to life, its purr like music to her ears. She cranked the stereo up to its max, the heavy beat of the song vibrating through the car as she revved the engine. With one last glance at the empty street ahead, she hit the gas, the car tearing through the quiet night like a blazing comet.

The city blurred around her as she flew down the streets, lights streaking past her windows. She felt the rush of adrenaline, the wind whipping through the small crack in her window, a reminder of her invincibility-or at least the illusion of it.

By the time she reached her mansion, the adrenaline had faded, replaced by exhaustion that clung to her like a heavy weight.

Winter stumbled out of her car, gripping the edge of the door for support as she shuffled toward the massive front door. Her card key shook in her hand as she fumbled to press it against the scanner, a relieved sigh escaping her lips when the lock clicked open.

The door swung wide, and Winter barely made it a few steps inside before her legs gave out. She collapsed onto the cold marble floor, groaning as the tension in her body melted away.

"Still alive," she mumbled, her voice slurred with fatigue. She rolled onto her back, staring up at the high ceiling of her entryway. For a moment, she chuckled, the sound faint but genuine. "Thank God."

Her eyes fluttered closed, and within seconds, Winter was out cold, sprawled on the floor of her luxurious mansion. The world outside continued without her, but for now, she had survived another chaotic night.