Jalen Harris awoke with the sunlight bleeding through half-closed blackout curtains, stinging his eyes as a dull throb pulsed at his temples.
His bedroom immaculate and high-rise polished felt strangely hollow that morning. The deep navy sheets were tangled beside him, where the soft sigh of a sleeping woman confirmed what he already knew: last night ended how most of his nights did.
With company. Without connection.
She was the woman in emerald green. Her back was turned, dark waves sprawled across his pillow, her breathing slow and steady.
Jalen sat up slowly, scrubbing a hand across his face. The hangover wasn't brutal, but the silence afterward was. He reached for the glass of water on his nightstand and downed it in one go, trying to shake off the fog not just from the whiskey, but from the weight settling behind his ribs.
He knew what it was.
Aurora.
Her name had been dancing on the edges of conversations all night, and somehow, even in his attempts to distract himself she lingered. Like perfume. Like a whisper just beyond reach.
Then his phone buzzed beside him.
Kate.
He stared at the name for a second before answering, already bracing himself.
"Didn't expect to hear from you before noon," he said groggily.
Her voice came through smooth, sultry, and too familiar. "Just wanted to check in. You've been quiet."
"I've been busy."
"Oh?" Kate laughed softly. "Busy chasing gallery girls and ghosting people you used to spend entire weekends with?"
Jalen exhaled sharply. "Kate… don't start."
Kate Delacroix was more than just a fling. She was the closest thing Jalen ever had to consistency. Rich, fiery, well-connected and fiercely possessive. Their affair had always been complicated, passionate, and far too convenient.
She was the kind of woman who left lipstick stains on his collar and scars on his soul.
"You're still coming to The Midnight Reverie, right?" she asked, a knowing edge in her voice.
"Yeah."
"I hope you remember who made you look good at every one of your past parties," Kate added. "Don't make me regret not switching teams."
Before he could respond, she ended the call with a soft chuckle.
Jalen stared at the screen for a moment.
His past was starting to blur into his present.
And somewhere in that blur… she was coming.
Later that Morning at Beverly Hills
Aurora stood in front of the full-length mirror at Étoile Luxe Boutique, the soft golden lighting catching the sheen of the silk dress draped over her form.
It was elegant. Timeless. A deep garnet red with delicate gold embroidery that shimmered subtly every time she moved.
"You look like you belong in a Caravaggio painting," came Charlotte's voice from behind her.
Mrs. Charlotte O'Brien, dressed in cream Chanel trousers and a soft pearl blouse, watched from one of the boutique's private settees as her personal stylist made final adjustments to Aurora's hem.
"Are you sure this isn't too much?" Aurora asked, turning slightly.
"Too much?" Charlotte scoffed with a grin. "Darling, the party is too much. You'll simply be the reason everyone keeps staring."
Aurora laughed, the tension in her shoulders softening. It felt… nice. Being pampered, heard, seen.
They spent the morning sipping on prosecco and being draped in gowns of silk, satin, and velvet. Every now and then, Charlotte would tell her stories about her younger years about Paris in the '80s, her first art exhibit, and the time she refused to date a prince because he didn't understand Cubism.
Aurora hung on every word.
At one point, Charlotte paused and looked at her in the mirror. "You know… you remind me of myself. Back when I still believed love and art were the same thing."
Aurora turned slightly. "You don't?"
"I believe they both demand sacrifice," Charlotte said quietly. "But only one leaves you stronger."
They shared a quiet moment, broken only when Charlotte clapped her hands once and said, "Alright. Let's find shoes sharp enough to kill a man."
Back at the Apartment, Early Afternoon
Chloe and Sophia were lounging on the living room couch, snacks between them and a playlist humming gently in the background. They were mid-discussion about the best hairstyles for a formal party when the doorbell rang.
Chloe turned to Sophia with raised brows.
Sophia gave her the look the classic "you go check" eyebrow arch.
Chloe sighed with a grin and hopped off the couch, padding to the door in fluffy socks. As she opened it, she was greeted by a man in a sleek black polo with a silver clipboard in one hand and a beautiful square white gift box wrapped in navy ribbon in the other.
"Miss Chloe Thompson?"
"Uh yes?"
"I've got a delivery for you from Mr. Emery Stone," he said, offering the clipboard. "Mind signing here?"
Still blinking in surprise, Chloe signed quickly, accepting the package.
"Thank you so much."
"Have a great day, miss."
She closed the door, stunned and smiling, turning to face Sophia who had already jumped up from the couch.
"What is it?!"
"I think Emery just sent me something," Chloe said, carrying it into the living room.
They both knelt down and untied the ribbon carefully, slowly lifting the lid off the luxury box. Inside, nestled in delicate cream tissue paper, was a silky, off-shoulder blush pink cocktail dress fitted at the waist, with a rose-gold shimmer underlining its subtle draping. The back was open in a low-V, and the neckline swept elegantly across the collarbone.
Beneath it, perfectly paired, was a set of strappy nude heels with a soft gold trim and tiny crystal detailing along the ankle strap.
Chloe gasped. "Oh my god."
Sophia clutched her chest. "Girl. He knows how to pick!"
Without a second thought, Chloe grabbed her phone and dialed.
"Hey," she said when Emery picked up.
"Hey you," his voice came through with a smile.
"I just got your delivery."
"And?"
"It's beautiful. I'm speechless. How did you how did you know my shoe size?"
"I didn't," Emery said casually. "I texted Aurora."
Chloe burst out laughing. "Of course you did."
"I just wanted you to feel… special. Because you are."
She melted into the couch. "You're kind of perfect, you know that?"
"I try."
Meanwhile at West Hollywood, Le Paon Doré Restaurant
At a secluded corner table of the exclusive Le Paon Doré, Derek O'Brien was sipping a sparkling citrus tonic as his girlfriend, Tanisha O'Neil, elegantly folded her napkin into her lap.
Tanisha was radiant her mocha-toned skin glowing under the restaurant's golden lighting. She wore a sleek ivory two-piece silk set: a one-shoulder crop blouse and a high-waisted skirt that shimmered with every subtle move. Her hair was pinned into an intricate low bun, accentuating her sculpted cheekbones and glossy lips. Confidence and calm rolled off her in waves.
"So," she said between bites of grilled seabass, "how dramatic is The Midnight Reverie shaping up to be this year?"
Derek chuckled. "So far? It coming in nicely. My mum invited a new artist she's mentoring. Jalen's got his usual firework lineup of performers. And we've got… some complicated guests."
Tanisha raised an eyebrow, amused. "Complicated like exes, enemies, or both?"
He smirked. "We'll find out."
"I can see you guys are really going all in" Tanisha said as she took another bite out of her meal.
Derek raising his hand to check the time one his wrist watch "Later I will be meeting up with the Jalen for the finalization of the event"
She nodded "That's fine"
They spent the rest of the lunch discussing her newest app launch, his overseas clients, and how to navigate high society without losing their humanity.
Later at Jalen's Penthouse
The scent of Tobacco Vanille cologne lingered in the air as Jalen, Jeremy, Collins and Derek sat in Jalen's open-concept living space, the skyline stretching wide behind them.
Party moodboards were projected onto the wall. Jeremy flipped through final music setlists while Collins adjusted lighting schemes on his tablet. A lineup of premium whiskey bottles and top-shelf champagne sat waiting on the bar.
"Alright," Jeremy said. "String quartet for the first hour. Then the fusion band. I'll slide in with a late-night DJ. Lights go red after midnight."
"Guest list finalized?" Jalen asked.
"Every name approved. No surprises unless she counts," Derek said, glancing sideways.
Jalen said nothing, swirling the ice in his drink.
"Samantha confirmed the menu with the caterers," Collins added. "She's going with a mix of high-end comfort lobster sliders, truffle arancini, and that duck confit thing with fig jam."
"And the private car fleet is booked for guests," Jalen said. "Security doubled. No leaks. This is private."
"Two days," Jeremy grinned. "LA won't forget it."
The boys raised their glasses.
And somewhere beneath the toast, something in Jalen's chest twisted quietly, stubbornly.
Back at Étoile Luxe Boutique – Just Before Sunset
The final rays of the day filtered through the boutique's floor-to-ceiling windows, gilding everything in hues of amber and rose. Inside the plush fitting room, silence fell for a heartbeat as Aurora Thompson stepped out.
And the room stopped.
She was wrapped in a gown that seemed sculpted from the breath of stars deep garnet red, the silk hugging her waist with divine precision, then flowing down in soft waves like melted velvet. The off-shoulder neckline framed her collarbones like a painting, edged with delicate gold embroidery that shimmered when she moved. The open back dipped low with tasteful allure, and a single thin chain of rose-gold trailed down her spine like a whisper.
Her shoes were nude stilettos with a soft blush hue, detailed with gold straps that spiraled delicately around her ankles, kissed with tiny opalescent stones that sparkled like stardust.
She stood in front of the ornate mirror, her fingers gently smoothing the side of the dress, lips slightly parted in disbelief.
Behind her, Mrs. Charlotte O'Brien clasped her hands together, eyes gleaming with joy. "Mon dieu… You look like a goddess sculpted in silk."
The boutique attendant who had seen fashion week royalty and L.A.'s finest socialites could only nod, slightly breathless. "I've never seen that dress worn quite like… that."
Aurora turned slowly in the mirror, her own eyes wide with emotion. She didn't just look beautiful.
She looked unstoppable.
And the night had only just begun.