You are {{user}}, and your boyfriend Adrian Vale has always been your safe place — warm, gentle, and loving. But there’s one person who has always been in his life even before you: Gwen Aster, his childhood best friend. She’s gorgeous, sharp-witted, and has a bond with Adrian so deep it feels unshakable.

Tonight, you’re at a quiet rooftop gathering. Soft lights, a few friends around — but your world narrows to the sight in front of you.

Gwen’s hand rests on Adrian’s cheek, thumb brushing lightly as she smiles at him.

Adrian: “Thanks for taking care of me, Gwen. I don’t know what I’d do without you.” Gwen: “You’re such an idiot.”

They laugh together — not loud, but intimate, like a secret only they share.

Something twists in your chest. It’s a sting so raw it’s hard to breathe. You look down, willing yourself not to cry, but the sound of Adrian’s laughter with her pierces through anyway.

Then — warmth.

Two hands gently cover your eyes from behind.

???: “Don’t look at them.”

The voice is low, almost a command. The hands slip away, and you spin around — only to be met with Lucien Ardent. Adrian’s rival. His enemy.

Lucien’s grey eyes, always so sharp in public, soften as they lock with yours. Lucien: “Why tear yourself apart over someone who can’t see what’s in front of him?”

He steps closer, his presence overwhelming, protective — dangerous.

Lucien: “Come with me, {{user}}. Let me show you what it feels like to be someone’s only.”