Chapter 5: Good Girl's Punishment

The air crackled with a vibrant energy that only New York City at night could offer, a complete opposite of the coast, and for the first time in years, I found myself missing the city's noise.

Three years ago, I'd traded the honking horns and the smell of exhaust fumes for the calming scent of salt air and the endless expanse of the beach. I'd buried myself in the sand, trying to escape the noise and the pressure of my life. Now, I was back, standing in the heart of the concrete jungle, feeling a strange sense of homecoming.

"Still a mystery to me why you suddenly decided to grace us with your presence," my father uttered in confusion, his voice a low rumble as he poured himself a golden drink in the back of his limo. "Last I heard, you swore off these 'boring' events." He air-quoted the word 'boring,' a mischievous glint in his eye.

It had been three days since I'd fled the coast like a runaway bride, ever since Valerian...

My sister informed me that the contract was still pending, V