CH.8

The sleek black car glided to a stop in front of the Royal hotel, its grandeur and sophistication standing out like a beacon amidst the chaotic cityscape outside.

"Where on earth have you been?" Kate's voice pierced the silence of the underground parking lot, a mix of worry and frustration lacing her words as they reverberated off the cold, unforgiving concrete walls.

Serena could barely register her friend's outrage as she scrambled to restore some semblance of order to her disarrayed appearance. She frantically tried to smooth out the wrinkles in her dress and fix her tousled hair under the faint glow of the car's interior light.

Serena practically catapulted herself out of the vehicle without any grace or poise, her high heels teetering dangerously on the edge of stability.

"Serena! You can't just vanish into thin air like that! We meticulously planned everything," Kate scolded, a mixture of concern and annoyance tingeing her voice with an edge.

Serena met Kate's gaze head-on, defi