The day after the party felt like an endless maze for Alice. Exhausted and lost, she wandered the corridors, oblivious to the whispers that followed her like haunting shadows. Liz, her best friend, intercepted her, the urgency in Liz's eyes mirrored Alice's growing sense of dread.

Liz (breathless):

Come with me.

In the notice area, Alice's world crumbled as she faced a poster of herself and Ash caught in an intimate moment. The cruel caption beneath it painted her as a rebellious girl finding solace in the arms of her supposed enemy. The campus turned judgmental eyes toward her, their whispers a relentless cacophony of condemnation. Betrayed and heartbroken, Alice fled the campus, colliding with Ash, who, in his usual carefree manner, warned her with a casual, "Be careful, baby girl."

Alice (disgusted):

Oh, save your warnings.

Confronting Ash with the damning evidence, she unleashed a torrent of emotions, leaving him stunned and grappling with the wreckage of their tangled web.

Alice (angry and hurt):

Is this the memory you wanted to create, Ash? A moment drenched in deception?

Ash (defensive):

Alice, I swear I didn't know anyth—

Alice (cutting him off):

Spare me your lies! You're the only one with that image, aren't you, Ash?

Ash (hesitant):

Yeah, but I...

Alice (harshly):

Don't bother. I don't need your pitiful excuses. But remember, you'll regret doing this.

Alice stormed away, leaving Ash grappling with the weight of his actions.

Later that day, a notification echoed through the campus, spelling out Ash's role in the scandal. The revelation hit him like a ton of bricks.

Notification: Playboy's Dirty Little Secret

A shocking revelation that shook the foundations of their intertwined destinies.

The campus became a battleground of blame, with fingers pointing in every direction. Some blame Ash for today's drama so some Alice. None of them matter but if something matter is that who today's victim blame each other or someone else.

Staring at the damning image and notification, Ash was paralyzed with shock and fury. Seeking answers, he overheard Alice's conversation in the locker room.

Voice (mocking):

Yeah, babe, everything's alright. He doesn't even know, and his image is tarnished now. That gullible fool is blaming himself for everything that happened.

Enraged and betrayed, Ash realized the painful truth – it was Alice's hand orchestrating this retaliation. A storm of revenge brewed within him as he left the locker room, vowing that payback was inevitable.

But in the shadows, the orchestrator behind the scenes revealed in their grand deception. The anonymous note guy, hidden in plain sight, watched the chaos unfold with a sinister satisfaction. As Ash's fury burned and Alice's heartache deepened, the true puppet master revealed in the success of their veiled vendetta. The masquerade of shadows had only just begun, and the echoes of their shattered reflections reverberated through the unseen corridors of their intertwined destinies.

 Alice's POV :

 Never in my life did I think I'd wake up feeling hungover without a single drink. Crazy, isn't it? But what's even crazier is the fact that I kissed Ash Donovan. Yeah, that Ash Donovan—the playboy with a reputation larger than life. What was I even thinking?

I can still feel the weight of his hands on me, his lips on mine, like it was branded into my skin. Ugh, how did I let myself get pulled into his orbit? I had spent so long being careful, keeping my distance from people like him. People who could flip your world upside down without warning, leaving you dizzy and disoriented.

But there I was, in that stupid masquerade party, with the music, the shadows, and his stupid cocky grin. It wasn't just the kiss either—it was the way he looked at me, like he could see through the walls I'd spent years building. And then, in a single reckless moment, I let it all crumble.

What was I thinking?

This wasn't me. I didn't do things like that. I don't kiss guys who live for attention, who collect hearts just to toss them aside. But there I was, melting into him like some naïve girl who thought she could play his game and walk away unscathed.

The worst part? I can't shake the feeling that it meant something. Even worse, maybe it meant something to him too. But that can't be right—Ash Donovan doesn't do "meaningful." He does "temporary." A game. A thrill.

I sigh, staring at my reflection in the mirror. My head's spinning. It's not the kiss that bothers me as much as the fact that I liked it which is shameful for someone like me who kept calling girl's out for such behavior but here I am and the fact that he had an image of it which he can use any time against me now. Woah! now that i rethink last night i was crazy for doing everything now i may go to Mr. Perfect asked him to delete the picture which he won't do not easily though, this day is worst from the beginning can it get anymore worser and suddenly i saw Liz running towards me snapping me out of my world which is when i realized that everyone is staring at me and maybe.....whispering, the hell is going people giving me glances with panic stricken breathless Liz asking me to come with her, this is gonna be a log day, i reach to the notice area where there was a crowd infront of a familiar image of a girl and boy who kind of like..... ME AND ASH, the heck is going on, i pushed through crowd and came to front, it's us, it's us kissing each other, and the caption beneath is even more cruel, "rebellious girl finding solace in the arms of her supposed enemy", what the fuck, who the hell did this, and only one name came in my mind feeling my eyes with disgust, its ASH, of course it's him, it broke my heart, last night i felt so good, the moment felt so good, i thought maybe he, he was being sincere but it was all a game, i fled from place heartbroken and betrayed, i heard Liz calling for me but i run with tears threatening to come out and as i run through corridor unaware of where to go, i collide with the very person who hurt me, what's worse he was out there with his usual carefree manner above that warning by saying, "Be careful, baby girl.". I can't explain the way i feel disgusted on the verge of crying but ain't this what he want and i am not going to give him and snap at him, "Oh, save your warnings." seeing his confused face i drag him with me if he want to see his win. As I saw the shock register on his face, my anger consumed me—or maybe it was the hurt that ignited every word. I couldn't stop myself as the accusation spilled out. "Is this the memory you wanted to create, Ash? A moment drenched in deception?"

His expression faltered, and what came next only infuriated me more. He had the audacity to defend himself. "Alice, I swear I didn't know anyth—"

He didn't know? He was actually trying to play the victim, acting like this wasn't something he'd orchestrated from the start. I couldn't bear to hear another lie. I cut him off, my voice sharper than I intended. "Spare me your lies! You're the only one with that image, aren't you, Ash?"

That caught him off guard. His hesitation was all the confirmation I needed. "Yeah, but I..."

But you didn't think I'd confront you? I finished the thought in my head, disgust bubbling inside me. He wasn't strong enough to face me, not truly.

I couldn't stand being near him for another second. The sight of him made me sick. I stormed away, leaving him standing there, too stunned to chase after me. But I made sure to leave him with one final, cutting remark.

"Don't bother. I don't need your pitiful excuses. But remember, you'll regret doing this."

I didn't look back. He didn't deserve even that.

 ASH POV :

 I woke up groaning as the alarm clock blared beside me. The sound was relentless, refusing to let me slip back into the comfort of sleep. My head throbbed—not from drinking, but from the lack of rest and everything that went down last night. Still, I managed to drag myself out of bed, feeling like a zombie. The hallway outside my dorm was buzzing, more crowded than usual. As I walked through, I could feel eyes on me—people glancing over, whispering, tension thick in the air. Was I looking extra handsome today or something? Nah, it felt off, like something was happening that I wasn't in on.

But then I brushed it off. Maybe I'm just overthinking. My mind was still foggy from the masquerade party last night—the music, the crowd, the bet. Ah, that bet. I earned a good amount, enough to finally buy those shoes I'd been eyeing. The challenge had been simple—kiss a girl. But not just any girl. It had to be her—Alice Holloway.

Honestly, when they said her name, I thought there was no way. Alice was a tough nut to crack, not the type to swoon or fall into anyone's arms. But somehow, by some miracle—or maybe sheer luck—I managed. It wasn't just a peck on the lips either. It turned into something more. The memory of her lips on mine still burned in my mind. It was electric, intoxicating. What the hell was that? I wasn't supposed to feel anything, but with Alice, it was different. She didn't melt like the others. She fought back, and something about that hooked me.

But then, like a fool, I'd snapped a picture. For the bet, I reminded myself. I never meant for it to be anything more than that—a reckless moment, part of the deal. But her lips... Damn, I couldn't shake the feeling that maybe, just maybe, it wasn't just another kiss. Maybe it meant something. The way I wish for it to be real, to be meaningful but i am Ash Donovan, I don't do 'meaningful', I do 'temporary fun'.

I didn't know what to make of it, but I figured I'd see her today, probably angry, demanding I delete the photo. And honestly, I had no plans of making it easy for her. I kind of liked the idea of her chasing me down. Except... something felt off. I saw her running towards me, colliding into me like she was in a panic. "Be careful, baby girl," I teased, trying to act casual, but her expression froze me.

Disgust. Betrayal. Anger.

This wasn't the playful, defiant Alice I expected. No, she looked like I'd ripped her heart out.

"Oh, save your warnings," she snapped, and before I could even figure out what was going on, she dragged me toward the notice board. Something was wrong. Really wrong.

When we reached the notice area, there was a crowd. People were whispering, glancing between us, and then I saw it—the poster. It was a picture of us, locked in that kiss. What the actual hell?! I never shared that with anyone, just my friends, but somehow it was plastered all over campus, the caption beneath it cruel and twisted.

"Is this the memory you wanted to create, Ash? A moment drenched in deception?" Alice's voice cut through my confusion. Her eyes bore into me, full of hurt and anger. I opened my mouth to defend myself, to tell her I didn't know anything about this.

"Alice, I swear I didn't know anyth—" I tried, but she wasn't having it.

"Spare me your lies! You're the only one with that image, aren't you, Ash?"

I froze. My mind raced. Yeah, I had the picture, but I hadn't leaked it. "Yeah, but I..." I stammered, but it didn't matter. She had already made up her mind. She turned away, leaving me standing there, stunned.

"Don't bother. I don't need your pitiful excuses. But remember, you'll regret doing this."

And just like that, she was gone. She didn't look back. The rest of the day passed in a blur, but the whispers only grew louder, more vicious. By lunchtime, the rumor mill had exploded with a new headline—Playboy's Dirty Little Secret. The campus was buzzing with lies, and my reputation was taking a nosedive. I couldn't take it anymore. I needed to get out of there, away from all the drama.

But then I heard something in the locker room. A voice.

"Yeah, babe, everything's alright. He doesn't even know, and his image is tarnished now. That gullible fool is blaming himself for everything that happened."

It was Alice. Her voice cut through me like a blade. She had done this. She was the one spreading the lies, orchestrating this whole thing to get back at me.

So that's how it is? She wanted to play dirty? Fine. She just lit the match, and now I was going to burn the whole place down. I'm not the type to lose, and if she wanted to start a game of revenge, I'd make damn sure I'd be the one to finish it.

TO BE CONTINUE.....