LOGIN~LORETTE~The gallery has never been this busy, not even during its grand opening two years ago. It was Aaron who said so himself.Ever since the unveiling event, customers have been pouring in from the moment we open until long after closing time. Every painting we display is sold almost immediately, and more often than not, some people aren’t coming to buy art but to simply meet me.Some ask for photographs, and others bring sketchbooks for me to sign.Many tell me they’ve followed Masked LRT for years and never imagined they’d one day meet the woman behind the mask.The journalists are even worse.Hardly a day passes without someone requesting an interview, hoping to be the next publication to feature my story.The constant influx of visitors becomes so overwhelming that Aaron eventually replaces the gallery’s front entrance with a reinforced security door, allowing staff to screen visitors before letting them inside.“I never imagined fame could become a workplace hazard.” He jok
~NATE~ “Sir, would you like me to have your secretary connect you with the team from Montgomery Enterprises now?”Michael’s voice breaks through the silence just as I shut my laptop with a weary sigh. I’ve spent the entire day buried under contracts, financial reports, and meeting summaries, and at this point, even another five minutes of work sounds unbearable.I lean back in my chair and tip my head against the leather headrest, staring up at the ceiling.“No,” I reply after a moment. “We’ll deal with that tomorrow.”The thought barely leaves my mind before another one takes its place.“Did you manage to get through to Lori?”Michael shifts awkwardly. “I tried again, sir. But she blocked my number.”A laugh slips out before I can stop it.Of course she did. It’s so unbelievably Lori now that I can’t even bring myself to be annoyed anymore.That girl has become an expert at cutting off every possible route I could use to reach her. She blocks my number, blocks Michael’s number, and
~NATE~ “Sir, would you like me to have your secretary connect you with the team from Montgomery Enterprises now?”Michael’s voice breaks through the silence just as I shut my laptop with a weary sigh. I’ve spent the entire day buried under contracts, financial reports, and meeting summaries, and at this point, even another five minutes of work sounds unbearable.I lean back in my chair and tip my head against the leather headrest, staring up at the ceiling.“No,” I reply after a moment. “We’ll deal with that tomorrow.”The thought barely leaves my mind before another one takes its place.“Did you manage to get through to Lori?”Michael shifts awkwardly. “I tried again, sir. But she blocked my number.”A laugh slips out before I can stop it.Of course she did. It’s so unbelievably Lori now that I can’t even bring myself to be annoyed anymore.That girl has become an expert at cutting off every possible route I could use to reach her. She blocks my number, blocks Michael’s number, and
~LORETTE~By the time the event finally comes to an end and we’re driving home, I still haven’t fully processed everything that’s happened tonight.It all feels like a dream I’m terrified of waking up from.Through the tinted window beside me, I watch the city roll by, and everywhere I look, the excitement is impossible to miss. Giant digital billboards replay highlights from the unveiling, while crowds gather outside restaurants, cafés, and electronics stores to watch the footage on mounted televisions. People walking along the sidewalks are glued to their phones, smiling and pointing at their screens, talking animatedly about the event as though it has become the only thing the city can discuss tonight.They’re talking about me. The realization overwhelms me all over again.For what feels like the hundredth time today, my eyes sting with tears.Beside me, Ella reaches over and gently squeezes my hand.“You really are loved, Lori,” she says with a smile that is equal parts proud an
~AVA~“You’ve got to be kidding me.” Ava mutters to herself as she sits frozen in her seat, her smile long gone as she watches Apex command the stage with that effortless charisma of his.The audience sings along, waving their phone lights in the air, and applauding after every song.At the center of it all stands Lori who’s laughing and smiling so brightly that the entire ballroom seems to revolve around her.The sight leaves a bitter taste in Ava’s mouth.To make matters worse, of all the people in the world, her own cousin is the one performing tonight.She doesn’t care how internationally famous Apex is. He should’ve rejected the invitation! He should’ve turned this event down.Then again, can she really blame him? Just like everyone else, he had no idea who Masked LRT truly was.The humiliation still burns beneath her skin. She has never felt so publicly humiliated in her entire life. She had spent weeks bragging about becoming friends with Masked LRT, looking down on Lori as th
~LORETTE~The cool evening air brushes against my face the instant the mask slips away.For one suspended moment, my heart lodges itself somewhere in my throat. The entire ballroom falls so quiet that I can almost hear my own breathing.Hundreds of eyes are fixed on me, and not a single person says a word.My gaze instinctively drifts toward Nate. He’s already on his feet.Disbelief is written plainly across his face as he stares at me, almost as though he’s forgotten how to blink. Beside him, Bentley and Ava look as if all the blood has drained from their bodies. Their expressions are frozen in complete shock, their mouths slightly parted.A knot tightens painfully in my stomach. The reception I’m getting… It's almost like everyone is disappointed at the reveal.Maybe this was a mistake. Maybe I was right all along.The silence stretches for another heartbeat before whispers begin spreading across the room.“Isn’t that the woman who won the Quills on Fire Art Competition?”“It is!”
~LORETTE~ “I don’t think that’s possible, Michael.” Nate says into the phone, his voice low and uncertain. He keeps staring at me, as if expecting my face to betray the truth. I hold my breath, heart hammering hard in my chest. “I have the evidence here, sir…” Michael’s voice suddenly pauses. Th
~LORETTE~ “I shouldn’t have accused you the way I did…” Nate continues, his hand still gripping my wrist gently. “I’m sorry, Lori.” I blink, stunned. Nate? Apologizing to me? It might as well rain monkeys today. I clear my throat and firmly pull my hand from his grip. If this had been any othe
~LORETTE~ “Nate…” I’m about to ask again when he moves with the speed of a lightning. One second there’s space between us, and the next, his hand grips my waist. And his mouth crashes hard against mine in a starved kiss. My eyes snap wide open in shock and panic at Nate’s sudden action. His lip
~LORETTE~ “Help me, please… my baby…” I choke out in my wrecked car, drenched in my blood, hoping somebody would hear me. But only cold silence greets me. I have just been involved in an accident on my way home from my prenatal checkup. One second, I was smiling like the most contented woman ali







