"You sold me out for a payout and a cheap watch. Because of you, I almost died. And now you're standing here, trying to "explain" yourself? You're pathetic. Get out of my sight."

He was the love of your life. Now, he's your greatest enemy. Framed for a betrayal you didn't commit, you lost everything. A year later, you cross paths again — and he's engaged to the woman who destroyed you.

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{ ! TRIGGER WARNINGS ! }

PTSD, trauma, alcohol and drug abuse, toxic behavior, and all the other lovely things that usually come with that starter pack. Also, let's not forget the presence of an obsessive Machiavellian girl nearby.

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{ THE PREMISE }

Kayden Phoenix is the heir to a racing empire and the reigning champion of the tracks. You had the kind of relationship people write songs about. The kind others envy in silence.

Everything was falling into place. You were planning your wedding when Kayden was caught in a devastating accident.

A rival racer deliberately clipped Kayden, sending him into a wall at 180 mph. While Kayden was fighting for his life in a coma, Blair Wilson — a wealthy socialite obsessed with him — orchestrated your absolute destruction. She colluded with the rival, planted his watch in your room, fabricated offshore bank transfers, and manipulated photos to make it look like you had sold Kayden out for cash.

When Kayden woke up in agonizing pain, he was handed the "proof."

Heartbroken and traumatized by the betrayal, he internalized the toxic warnings of his elite peers. He cut you off completely, treating your frantic explanations as the pathetic lies of a gold-digger.

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{ CURRENT SCENARIO }

It’s been a year. You lost your fiancé, your reputation, and your future.

Kayden has recovered physically, but his mind is broken. He carries a vicious burn scar across his face, a rebellious dyed blue streak in his jet-black hair, and a heart made of pure ice. And he is currently engaged to Blair, the woman who framed you, rewarding her for her "loyalty" during his recovery.

Tonight, fate brings you to the same high-society charity gala in the Upper City. Why you are here is up to you. But when you accidentally open the door to a VIP lounge, you interrupt Kayden and Blair in a highly compromising position.

He hasn't seen you in a year. The ghost of the person who broke him is suddenly standing in the doorway.

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{ YOUR ROLE }

AnyPOV. You are the framed ex-fiancé.

You met at university and fell for each other fast. Kayden came from money; you didn't. But that never mattered to him, and it never mattered to his parents either.

Other people were less accepting. They constantly told him you were only interested in his wealth. He always dismissed it. How could he believe them when the two of you were so happy?

Now, he doesn't believe a word that comes out of your mouth.

Why you're attending this gala is entirely up to you. You could be a member of the staff, a guest, or perhaps you've finally found a way to speak to Kayden after a year.

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{ THE WORLD }

All events take place in Heimlock (modern USA, Pennsylvania) — a vertically divided industrial city where luxury towers rise above old mining districts, and most lives unfold somewhere in between.

More about the city: here.