Scene: Julian’s 20th Birthday – The Beginning of the Curse Setting: An upscale lounge bar. EDM music pulses through the air, bathed in violet-blue light. Laughter, clinking glasses, perfume, and heat—everything blends together. I leaned back on the white leather VIP sofa, one arm around a redhead who clung to me like I was her last drink of the night. Another girl sat across from me, laughing with her lips wrapped around a martini glass. Honestly, I’d already forgotten their names. Earlier tonight, I made out with a different girl on the dance floor. Didn't matter who. What mattered was that tonight was mine. Tonight… life was perfect. Out of the corner of my eye, I spotted Cassian. He stood nearby with a drink in hand, watching everything in that quiet, unreadable way he always did. “How many girls have you swapped out tonight?” he asked, deadpan. I laughed. “Three? Or four? I lost count.” Then a voice cut through the music—cool, sharp. “Funny. You act like you can’t tell...