Twenty3 Lightning Strikes!

The air in the bathroom was thick with the aftermath of passion, now tainted by the unexpected sound of sobbing. Bruce, his skin still flushed from our encounter, moved towards the toilet door, his curiosity piqued.

"Whoa... Whoa... Have you been here the whole time listening to us?" Bruce's voice was a mix of shock and disbelief as he slowly approached the source of the noise. I scrambled to gather my gown from the floor, the regal black and white evening dress now a disheveled testament to our recent activities. The gown was designed with elegance in mind – white fabric adorned the chest and skirt, with puffed sleeves lined with white, sheer lace accentuating the collarbone and neck.

An ornate accessory and a single chain dangling from the middle of the dress had once been in perfect alignment, but now, the chains on each black flap of fabric were tangled and chaotic.

"Bruce, who is that?" I asked, slipping into the gown, trying to restore some semblance of order to my appearance. "I don't know..." Bruce murmured, his hand on the door handle, ready to reveal the intruder. The door creaked open, and I followed, my heart pounding with a mix of curiosity and dread.

What if this was someone with a camera, ready to turn a private moment into public spectacle? "You..." Bruce's voice was icy as he stood there, still naked, confronting the person who had been sobbing in the toilet.

"Oh My God... Bruce, put on your pants! What do you think you're doing, showing him my assets?" My voice was sharp, tinged with jealousy and a protective instinct over what had just been shared between us. I thrust his pants towards him, urging him to cover up.

I stepped into the toilet, and the sight that greeted me was one I could hardly believe. "And then?? What are you doing here?" I asked, my voice laced with shock. "I can't believe this." The person before me was James, the very one who had been a thorn in my side for so long.

He sat there, silent except for his tears. "What is wrong?" My heart, despite everything, ached at the sight of anyone in distress. I had a soft heart, often to my own detriment. "James... Is this some trick? I know you've been here the whole time. Are you mad that you didn't make it to the top three in your own pageant?" My words were an attempt to pierce through the façade, to understand if this was another one of his games.

"I'm sorry..." His voice cracked, his tears genuine, or so they appeared. I felt a tug at my own emotions, but I couldn't let my makeup, already ruined, get any worse. "Don't buy it, babe..." Bruce's warning was soft yet firm, his protective nature clear. James looked up, his eyes meeting Bruce's with a mix of recognition and despair.

"Be careful, I've heard a lot of bad things about this omega. I say we should not trust him. What if he's up to something?"

"Something like what?" I asked, torn between my instinct to help and the caution Bruce advised.

"I swear I'm not up to something. I'm in trouble," James pleaded, his voice breaking further. It was then I realized the potential threat - had he recorded our intimate moment? The thought sent a chill through me. Praying wasn't enough; I needed action.

I decided on a spell, not one to erase memories but to bind him to the truth of the moment, to ensure it wouldn't be twisted into blackmail. I whispered the incantation, "Aysshh Azaniaa Akashania..." and blew a kiss, watching as purple waves of magic enveloped him.

"Wait... What are you doing! Charli, I'm sorry, very sorry! Please don't kill me, spare my life, I beg you!" His plea was desperate, and I couldn't help but laugh at the irony.

"Hahahaha!!! You are too much! You think I'm going to kill you? Bitch, relax, if you're afraid of death, then why have you been messing with a witch? That too intentionally! I am a very powerful witch, baby, and when I strike," I paused, my laughter mixing with the absurdity of the moment, "Hahaha, you're crazy... Kill you? Bitch, I am a very powerful witch, and from the way you've been disrespecting me, I would have struck you with a spell that would not only kill you but make you vanish! No one would even guess what happened to you, and you wouldn't know it yourself!" My words were both a warning and a reassurance, a reminder of my power and my mercy. James, now visibly shaken, had to understand the line he had crossed. The night had taken an unexpected turn, but with magic and cunning, I would ensure that my secrets remained mine, and my bond with Bruce remained untainted by any external malice.