Chapter 21: The Mask Beneath the Beauty
The sky above Zenith University was bruised with twilight, soft streaks of crimson bleeding into the horizon. Down below, the city's nightlife flickered to life—streetlamps glowing, engines humming, and windows spilling out the stories of students, strangers, and the silent battles they fought.
Julian stood by the cracked balcony of Dormitory F, the wind brushing against his face like a whisper from the past. His new platinum card—the mark of his silent alliance with the corrupt elite—rested heavy in his wallet. A key to power, but also a doorway to deeper, more dangerous darkness.
Tonight's task wasn't digital. The watch pulsed softly with a different message:
New Mission Unlocked
Title: The Beauty in the Mask
Objective: Discover the true identity of the masked girl who attends classes in Building D, Room 406 every Thursday at 7 PM.
Reward: Emotional Healing Level 1, Romantic Affinity Update, Access to a Hidden Investment Club.
Penalty: Emotional Breakdown, Relationship Collapse with Anabelle.
Julian knew who the message referred to.
He'd seen her before. A silent figure draped in a long trench coat, a silky black mask hiding her lower face. Her eyes—hazel, piercing, like broken mirrors—followed him in silence every time he passed through the business block. Rumor had it, she was cursed, abandoned by a wealthy family because of a disfigurement. But others said she was the most beautiful girl on campus—so beautiful, her face had to be hidden or it would "break friendships, shatter relationships, and summon enemies."
Julian, for once, wasn't interested in the rumors.
He wanted the truth.
---
The forgotten wing was dimly lit, a relic from Zenith's original design before expansion transformed the campus into a jungle of steel and glass. Room 406 smelled of old books, melted wax, and secrets. It was here that hidden lectures took place—private classes for scholarship students the administration didn't want others to know about.
She was already there. Back turned. Long obsidian hair tied in a loose bun. A dark navy sweater hugging her figure. Black pleated skirt with torn edges, knee-high boots that seemed worn yet elegant. She sat alone at the farthest desk, sketching in a leather journal.
Julian stepped inside.
The door creaked behind him.
She paused.
"You came," she said softly.
Her voice was music. Rough, slightly raspy, but filled with restrained emotion—like every word was a secret dying to be heard.
Julian walked toward her desk, heart racing.
"What's your name?" he asked.
"You won't believe me."
"Try me."
She pulled off the mask slowly, revealing the face beneath.
It wasn't disfigured.
It was heartbreakingly perfect.
Full lips. High cheekbones. Skin like moonlight woven into silk. And tears in her eyes—tears not from fear, but from finally letting someone see her.
"I'm Elenora."
Julian stepped back.
Elenora Ainsley—the missing daughter of the Ainsley Conglomerate, owners of the top auto chain, steam industries, and cyber tech platforms. She was declared dead two years ago after a mysterious car crash no one could trace. Her "death" had caused a nationwide mourning... and sparked a series of corporate wars.
But here she was. Alive. Hiding.
"Why are you here?" he asked.
"Because I'm safer as a ghost than as a prize," she replied.
He sat beside her.
And for the first time since the mask had given him power, Julian felt powerless in front of something real. Something raw.
Their conversation stretched into hours. Elenora told him stories of wealth turned to betrayal, of bodyguards who poisoned instead of protected, of siblings who tried to sell her identity for company shares. She was the most beautiful girl he'd ever seen—but her beauty wasn't what captured him.
It was her pain.
---
Meanwhile, Anabelle waited for Julian at the basketball court, wearing a new crimson dress, her hair curled just the way he used to love. Her phone buzzed.
A notification.
Julian is live now.
Location: Room 406 – Forgotten Wing.
She tapped it.
The livestream was accidental—broadcasted by Julian's watch.
The image showed him sitting close to Elenora, her mask removed, his fingers brushing hers.
Anabelle's heart shattered.
---
Elsewhere: Underground Secret Investment Club
A shadowed room filled with cigar smoke and elite students in suits. A hooded figure stared at a live feed of Julian and Elenora.
He smiled.
"Let the games begin," he whispered.
A file with Julian's photo was passed around the room. Beside it, a note:
New Competitor Alert: Julian Vale
Threat Level: Red. Status: Rising Power. Objective: Eliminate or Recruit.
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