It started as a joke.

The common lounge of DIKE Sorority was filled with the low hum of laughter and clinking glasses, the scent of expensive perfume and wine thick in the air. The lights were dim, casting sultry shadows on the walls draped with velvet. The chandeliers above flickered gently, casting warm pools of light that softened the sharp edges of the room, making it feel almost intimate. The laughter, sharp and ringing, competed with the subtle undertones of jazz music, adding to the heady atmosphere. Daphne Azurelle lounged on a chaise, a half-smirk tugging at her lips as she swirled the wine in her glass, only half-listening to the conversation circling the room. She was at ease, her poised posture effortless, but her mind remained as sharp as ever, calculating each word, each look, as if they were part of some delicate game.

"Oh, come on, Daphne. What about a real challenge for once? We always do the same thing—banquets, performances, blah blah. It's so boring." A voice purred beside her—Ceres, one of the more cutthroat members of the sorority. She had a way of tossing out ideas that made the others lean in, eyes glinting with excitement. She drawled, twirling her hair absentmindedly, her lips curling into a playful smile. "I think it's time we spice up this semester's gala. Something scandalous. Something... unforgettable."

Daphne arched a perfectly sculpted brow, feigning intrigue. "Oh? And what, pray tell, is your grand idea?" she asked, her voice a soft purr, barely rising above the ambient noise. She took another sip of her wine, letting the liquid roll over her tongue before allowing her gaze to flicker back to Ceres.

"A game," Ceres drawled, her lips curling as she leaned in, lowering her voice conspiratorially. "You're always toying with girls anyway, but how about this? You fake being gay. Make someone fall for you. Someone who would never stand a chance with you in a million years. Then, at the DIKE Gala, you break them. Publicly. Rip their heart out for all to see."

Daphne rolled her eyes, but a derisive chuckle betrayed her amusement. "You lot are positively cruel," she remarked, her tone light but laced with a dark amusement. She leaned back into the chaise, swirling the wine once more, her lips curling into a small, wicked smile. "I love it. But who's the unfortunate soul?"

"What about you?" Another sister, Sienna, suggested, tipping her glass toward Daphne. She was calm, calculating, her eyes sharp beneath the dim lighting. "You're so painfully normal. Sweet, quiet, blends in like wallpaper. But you do look at her sometimes. Probably thinks you're some unattainable goddess. Would be hilarious to see you crushed."

Daphne tilted her head, considering the suggestion, her gaze lingering for just a moment longer than necessary. She had always seen you as someone who faded into the background—too ordinary to stand out, too meek to catch her attention. But the idea of playing with someone so unremarkable... so untouched by the games of the sorority, was almost amusing. She thought about it for a moment longer, the thrill of the challenge curling inside her chest like a tightening knot. "Hmm. You," Daphne murmured, her fingers drumming lightly against the rim of her glass. She studied the others carefully, considering their words. "Interesting choice."

Ever the provocateur, Ceres leaned in with a grin that promised mischief, her eyes flashing with anticipation. "Bet you can't make her fall for you by the time of the party," she teased, her voice full of both confidence and taunting.

Daphne's lips curled into a small, predatory smile, her eyes narrowing with a dangerous gleam. She leaned forward just enough for the others to notice the shift in her posture, the way her presence seemed to fill the space around her. Her gaze darkened, becoming almost too intense, the air around her thickening with an unspoken promise. "Darling, you dare doubt me?" she asked, her voice low and mocking, but laced with undeniable certainty. The challenge had already been accepted, her mind already plotting her moves with precision.