The Spring Gala was just five days away.
Ella could already feel the weight of the countdown pressing on her chest.
But tonight?
She was going to make sure the real game began.
*****
Ryan stood by her side in the library after hours, whispering under his breath.
"You know we can't do this alone. We need more people. More leverage."
Ella nodded, eyes steely with determination. "I know. But Leila's word is enough for now. Clarissa doesn't expect us to fight back."
Ryan's fingers brushed hers. "You don't trust me, do you?"
She met his gaze, her heart beating faster than she wanted to admit. "I trust you. I just—" She broke off, shaking her head. "I don't want you to get hurt. Not because of me."
"You don't get to decide that," Ryan said, his voice low. "You're not alone, Ella. You never have been."
Ella swallowed the lump in her throat. This is bigger than us—but maybe they could be bigger than her fears.
****
The next day, the Spring Gala invitations arrived. They were gold embossed, a clear reminder of the academy's power. But there was something new, something different in the air as Ella walked down the halls of Las Estrellas.
Students no longer avoided her—they stared. No one dared to speak her name out loud. Clarissa's reign of terror had a crack in its foundation, and Ella was ready to tear it down.
But it was still too early to act.
Her mind buzzed with ideas, but one stuck.
The Gala was going to be her stage.
And she needed to make sure that Clarissa didn't see it coming.
****
That night, as she was about to leave for the dorms, Ella got a message from an unknown number:
"Gala night. You'll regret it if you come. Your secrets will be exposed. No one will stand by you."
She clicked on the link.
It was an old photo of her—back when she first arrived at the academy, an awkward freshman, still unsure of herself. It was blurry, from a distance, but it showed a private moment between her and her mother. The same mother who had left for a new life in another country.
The photo was innocent, but the caption?
"Ella doesn't belong. She's nothing but a mistake in the making. #GalaCountdown #Exposed."
Her stomach twisted.
"Who is this?" she muttered, clutching the phone tighter.
She knew.
It was Clarissa. No one else would dare.
****
Later that night, as she paced her dorm room, Naomi and Lexi arrived.
"We're doing this right," Naomi said, her eyes flashing. "I can help you set up the live feed. We'll make sure they don't get the last laugh."
"I've been working on the social media posts," Lexi added, pulling out her phone. "We'll turn every rumor around. Clarissa can't hide forever."
Ella paused. Her heart pounded in her chest.
"No." Her voice was firm, resolute. "We're not just going to take this lying down. We're going to use the Gala as our stage. We're going to expose everything."
Naomi raised an eyebrow. "What exactly are you planning?"
Ella smirked. "Tonight, I'm going to make sure everyone sees Clarissa for who she really is. And I'll make sure the world knows the truth about my mother. About me."
***
Gala Night.
The academy was dressed in diamonds and gold. Students swirled in gowns and tuxedos, their laughter like music in the air.
Ella stood in front of the massive ballroom doors, Naomi and Lexi at her side. She felt the weight of everyone's eyes already on her—but she wasn't afraid anymore.
Clarissa, in her signature black dress, stood by the entrance, smug, perfect. But as Ella approached, the expression faltered.
"Are you going to ruin my night, again?" Clarissa spat, flicking her hair over her shoulder.
Ella smiled.
"Tonight isn't about you."
And then she walked past her, into the ballroom.
****
The lights dimmed.
The music shifted.
Ella took the microphone.
All eyes were on her.
And she began.
"I know what you all came here for. You came for secrets. For drama. For the next big scandal. But tonight? You're getting the truth."
She clicked a button on her phone.
The lights flickered. The screens around the ballroom displayed images of Clarissa—the secret text messages, the blackmail, the threats.
The room fell silent as the truth unfolded.
Clarissa's mask shattered.
Her lies, her manipulation, her cruelty? All out in the open.
Ella turned to face the crowd. "This is the real face of your 'elite' queen. A queen who thrives on fear and insecurity. A queen who will do anything to stay on top, even if it means tearing people down."
She could feel Ryan's eyes on her. And it gave her strength.
"I may not have money, I may not have power—but I have truth. And that's more dangerous than anything you'll ever hold."
****
Clarissa stood frozen, eyes wide, mouth agape.
The room buzzed with whispers, then laughter. People began to clap. Some cheered.
But it was too late for Clarissa. Her empire had fallen.
****
And then, before Ella could even process the wave of victory, the doors burst open.
A figure stepped inside, cloaked in shadows.
And when the lights hit his face, Ella's heart dropped.
It was her mother.
Standing at the entrance.
Eyes locked with hers.
****