The Black Swan's Final Revenge Pirouette: The 99th Game Was Mine All Along by Kylie Homme

Chapter 6

Dr. Cullen visibly wilted under Luigi's scorching glare, stammering an incoherent apology before practically

fleeing the room.

Luigi stalked to Ariana’s bedside, his face twisted with harely contained rage: “When srandom guy hits on

you like that, you're supposed to tell him you have a boyfriend. Is that so fucking hard? Or were you enjoying the

attention?”

Ariana stared at him, finding his reaction darkly comical.

Just hours ago he’d sworn to his friends he'd never have feelings for her “in this lifetime,” yet here he was,

bristling with jealousy like she was his prized possession. The hypocrisy was breathtaking.

When had he ever cared before? All those times she'd desperately wanted his attention, he'd been cold and

distant. Now that she no longer cared, suddenly he was staking his claim? Too little, too late.

A few days after her discharge, Luigi unexpectedly suggested they attend a college reunion at The Box.

She knew he typically avoided such events, dismissing them as “pathetic nostalgia fests for people who peaked

in college.” His sudden interest was transparent-this wasn’t about reconnecting with old classmates.

Sure enough, the moment they arrived, Ariana spotted Leila Brown across the room.

There she was-Miss Perfect herself. Designer dress, effortless beauty, commanding the attention of everyone

around her without even trying. The woman Ariana had spent years unknowingly competing against, and losing

to, all along.

On the surface, Luigi maintained a cool distance from Leila, acting as if they barely knew each other.

But Ariana recognized that look in his eyes now-the sone she’d given him for years. No matter how hard he

tried to hide it, his gaze followed Leila across the room, lingering a moment too long whenever she laughed or

spoke. Love was impossible to disguise, especially when it was real.

Halfway through the evening, Ariana excused herself to use the restroom.

When she returned, the gathering had devolved into a drunken gof Truth or Dare, with her former

classmates sprawled across couches, drinks in hand.

Leila had just lost a round and was being pressured to answer what appeared to be an embarrassing question.

Looking uncomfortable, she hesitated, when suddenly Luigi stepped forward, snatching the card from

17:21

The Black Swan's Final Revenge Pirouette: The 99th Gjak

the holder. “I'll take the hit for her,” he announced, voice cutting through the noise

Tyler waved the card tically, reading with exaggerated flair: “Who's your ultimate sexual fantasy? Not a

celebrity-someone you actually know. Give us their initials”

The group erupted in wolf whistles and catcalls.

“Ooooh, awkward!” Blake shouted, grinning. “But easy for you, right? It's gotta be your girlfriend!”

“Yeah, Luigi, tell us how much you fantasize about Ariana!” Josh called out, winking at her mockingly.

Luigi fell silent for a moment, then spoke clearly, not looking in Ariana’s direction: “1.B.”

The air seemed to disappear from Ariana’s lungs, her fingers going numb.

L..B. Leila Brown.

The revelation wasn’t shocking-she’d known the truth for days now-but hearing him announce it publicly, with

her standing right there, felt like being stabbed.

She couldn't bear another second of this farce. Without a word, she turned and walked out.

Outside, she texted Luigi: “Not feeling well. Going home.”

Ariana stood at the curb, phone in hand to call an Uber, when footsteps pounded behind her.

“Ariana! Wait!”

She turned, surprised to see Luigi jogging toward her, actually looking concerned.

“Why did you leave?” she asked, genuinely confused.

His brow furrowed with what looked remarkably like genuine worry: “You said you weren't feeling well. What's

wrong? Do you need to go to the hospital?”

For a fleeting moment, the concern in his eyes made her heart flutter traitorously. It looked so real-was it

possible he actually cared? But then the memory of him sitting in that hospital room saying he'd never have

feelings for her crashed back, dousing any spark of hope.

She shook her head, keeping her voice level: “I'm fine, just a headache. Shouldn't you be back inside? With

everyone? With Leila?”

m

“You're my girlfriend,” he said, like it was the most obvious thing in the world. “If you're sick and leaving, why

the hell would | stay?” He reached out, pressing his palm against her forehead to check for fever.

The gesture was so tender it hurt. How many times had she dreamed of him caring for her like this? And

The 99tho

Chapter 5

now that he was finally doing it, it was just another performance in his elaborate revenge shame.

The cruel irony wasn’t lost on her. He told his friends the meant thing while treating her like the meant

everything. Each kind gesture only deepened her confusion, making it harder to protect her heart.

But it didn’t matter anymore just minutes earlier, her parents had messaged the paperwork was say complete. In

two days, she would board a plane to London, putting an ocean between herself and this

beautiful, toxic lie.

Luigi, satisfied she wasn’t feverish, relaxed slightly. Without further questions, he said quietly “CoEL let's go

home.”

In the middle of the night, Ariana stirred from her sleep, vaguely aware of voices coming from the balcony.

She opened her eyes, carefully slipping out of bed. Luigi stood outside smoking, his phone on speaker resting on

the railing. Though the volwas low, she could clearly make out the conversation as the crept closer.

“Dude, for revenge ninety-nine, we need to go fucking nuclear!” Tyler's excited voice crackled through the

speaker. “Isn't your anniversary the day after tomorrow? Tell Ariana you have this amazing surprise planned,

blindfold her, then take her to my dad’s abandoned property upstate. Once inside, make sexcuse to step

out. When you're clear, we'll lock all the exits, light the place up, and let her feel what it’s like to be truly

trapped. She'll lose her fucking mind!”

“That's savage!” Blake chimed in, laughing. “She’ll be pounding on the doors, screaming for help!”

“We'll let her panic for a few minutes before the fire department ‘coincidentally shows up,” Josh added. “No real

danger, just pure psychological torture. The perfect finale!”

Derek’s voice rose above their laughter: “Ninety-nine revenge schemes, and we saved the best for last! After

this, you're a free man, Luigi. Leila will be so impressed.”

Ariana watched Luigi's reaction, her heart hammering. His jaw clenched tightly, a vein visibly pulsing at his

temple as his fist tightened around his cigarette.

“Absolutely fucking not,” he growled, his voice dropping to a dangerous level. I'm not doing that. Find something

else.”

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