"Get up."
MK groaned, turning her face deeper into the pillow. "Go away."
"Up!" Jesse's voice was pure mischief wrapped in authority. "You're leaving this cave today."
"I'm not ready to deal with people," MK mumbled.
"You've been not ready for thirty days," Jesse retorted, yanking the blanket off her. "Even your walls are starting to smell like depression."
MK sat up slowly, hair a mess. "I don't smell."
Jesse crossed her arms, eyebrow raised.
"…Okay, maybe a little." MK sniffed her armpit and winced.
"Exactly," Jesse said, tossing her a dress. "You need fresh air. I'm introducing you to my friends."
"Friends?" MK frowned. "I thought I was your only friend."
"Technically, yes. But my acquaintances have friends — and I have access to them. See? Networking."
"I don't want to go."
"Too bad." Jesse was already pulling her to her feet. "We're socializing before you start talking to the furniture."
---
The club buzzed with music and chatter. MK walked in behind Jesse, her expression blank, her posture straight — every bit the woman who had learned to survive with dignity.
They joined a group of five: two women, three men. Drinks arrived, laughter followed. MK stayed quiet, offering polite smiles while the others talked over one another.
The tall guy beside her tried to make small talk. "You don't go out much, huh?"
"Clearly not enough to regret it yet," MK said, deadpan.
He laughed awkwardly. Jesse shot her a look that screamed behave.
Then — chaos.
A sharp voice cut through the noise. "Well, look who it is."
The words hung like a knife in the air. MK turned toward the source — Mike's secretary. The smirk on her face made MK's blood run cold.
"The famous cheating wife herself," she sneered. "Surprised you're brave enough to show your face."
Laughter rippled around them. Phones appeared. Someone whispered, "That's her? The one from the video?"
"If I were her, I'd bury myself instead of partying," another chimed in.
"What a whore."
"Can I have you tonight?" a man jeered from the corner.
The words hit hard — sharp and deliberate. But MK didn't flinch. Her face was unreadable, her eyes flat.
Then she stood. The room fell silent.
Her palm met the woman's cheek in one clean, echoing strike.
The crowd froze.
"Keep your nose out of people's lives before you lose it," MK said calmly. No raised voice. No trembling. Just cold precision.
The woman's eyes widened — shock, then fear. MK turned back to her seat as though nothing had happened.
From behind her came a strangled sound — Jesse trying and failing to hold back laughter.
"Did you see her face?" Jesse whispered, choking on giggles.
"Shut up," MK muttered, but a small smile betrayed her.
The tension in the room snapped. People returned to their drinks, pretending they hadn't been seconds away from a scandal.
MK leaned back, sipped her soft drink, and muttered under her breath, "Remind me to never do that again."
---
A while later, MK excused herself for air.
The rooftop was quiet, the night breeze cool against her skin. The city stretched below — a mess of lights and noise that felt both distant and familiar.
"Breathe, MK," she whispered to herself. "Just breathe."
She was gripping her phone tightly — and almost smashed it to the ground before stopping herself. "Damn it. I really need to stop breaking things."
"Rough night?"
She spun at the voice.
A woman stood a few feet away — striking, with sharp eyes softened by a quiet curiosity. Something about her made MK freeze mid-breath.
"I'm fine," MK said automatically.
The stranger tilted her head, unconvinced. "That's the universal answer for 'I'm falling apart, but I don't want to talk about it.'"
MK blinked, caught off guard. "You do this often? Diagnose strangers on rooftops?"
"Only the interesting ones," the woman said with a small smile. "I'm Shriya."
"MK."
"Yeah, I know," Shriya said. Her tone was soft but knowing, as if the name carried weight.
For the first time in a long while, MK felt her composure crack. Just a flicker — a faint blush, a misplaced breath.
"Cute," Shriya murmured.
MK snapped back instantly. "Excuse me?"
Shriya smirked. "Your reaction. It's… cute."
MK stared at her for a beat too long before looking away. "You should go before I embarrass myself further."
"Too late," Shriya said lightly, walking past her to lean against the railing. "You already did. But in a good way."
---
When Jesse finally found her, MK was still on the rooftop, calmer now.
"Finally! I've been looking everywhere," Jesse said, glancing between the two women. "Wait—what are you doing up here with her?"
MK frowned. "Talking."
Jesse's voice dropped to a whisper. "Do you even know who that is?"
"Yes. Her name's Shriya. She's—"
Jesse slapped a hand over her mouth. "Shhh! That's the Shriya — you know, the one who runs with the gang?"
MK raised a brow, amused. "Oh, please. This one doesn't even look like she can kill a fly."