Page 23 of Unexpected Temptation

The event is like an upside-down wonderland. We walk into the back of what seems like an electronics store, down a flight of stairs, and then into what seems to be a vast basement with a raised ceiling and several rooms. Riley walks at my side, wide-eyed. For several minutes, we forget about Matteo and Carlo—my “date,” Matteo joked on the ride here, which I hated—and walk around this magical, strange place we’ve fallen into.

“This place is crazy!” Riley beams in my ear.

Fire-breathers and stilt walkers roam through the crowd, their elaborate, fantastical costumes flickering under the dim, multicolored lights. Contortionists twist and turn gracefully, their movements entrancing in the surreal ambiance. The décor is opulent beyond belief. Rich velvet drapes in deep reds and purples hang from the ceilings and walls, interspersed with shimmering golden tassels and twinkling fairy lights. Crystal and brass chandeliers cast dazzling light patterns across the room, adding to the magic.

We turn a corner and walk into another large room with many interesting art pieces. I touch a sculpture that comes alive withlight in response. The displays shift and change. Riley giggles. “Do it again.”

There’s so much to see. I find myself drawn to a series of kinetic light sculptures. These large, moving pieces change shape and color in response to soft music pulsing from somewhere I can’t see.

Across from it, an interactive projection mapping installation covers parts of the wall and floor. As I move closer, the projections react to my presence, swirling and shifting in intricate, ever-changing visuals that seem almost alive. Each step I take causes a ripple of color and light, making me feel like a part of the art.

Finally, I come across a wall of interactive digital graffiti. I pick up a stylus and draw on the large touch-sensitive screen. I write the wordMomand then laugh in pure delight when an image of a maternal figure suddenly appears.

“It’s AI,” I hear a nearby guest say. “Anything you write, it will create. Clever, right.”

Then I write “home,” and I can’t stop smiling. An image of a house on a luscious green hill appears, kissed by sunlight. I can’t imagine living in a house like that. Who would I live with?

I jump when Riley touches my arm.

“Sorry, I got lost,” I say.

“Isn’t that what parties are for? Let’s find Matteo.”

We leave the room, walking into what I realize is the main section. This place ishuge. As we walk into the central chamber, waiters in masquerade masks glide through the crowd, offering gourmet hors d’oeuvres on silver platters. The lavishly decoratedbar glows with the light of crystal decanters, serving drinks that emit smoke and sparks.

All around me, mysterious figures in elaborate masks and costumes gather in hushed conversations while others laugh and engage in lively banter with their identities concealed.

Illuminated pathways lined with glowing, color-changing lights guide me through the space. We find Matteo and Carlo at the bar. Carlo is tall and thin and watches me in a close way I don’t like. He’s not mean or rude, just maybe overly attentive.

“Isn’t this amazing?” Carlo yells over the music, approaching me with a drink.

I’m happy when Riley leans forward for me. “She doesn’t drink.”

Carlo tilts his head. “No?”

“No,” I say firmly, not liking how he looks at me as if he thinks there’s something wrong with that.

He shrugs, then tosses my cocktail back. “Okay then.”

Matteo says something to Riley, and then she leans over to me. “Let’s go. Apparently, there’s a special event.”

“I’m not sure how this could get even more special,” I say.

Part of me feels conflicted for throwing myself so eagerly into this experience. This is for the mega-rich, not people like me. Yet I can’t stop myself from latching onto the excitement and the sheer grand scale of it all.

We walk toward the edge of the party, behind a big speaker that almost blows my head off, and then around to a small, unmarked door. A man in a suit opens it for us and quickly closes it behind us. The music recedes, pumping behind us. I feel the atmospherein the air change, and Matteo and Carlo suddenly seem more official, more tense.

We turn a corner, and everything comes into view.

The chain-link fence, which is slightly uneven, cordons off the makeshift simple cage. Harsh overhead lights cast stark shadows on the blood-stained matted floor. The crowd, a mix of elite party-goers and rougher-looking types, presses close to the fence, their faces illuminated by the light.

At the edge of the cage, a woman in a bikini with a clipboard and a wad of cash takes bets, scribbling names and amounts on a piece of paper. A few well-dressed men in suits stand nearby, their eyes cold and calculating as they pace or drink, clearly more interested in the money changing hands than the sport itself. The air is thick with the smell of sweat, alcohol, and a hint of something more illicit, adding to the sense that this is far from legitimate. It’s not like I wasn’t warned.

Riley looks at me, her expression becoming slightly unsure. Then Matteo takes her hand and leads her to a table in the top corner, overlooking the cage.

“Ah, Matteo!” a sweaty man yells, with a combover and a big grin.

“Raffie, good to see you,” Matteo says, and the two men clap hands. “Allow me to introduce Riley and Maya, our dates for the evening.”

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