𝐎𝐂𝐔𝐋𝐓𝐀𝐑 ∎ 𝐊𝐓𝐇

‣𝟐𝟎

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The men looked down on women in strength, but the same women won over them in cleverness.

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Author's pov

At Elle's workplace...

"Why would Elle write something like that?" Mia, the reviewer assigned to help Elle with her story 'Ocultar,' voiced her confusion to her colleagues who sat beside her, engrossed in gossip and enjoyment during their lunch break.

They rolled their eyes, as Mia was known for being a workaholic who discussed work even when away from her laptop.

"Now, what is it, our beloved full-time colleague?" one of them asked. Mia, familiarized with their taunts, ignored the sarcasm and placed both her hands on the office canteen table.

"In Ocultar, she has written that Oculto is the most powerful sorcerer, but we discussed one of her stories in drafts, and according to that, Suhoja is the most powerful in the dark world. So who is the ultimate here? I asked her but she said she couldn't decide, why?" Mia questioned, watching her friends' eyebrows furrow. They knew Elle wrote complex plots, but this was unclear and strange.

"Maybe it's a plot hole. I told you she isn't that good at writing," Bong, the one who disliked Elle, uttered. He grinned, planning to use Elle's mistake to bring her down. He wanted to be the one working on their next publication, a golden opportunity considering the tough rivalry from the other publications. Winning would be the icing on the cake, but he felt Elle had taken his spotlight with her story 'Ocultar.'

Recognizing his malicious intentions, everyone glared at Mia for speaking in front of Bong. She coughed lightly, burying her head in her lunch, hoping to escape their scrutiny.

An awkward silence fell over them, and they focused on their food.

━━━»»•••««━━

Elle woke up to an empty bed beside her. She assumed Taehyung would be preparing for their departure, which was just an hour away. She decided to freshen up and lend a hand to Taehyung. Clutching the duvet tightly under her arms, she left for the bathroom.

"There's no water," Elle sighed, placing the empty jug on the side table. She tossed the morning pills onto the bed and decided to fetch some water from the kitchen, also checking on Taehyung.

As she approached the door, she turned the doorknob, but a faint whisper from outside froze her in her tracks. She heard multiple voices as if a group of people were arguing. She gulped, taking a step back. To her dismay, all her fears were coming true as the voices grew louder, accompanied by sudden thuds.