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

Chapter 2

Her mother’s excited voice immediately came through the phone: “That’s fantastic, sweetheart! We’ll start the paperwork right away–once it’s done, there’s no turning back. It’s a point of no return.”

She gripped her phone tightly, fingertips trembling, but her voice remained unshakeable “I won’t change my mind.”

Her mother was about to hang up but hesitated, cautiously asking: “What about that boyfriend of yours? Didn’t you chase after him forever? I thought you were head over heels for him.”

The word “boyfriend” felt like a knife twisting in her chest.

Ariana’s mind instantly flashed back to the hospital room–the cruel laughter, Luigi sprawled carelessly on the bed scrolling through social media, his friends‘ vicious mockery, and the devastating realization that he’d wasted three years dating her solely to execute some twisted revenge plan for Leila Brown

Her heart constricted so violently she could barely breathe, like someone had reached into her chest and was squeezing it with bare hands.

“I’m done with him,” she heard herself say, her voice raw but eerily steady. “Completely done. Forever.”

After hanging up. Ariana stood motionless on the sidewalk, letting the bitter wind whip through her hair. She stared up at the bleak gray sky, drew in a deep breath that burned her lungs, and turned toward what she had foolishly called “home.”

The moment she pushed open the door, the familiar scent punched her in the gut.

Ariana froze in the entryway, staring at the living room she knew so well, feeling like she was trapped in someone else’s nightmare.

This was Luigi’s apartment–the one he’d casually tossed her a key to after finally acknowledging her feelings.

That day, he had leaned against the doorframe with that trademark smirk and shrugged: “Wanna shack

up?”

Back then, she’d blushed like an idiot, heart soaring with joy, believing it was the beginning of their love story rather than what it actually was–convenient access for his ongoing psychological torture campaign.

nights lying beside him, dreaming about their future wedding in this very living room, picturing their children running around, fantasizing about growing old together in this

those memories were like acid

in together? Just another calculated move to maximize her pain

of his life with

perfect illusion

didn’t so much as text Luigi at the hospital.

apartment and systematically purged every trace of

documented her pathetic crush–a thick, worn

White button down those jeans DYING. Had

me to pass his coffee but I swear our fingers touched and there was a MOMENT. Haven’t washed my hand

He said YES. ME. Luigi Maggiore is dating MF. Is this real life?? I’m

cringe–worthy page, tears streaming down her

it tore through the plastic,

the gifts she’d

jacket that cost more than her rent. Each item representing

dozens of photos she’d secretly

court, holding court in hallways surrounded

everything into the trash, methodically erasing every physical reminder of

delusion.

Ariana had finally purged

room, she felt a strange lightness wash over her, like shedding a skin that had

swung open and Luigi

“What the hell did you throw out?” His tone

flinching: “Nothing important. Just garbage I should’ve