| M Y S T E R Y - S H O T S |

McLaren Mansion, Sommerville:August 23, 2023, 9:45 PM.Under the silvery moonlight, the McLaren Mansion stood as a grandiose masterpiece, an embodiment of opulence and extravagance. It was a colossal structure that dominated the surrounding landscape, its ivory walls shimmering in the gentle night's glow. A warm summer breeze played with the palm leaves that lined the pool area, their whispers a soothing melody in the tranquil ambience.Jules, a master of allure, emerged from the waters of the expansive swimming pool. Her choice of attire, a neon bikini, clung to her like a lover's embrace, accentuating the artistry of her every curve. Water droplets clung to her sun-kissed skin, glistening like liquid diamonds, transforming her into an otherworldly enchantress. Her presence commanded attention, a potent blend of sensuality and unwavering confidence, her raven-black hair cascading down her back in a waterfall of midnight silk.As she reclined on a plush poolside chair, her lithe figure radiated allure and charm. She sipped on a refreshing beverage, her lips a deep crimson that matched the vivid hues of the tropical flowers surrounding her glass. With her phone in hand, she luxuriated in her own magnetic aura, the queen of her own realm.However, when her phone began to ring, a shadow crossed her features, a fleeting hint of vulnerability in her otherwise imperious demeanour. Mr. X."Hello?" she answered, and the voice on the other end brought a clear displeasure to her face. Jules only nodded her head, brows furrowed throughout the conversation. After the call ended, she swiftly opened her message, a contact saved as Mr. Mahmood."Ready the shipment by the next month. The boss's order came."It took her some time with the texting before closing her phone with a sigh. Jules settled back on the plush lounge chair, allowing the background music's melodic strains to wash over her like a comforting embrace. The night had fallen into its quiet rhythms, dinner hour long gone, but she had no intention of enjoying a solitary meal at home. Instead, she was due at a lavish party, a gathering where her fiancé would be among the guests, and she, Jules McLaren, knew precisely how to captivate an audience.Slowly rising from her reclined position, Jules started to paddle back inside her opulent mansion. Selecting the perfect ensemble was no small task for someone who was considered a renowned socialite. Her obviously vast wardrobe always has offered an array of exquisite options, each more dazzling than the last.The journey from her private pool to her mansion was quite a distance, and she couldn't help but keep thinking about the combination of her dress matching her fiancé's.As she sifted mentally through the racks of couture gowns and designer garments for today's event, an uneasy sensation took root in the pit of her stomach before she could pass away from the pool. She pressed a hand against her abdomen, willing the discomfort away, but it persisted. All of a sudden, her surroundings seemed to waver, her vision growing hazy, and with a sudden, sharp pain, she stumbled, a muffled "Ouch" escaping her lips.She fell on her knees, just beside the lavish pool.Startled, she raised a trembling hand to her eyes and realized something was horribly amiss. It was as if the world around her began to twist and distort, a nightmarish reality dawning. Jules grasped for clarity, her heart pounding in her chest, as the realization struck her like a thunderbolt.In that vulnerable moment, she knew with chilling certainty that she had fallen victim to a sinister plot, a nefarious scheme designed to rob her of her consciousness and agency."I have been drugged."Paralyzed and consumed by a sense of impending doom, Jules found herself in a nightmarish realm with no energy left to cry out for help. Well, she tried. As she teetered on the precipice of consciousness, she couldn't help but blame herself. It was her own stringent rule that kept others at bay when she swam in her opulent pool, including the diligent staff she employed. This rule had once provided her with a sense of security, but now it had become a dire vulnerability.With a stumbling leg, as she tried to crawl, she accidentally fell into the water. She tried to swim, but her body gave out.With every passing moment, her body grew heavier, and her limbs became unresponsive. Panic coursed through her as she stumbled, cascading into the pool with a gasping, frantic breath. The drug coursing through her veins rendered her powerless, robbing her of the ability to claw her way to the surface. She was drowning in slow motion, caught in a terrifying abyss of her own making. What is happening to her?Am I dying?Probably.The water, usually an emblem of tranquillity, surged into her lungs with a suffocating coldness that left her gasping for precious air. She fought for life with the last vestiges of her strength, her mind a whirlwind of fear, but her body refused to cooperate.Paralyzed and helpless, Jules felt life slipping away from her grasp. The world around her dimmed, her surroundings blurring into obscurity. In her darkest moment, she strained to make out a shadowy figure standing near the edge of the pool. Desperation compelled her to cling to the hope that this unknown presence might intervene and save her from her imminent demise.Her mind screamed at her to shout, to beg, to scream for help, but her incapacitated body betrayed her. Her voice was imprisoned, unable to plead for life as she teetered on the brink of oblivion.Then, with one last view of the moonlit night, Jules McLaren ceased to breathe.In the end, the battle was lost. Darkness claimed her, and the pool's calm surface bore the weight of her lifeless form.Satisfied, the shadowy figure slipped a crimson envelope beside the poolside table and vanished into the night.----X----A/N: Thank you for giving my book a chance. Comment down below your thoughts.