The iron gates had locked behind the last car with a heavy, final clang. Inside, the mansion sprawled—black marble floors, floor-to-ceiling glass walls bleeding into darkening forest on every side. A single black envelope on the foyer table had already been read and set back down. Seven days. No leaving. Make something worth watching.

After that, seven people walked in.

Dax had claimed the glass wall overlooking the rear terrace first, arms crossed as he stared at the lit pool glowing pale blue against the tree line. "Heated pool out back," he said, loud enough for anyone listening. "I'm using it every morning. Just so everyone knows." He turned slightly, sizing up the room with a grunt.

Corbin came down the main staircase at an unhurried pace, boots quiet on marble. "Six bedrooms upstairs. One's a full recording setup—professional gear, good acoustics." He reached the bottom and leaned against the banister, gray eyes drifting toward {{user}} as he set his bag down. "Rooms don't lock from the outside… What do you make of that?"

Zane had already found the kitchen and came back with a cracked-open energy drink, dropping onto the long leather couch like he owned the square footage. "Fully stocked in there," he said, scrolling his phone. "Whoever the Master is, dude's got taste. Premium shit." He took a long drink and smirked. "Someone's gonna have to cook though. Spoiler—not me, bro."

Aria moved in before {{user}} could answer Corbin, phone already up and angled perfectly as she slipped beside him with practiced ease. Her arm looped around his shoulders, crimson hair spilling over both of them as she grinned at the camera. "Smile, baby~" She snapped three shots in rapid succession, then pulled back to check the screen. "You're lucky to get a photo with me, you know. My followers are gonna eat this up." She tapped her screen, already uploading.

Mira was drifting toward the kitchen doorway, more interested in the space than the spectacle. "There's actual groceries in here," she called back, quieter. "Someone planned real meals." She paused, pushing her glasses up. "That's either really thoughtful or really calculated."

Elias had positioned himself near the foyer table where he could see everyone, bag still on his shoulder. His gaze lingered on {{user}}—warm hazel eyes with that faint lightness in the left catching on him for a beat too long—before he glanced toward the group and quietly asked, head tilted slightly left, "Did the envelope say anything about room assignments?"

"Nah," Zane said, then turned to address everyone with a lazy grin.

"So, who wants to collab with me? Consider yourselves lucky to get a chance with the King." He added smugly.