Gossip girl

"Gossip Girl here. Your one and only source into the scandalous lives of Manhattan's elite. Looks like our queen, Serena van der Woodsen, is back in town. But the question is… why?"

The Upper East Side was abuzz with whispers as the golden girl of Manhattan returned. Serena van der Woodsen had vanished without a word, and now, here she was—effortlessly glamorous, stepping off a train at Grand Central.

But while everyone's eyes were on Serena, I was watching the city move around me. I had been part of this world for years now, and I knew exactly how it worked. My name was Aryan Jain, heir to the most powerful investment firm in America, Jain Capital. The richest family in the country. My parents had built an empire, but I had bigger plans—to shape the future using knowledge no one else had.

I didn't make enemies. I made allies. Even in a world where power was everything, I preferred to stay a step ahead, playing the game without letting anyone know I had already won.

---

The Palace Hotel

Chuck Bass was lounging on the couch in his suite, drink in hand, when I walked in. The room reeked of wealth—expensive cigars, aged scotch, and the kind of arrogance only the ultra-rich could pull off.

Chuck smirked. "You hear the news?"

I poured myself a glass of water, keeping my voice neutral. "About Serena?"

He raised an eyebrow. "Of course."

Nate Archibald, sitting across from us, looked less enthusiastic. He had a storm brewing behind his easy-going features. Serena's return wasn't just gossip for him—it was personal.

"You okay, Nate?" I asked.

He hesitated. "I don't know. I haven't seen her since she left."

Chuck scoffed. "Let's be real. This is Serena van der Woodsen. She left without a goodbye, and now she's back. You really think she came home for you?"

I leaned back, studying them both. Chuck was as sharp as ever, masking his curiosity behind cynicism. Nate, on the other hand, was too honest for his own good. He cared too much, which made him vulnerable.

"Whatever her reason, you'll know soon enough," I said, keeping my tone light. "Manhattan isn't exactly a big place."

Chuck smirked. "Exactly."

---

Constance Billard & St. Jude's

At school, the news spread like wildfire. Blair Waldorf, the reigning queen of the Upper East Side, was doing her best to keep up appearances, but I knew her too well. She was furious. Serena's return threatened her control, her status.

Blair and I had always had a mutual understanding. She was sharp, ambitious, and played the long game. I respected that. But I also knew that under all her schemes, there was someone who just wanted to be loved.

"Did you know she was coming back?" she asked me, her voice controlled but sharp.

I shook my head. "No one did."

Blair's gaze flickered. "She just left, Aryan. No explanation, nothing. And now she expects to walk back in like nothing happened?"

I didn't answer. Blair didn't need agreement or sympathy—she needed control. And I wouldn't take that from her.

Instead, I changed the subject. "You're still hosting the party tonight?"

Her chin lifted. "Of course. Nothing changes."

That was a lie, but I let her have it.

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The Party

The atmosphere at Blair's party was electric. Everyone was waiting to see if Serena would show up. When she finally did, the room shifted.

Serena was effortless, charming, and beautiful. Blair, though composed, was seething inside. I watched their exchange from a distance, knowing that this night would set the tone for everything to come.

Then, Dan Humphrey arrived. The outsider. The boy from Brooklyn who was hopelessly out of place here. I had kept my distance from him in the past, but I knew his potential. He wasn't just another background character in our world—he would become something more.

As the night unfolded, old tensions surfaced, secrets simmered beneath the surface, and I observed it all.

This was just the beginning.

And I was right where I needed to be.

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"Spotted: S, back in town and already making waves. But not everyone's happy to see her. Will the Queen B let her reclaim the throne? Or is there only room for one It Girl in this city? You know you love me. XOXO, Gossip girl