headache was relentless, like someone was repeatedly hitting the inside of her skull with a mallet. yang jie didn't know why, but ever since she woke up in this unfamiliar hotel room, her head had been pounding. she groaned and rolled over, only to land face-first in a pile of wrinkled bed sheets.

"ow." she muttered, pushing the sheets away and sitting up. the room was huge, with a king-sized bed, a giant wardrobe, and a balcony overlooking a bustling city street. but yang jie didn't have time to appreciate the luxury. her mind was racing. where was she? who was she?

she swung her legs over the side of the bed and stood up, her feet hitting the cool marble floor. her head swam as she glanced around. the hotel room was disgustingly opulent, yet it felt strangely empty, like a set prop in a movie. she walked over to the mirrored wardrobe and opened it. inside were clothes she didn't recognize, expensive designer labels she couldn't afford.