Lucas’s mind reeled. Noelle’s secret skills—skills he’d dismissed—were now his only hope for the finals. He spotted SweetNelly on screen, his jaw dropping. It was Noelle.

His in-game character burst from cover. “Who are you?”

He’d denied it, but the truth was undeniable. Why the deception? Why hadn’t she joined the Liddell team?

Noelle sidestepped his attack. “Those moves are useless against me.”

“Noelle, is that really you?” he demanded.

Calmly, she replied, “Your strategies are flawed. Nothing’s changed.”

With a dazzling aerial maneuver, she countered, leaving Lucas defeated. The victory propelled her to 90th rank. The livestream exploded.

“Holy crap! Ms. Nelly just beat a pro!”

“Luminark’s captain’s a jerk, but skilled! SweetNelly crushed him!”

The match video went viral. Xenia, still streaming her smear campaign, couldn’t believe it. She cut her stream short.

“Where’s Lucas?” she demanded, finding him.

“He left after the match, looking glum. He hasn’t spoken to anyone,” someone replied.

Xenia’s frustration boiled over. Humiliated, she stormed off.

After the match, Noelle analyzed her gameplay, meticulously detailing Lucas’s tactical flaws and how his personality hampered his strategy—flaws she’d pointed out before, to no avail. Logging off, she checked her phone. A text from Frank:

Frank: “You’re SweetNelly, aren’t you?”

Noelle: “Does it matter?”

Frank: “It’s not that simple. Streaming’s rough, especially for a young woman.”

Noelle: “I know.”

Frank: “Consider Lucas’s platform. Family protects family.”

The idea amused Noelle. She’d fought hard to escape the Liddells’ control. She didn’t reply. Another text arrived:

Frank: “Join any platform, but not Team Celestial. Lucas won’t take it well.”

She knew why: Magnus Greene, Celestial’s captain, was Lucas’s arch-rival. But her team choice was her own. She ignored him.

Xenia’s accusations about Noelle switching platforms fueled a firestorm of debate, but Noelle remained unfazed. A call came from Firestorm:

“Ms. Nelly, have you decided? We’re open to discussing any conditions.”