Robert pushed his chair back and stood up. The sound wasn't loud, but in a room that big, it was enough to get everyone’s attention. Almost instinctively, everyone else started standing up too, their chairs sliding across the polished floor one after another.Anna was up first, then Avery. Professor Darby took a second to straighten his jacket, and Rose followed him, still looking around the dining hall like she was afraid it might vanish if she blinked. Then the butler stepped up behind them like a shadow.Robert gave them a small, relaxed smile. “Come on,” he said, and started walking.The Graham Oasis was even more intense at night. The hallways had a soft, golden glow that bounced off the marble floors, making them look like mirrors. Through the massive glass walls, you could see fountains lit up in white light and gardens that looked more like outdoor art galleries.Anna kept turning her head from side to side. “Okay,” she muttered, mostly to herself. “I will definitely get lost

Avery pushed the door open slowly, and for a second, she just stood there. The room didn't even look like a bedroom, it looked like something ripped straight out of a royal palace.Anna was already inside, and she’d clearly been busy. In the few minutes since she’d run off, she had managed to poke her head into half the suite.One of the massive wardrobe doors was hanging open, showing off rows of elegant dresses and outfits that looked like they were tailored by hand. Another door was half open, leading to a dressing area that was honestly bigger than most hotel rooms Avery had ever seen.Anna ran her fingers across a polished gold table and just laughed. “This place is insane,” she muttered. She walked over to a tall mirror framed in delicate gold patterns and did a little turn, checking out the design. “I’m serious,” she said, shaking her head. “This is like something the Queen of England would sleep in.”The bed was the centerpiece— enormous, layered with silk sheets and more pill

By noon, the entire city was in chaos. It didn't matter what channel you turned on or what social media feed you scrolled through, everyone was talking about the exact same thing.The challenge.Inside a packed sports bar downtown, a giant screen replayed a footage. The camera stayed tight on Tristan as he stood in the center of a boxing ring, the heavy championship belt wrapped around his waist. He looked like he owned the world."Robert… wherever you are, come fight me," his voice boomed through the speakers. "If you’ve got any courage left, step into the ring and face me."As the video cut to black, the studio commentators in the broadcast booth immediately burst out laughing. One of them leaned back in his chair, shaking his head. “Robert? That kid? Seriously?”Another analyst nodded, looking at his notes. “Yeah, that Robert. The adopted orphan from the Emmett family.”A small, grainy photo of Robert from his school records flashed onto the screen. The host leaned forward, looking

For a few long seconds after Avery looked at her phone, and the entire breakfast table went dead quiet. It was impossible to miss— the way her eyes widened, the sharp intake of breath, and the way her hand physically jerked, nearly sending the expensive device clattering onto the marble.But Avery was fast. She locked the screen with a sharp click and flipped it face down on the table. She forced a small, shaky smile that didn't quite reach her eyes.“It’s nothing,” she said, her voice a little too quiet.No one said a word. They weren't stupid, they could all tell the mood had just crashed, but nobody wanted to be the one to push her. Instead, they all went back to their plates. The rest of the meal passed in a weird, heavy silence. Avery kept her head down, carefully cutting her food into tiny pieces, going through the motions of pretending everything was fine.The cheerful vibe from ten minutes ago was officially dead.Rose was the first one to finish. She set her napkin down nea

The rifles didn't lower, not even an inch, and the tension in the room felt like a physical weight pressing against Anna’s chest. Every tiny movement she made felt like it was being monitored by a thousand sensors. Beside her, Avery’s breathing had become shallow, the kind of panicked air that usually follows a total breakdown.The guard in the lead took a step forward. His face was professional and indifferent. "Identify yourselves," he commanded coldly.The silence that followed stayed for half a second too long before Avery finally cracked under the pressure. "We— we’re with Robert," she stammered, the words tripping over each other as she tried to force them out. "We’re not lying, we came here with him, we're guests— ""Stop." The words instantly cut her off. The guard’s gaze sharpened, turning from cold to predatory. "Do not use that name lightly."The entire energy in the room shifted. Anna felt it immediately— that wasn't just a correction or a piece of security protocol. It w