The news hit Creston City like a flood breaking through a dam.By six in the morning, three separate videos from the Skyline Grand had been uploaded to every major social platform in the city. The first showed Victor Kane walking past Vivian without acknowledging her, her frozen smile hanging on her face like a mask someone forgot to remove.The second captured Brandon kneeling on the marble floor with his jacket torn, his face swollen, begging for help that never came. The third, and most devastating, showed Victor Kane bowing to Logan Mercer while two hundred of the city's elite watched in stunned silence.The comments section beneath each video had turned into a feeding frenzy."This is the funniest thing I've seen all year. She actually thought Victor Kane threw her a birthday party.""Brandon Holt is finished. His family must be so proud. Their golden boy got exposed as a lying cockroach in front of the entire city.""Wait, who is the guy Victor Kane bowed to? Someone find out wh

"We are not done!" Vivian's voice cracked like a whip. "You owe me more than a sorry, Brandon! You ruined my birthday! You ruined my reputation! You pointed your finger at me in front of Victor Kane and told everyone I was the one behind it! You threw me to the wolves to save your own pathetic skin!"This man destroyed everything and he doesn't even care."I did what I had to do." Brandon's voice hardened slightly, a spark of the old defensiveness flickering through the exhaustion. "Victor Kane was about to break every bone in my body. What was I supposed to do? Stand there and take it? Let him destroy me because you wanted a fancy birthday party?""I wanted a fancy birthday party?" Vivian's voice hit a pitch that could have shattered crystal. "You told me it was already arranged! You told me your father handled everything! I didn't ask for any of this! You brought it to me! You wrapped it up in a bow and put it in my hands and told me it was real!""Then maybe you should have questio

"Then I'm afraid I can't help you." She looked past him, already scanning the lobby for the next person worth acknowledging. "Without an appointment, there's nothing I can do.""I understand. But if I could just speak with someone from—""Sir." Jessica's voice sharpened, a clear note of irritation cutting through the professional veneer. "Do you know what building you're in? This is Imperial Group. One of the largest companies in the world. We don't take walk ins." She looked him up and down again, slower this time, making sure he noticed. "Are you sure you're not looking for the employment office? It's on Third Street. Two blocks east."This is how they treat people who don't look rich enough. Interesting.Tyler leaned back in his chair, making no effort to hide his amusement. "Maybe he's looking for the mailroom. We get that sometimes. People walk in thinking they can just hand someone their resume and get hired on the spot.""Is that what this is?" Jessica turned back to Logan with

Logan sat in the plastic chair near the service entrance, his posture relaxed, his eyes anything but. Every interaction in the lobby played out in front of him like a performance he hadn't paid to see but couldn't look away from.A young woman sat three chairs to his left. She was in her mid twenties, wearing a simple blouse and a dark skirt that had been ironed with obvious care. Her shoes were clean but worn at the heels, the kind of detail that most people wouldn't notice but that apparently screamed poverty to the employees of Imperial Group. She held a folder against her chest with both hands, her fingers pressing so tightly against the edges that the cardboard was bending inward.She had been sitting there for forty five minutes. Logan had watched her arrive, approach the counter with a polite smile, and get directed to the same cluster of plastic chairs with the same dismissive wave of Jessica's hand.Now Jessica was back, standing near the counter with Tyler, both of them watc

"Of course, sir. Anything you need, just let me know." Jessica hovered beside him, her smile so wide and desperate that it bordered on grotesque.Then her eyes drifted toward Logan, who was standing near the plastic chairs, still visible, still present, still not gone.An idea sparked behind her eyes. The kind of idea that comes to people who believe that making someone else look bad will make them look better."Director Walsh, actually, there is something I should mention." Jessica lowered her voice just enough to sound concerned while keeping it loud enough for every employee in the lobby to hear. "We've had a situation this morning. That man over there," she pointed directly at Logan, "has been causing problems since he arrived."Walsh's frown deepened. His eyes moved to Logan, scanning him with the same quick, dismissive assessment that Jessica had performed earlier."Problems?" Walsh's voice carried automatic displeasure. "What kind of problems?""He's been wandering around the l