Blood of the Beast God

The VIP lounge of Silvercrest University glittered like a piece of heaven carved out for the elite. There were crystal chandeliers, polished marble, and the scent of perfume, aged wine, and power. Ethan polished a crystal glass, his tired reflection staring back from twenty different angles, reflecting his hollow cheeks, blue janitor uniform with “Silvercrest Facilities” stitched on the chest.

“Third time tonight,” he muttered. “This damn rich people don’t even drink half of these stuff.” His stomach growled, he hadn’t eaten all day. “Two more hours, then I can go home.”

But then the lounge doors swung open. Ethan straightened to disappear, but a laugh froze him in place, it was a high and bright laugh, like a wind chimes. He knew it was non other than his girlfriend Celia, he quickly hid behind a marble pillar before he could think.

“I still can’t believe you’re here,” Celia said, her voice carrying a new tone. “The pre-donor gala, this is where decisions get made, right?”

Ethan peered around the pillar and gasped.

Brad Charlesly spread across a leather couch like he owned it. His family had just signed a deal with Silvercrest Corporation, leaping from sixty-five billion to over a hundred billion overnight, they were now centibillionaires, with connections to the Silvercrest Clan, the richest family in the world, worth over a hundred trillion. Brad is considered the prince of the university and leader of the Golden Five. And beside him was Celia, Ethan’s girlfriend, sitting on his lap.

“Pre-gala’s just the warm-up, babe,” Brad said arrogantly. “Tomorrow is where the real money's at, tonight is just appetizers.”

“Appetizers,” Celia repeated, tracing a finger down his chest. “I like appetizers, you taste everything before you commit.”

Brad kissed her hand. “Smart girl, I knew I picked you for a reason.”

Something cracked inside Ethan’s chest as his eyes starts to water. But then someone in the hall noticed him.

“That’s the janitor,” someone said. “What’s he doing just standing there?”

“Oh my god, the broom boy.” another said.

Ethan realized he had stepped out from behind the pillar, but at this point his feet was already moving him toward the couch and toward disaster.

Celia saw him first and her eyes went wide, narrow and then cold. “Ethan,” she said, without a sliver of emotion.

Brad looked up confused, but then he recognized Ethan. “Oh, the janitor. Cece, you know this guy?”

"Cece? She hated that nickname," Ethan thought to himself, "only her grandmother used it. But when Brad says it, she smiling."

“We used to talk,” Celia said. “Back when I was figuring things out.”

Ethan’s voice came out hoarse. “Celia, what are you doing?”

“I think it’s obvious,” Brad said, not rising. “She’s with me buddy, why don't you go back to your… moping, that is what you are paid for, right?”

Every student in the lounge was now watching.

“We talked yesterday,” Ethan said, ignoring Brad and focusing on Celia. “You said you loved me...”

“I said a lot of things.” She examined her nails. “I was doing charity work, Ethan. You were my good deed, my little scholarship project.”

“Charity?” The word hit Ethan harder than any punch.

“You were so pathetic,” she continued, cheerful. “Working nights just to eat, that awful apartment with the broken heater. I felt so sorry for you, that’s all it was.”

Brad chuckled. “Damn, Cece, that’s cold.”

“She’s lying.” Ethan’s hands shook. “Celia, we were together for eight month..."

“Together?” She laughed, sharper now. “We were never together, you were a simply a charity case I got bored with. Brad is a real man who can give me the life I deserve.”

The doors opened again, and four more figures swept in. Jason Nova, heir to a fifty-five-billion-dollar empire, adjusting his watch. Adam Cole, lastborn of the thirty-nine-billion-dollar Cole family was typing on his phone. Jessica Flinch was a supermodel worth two hundred million and daughter of the sixty-six-billion Flinch clan. And Cady Winter, thirty million followers and heiress to the royal Winter family worth over a hundred and fifty billion was already filming.

“Brad!” Jessica called. “We got bored at dinner, what is going on here?”

“Just a little pest problem," Brad Responded, "Remember the broom boy?”

Jason squinted. “The scholarship kid who cleans toilets? What’s he doing in the VIP lounge?”

“He was cleaning,” Celia said sweetly, “and got confused, thought he could talk to us. To me, specifically.”

“Oh, this is rich.” Adam pocketed his phone and grinned.

Cady aimed her phone. “Three seconds in and I’m already getting comments. People love drama.”

Ethan stood surrounded, but he couldn’t let Celia go. “Celia, whatever I did, I can fix it. Just...”

“You can’t fix being poor,” she said without looking at him. “You can’t fix being a nobody, spending your life cleaning up after people like us, that is your destiny.”

Brad finally stood up, he was taller and broader, built by trainers and expensive nutrition. “Let me explain something. Yesterday my family completed a deal that brought us closer to the Silvercrest Clan, the most powerful family in the world, we are now untouchable. And you’re here, in your little blue uniform, questioning me about a girl who was never yours?”

Jason crossed his arms. “My family owns the networks. One call and I can make you famous in the worst way.”

Adam added, “I own thirty percent of commercial real estate in three major cities. You will never rent an apartment that I don’t approve.”

Jessica examined Ethan like a stain. “I make more in a single shoot than you’ll earn in a lifetime. My father could buy your entire lineage twice.”

Cady flipped her phone around. “Ten thousand people watching live right now. Every single one of them is laughing.” Comments flashed: Pathetic. Beggar. Know your place.

“Celia,” Ethan whispered.

She met his eyes, as she felt a pinch of guilt, but it was quickly dismissed by her. “You were never my boyfriend. You were a placeholder until someone real showed up. Brad is my boyfriend now.”

Brad pulled her against him. “You heard her looser, she is mine.” He kissed her, right in front of Ethan.

Ethan’s muscles screamed to swing, but years of survival held him still. Attacking Brad, who was connected to the Silvercrest Clan would be a death sentence, he would lose his scholarship, his job, maybe face jail, their lawyers would bury him.

Brad pulled back, grinning. “See? She’s better than fine.”

Laughter filled the room. But then Ethan’s voice came caught through the room. “One day, I’ll be a thousand times bigger than all of you. And I will deal with every single person in this room.”

The entire room fell to a silence, then Jason burst out laughing. “Did he just threaten us?”

“Bold from a guy who can’t afford toothpaste,” Adam said.

Jessica: “I’ll spend more on dinner tonight than you’ll make in a year. The gap between us isn’t something you can close with hard work.”

Cady zoomed in. “Look at his stupid face, he actually believes it, that adorable.”

Brad’s amusement cooled. “You need to learn some respect looser, kneel.”

“What?” Ethan said.

“Kneel and apologize, for dirtying the floor with your existence, for thinking you could speak to us like equals.” Brad said arrogantly.

“I’m not kneeling.” Ethan responded with a determined face.

Brad’s jaw tightened. “I am not asking you, loser. I am commanding you.” He nodded, and two ex-military security guards entered. They grabbed Ethan’s arms. He struggled, but their grips were too firm.

“Let me go!” Ethan screamed.

Jason walked up. “Last chance. Kneel and apologize, and you may walk out with your bones intact.”

“No.” Ethan’s brow furrowed.

Jessica picked up a champagne bottle. “I think he needs to cool off.” She upended it over his head. Cold champagne soaked through his hair, his uniform as it dripped into his eyes and mouth. Howls of laughter filled the room.

“Jessica!” Jason scolded, but he was grinning. “That bottle was worth eighty thousand dollars!”

Cady tilted her phone. “Don’t worry, I’m getting all of it. Eighty grand well spent for content alone.”

Brad leaned back, Celia tucked under his arm. “Bright side, broom boy, that probably the most expensive bath you will ever have.”

More laughter filled he room, Celia said quietly, “You should have just walked away.”

Jessica shook the last drops from the bottle. “One more time, loser, kneel.”

“No.” Ethan’s voice shook but held steady. “I’ve lost everything tonight. Celia was the one good thing I had, and you took her. All I have now is my dignity and I’ll be damned if I let you take that away from me too.”

Brad pushed off the couch, visibly irritated. “You’re really going to make this difficult?”

Ethan’s eyes burned with venom, but he didn't responsed.

“This is boring,” Jason said. “Just break his arm and throw him out. That will send a message.”

Ethan’s blood went cold. Break my arm? There were witnesses, for goodness sake Cady was streaming live, but the guards’ faces held no hesitation.

Brad tilted his head, considering. “A broken arm heals, but the humiliation? That lasts forever. Every time he looks at that arm, he will remember who he tried to stand against.”

“Brad.” Celia’s voice was tight. “Just send him away, you’ve made your point.”

“You’re defending him now?” Brad retorted.

“No, it just I am tired of looking at him. Can you just send him away.” Celia pleaded.

Jason stepped forward. “No way, I want to see this. Guards, break his...”

“What is going on here?” Every head turned as the Vice Chancellor strode into the room.