2026-07-24 18:45:20
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The Collector
More guests walked over as William spoke, drawn by the small crowd the way people always were at events such as this. A few recognized Oscar right away."Wait, isn't that the Hall son-in-law? The one who just got divorced?""Didn't he live off the Hall family for years? I heard he never worked a real job in his life.""Poor thing. Must be humiliating, watching your ex-wife marry someone like William."Oscar let it pass over him the way he let most things pass over him. He'd had three years of practice standing in rooms exactly like this one, being talked about as though he weren't standing right there.It was one of the guests, a woman studying Oscar's wrist a little too closely, who spoke up next."Is that a King West?" she asked, tilting her head. "The Luminary?"A few heads turned toward Oscar's wrist. William glanced over as well, his expression shifting into amusement."That can't be real," William said, laughing lightly. "A genuine Luminary runs well into the millions. No offens
The Wedding
By morning, word had already spread through Kingsford's upper circles that the Anderson and Hall families were about to become one alliance. Business reporters mentioned it in passing. Society pages ran short pieces about "a union of two respected names." No one seemed to think much of it beyond the obvious ‘old money and rising money joining hands.’The wedding was set to take place at the Imperial Grand Hotel, the kind of venue that only hosted events people would still be talking about for years to come.At Elysium Zero, Oscar finished getting ready.He put on the suit Manager Lu had helped him choose at Culmen Store, dark and well cut, the sort of attire that didn't have to be flashy to draw attention. He checked himself once in the mirror, adjusted the King West Luminary on his wrist, and walked downstairs.Alfred was waiting near the door."One last time, Young Master," Alfred said. "Do you not intend to reveal who you are today?""No," Oscar said. "Today isn't about proving my
The Groom
A convoy bearing the Anderson Family insignia stopped before the entrance gates of the Hall Villa.A young man stepped out of the lead car and the whole entrance seemed to straighten up around him.For the first time in a while, William Anderson finally made an appearance.He was tall, dressed in a suit that fit perfectly around his frame. He moved with the kind of ease that came from him never once doubting he belonged wherever he walked. He smiled at the staff gathered near the gate, said something that made two of them laugh, and kept moving without slowing down. He didn't look like a man arriving at his own wedding preparations. He looked like a man arriving to be admired.The Hall Family met him at the door before he'd even reached it."William!" Linda Hall came forward first, both hands out, beaming in a way she rarely did for anyone in her own family. "You didn't have to come all this way today. The wedding isn't until tomorrow.""I couldn't stay away," William said, taking her
Manager Lu
Evelyn took Oscar to the Culmen Store the next afternoon.Though smaller than Hudson Group's Kingsford headquarters, it didn't look exactly small at all. The building sat on a corner lot with glass windows two stories tall, each one framing a single mannequin dressed in wears Oscar guessed cost more than most people made in a year. Culmen was Hudson Group's own luxury fashion house, Evelyn had explained on the drive over. It was one of the crown pieces of the family's holdings in the world, and this was just one of its stores in Kingsford.Oscar looked up at the building for a moment before walking in. Though he didn't say anything about it, the same couldn't be said about his feelings. Oscar simply felt stumped, to say the least.Evelyn led him past the main floor to a private elevator near the back, one that only opened with a card she carried. It took them to the top floor, a space reserved for VIP members and guests important enough they didn't need to wait in line downstairs."I
The Man Named William
Oscar opened the dossier.The first page held a summary of the Anderson Family itself – their history, their standing, a short paragraph noting their place among Kingsford's top Millionaire Families. Old money, Alfred had said. Reading the file, Oscar understood exactly what that meant. The Andersons hadn't built their fortune recently. They'd spent decades shaping their wealth into a legacy.He turned the page.‘William Anderson. Aged thirty-one. Heir apparent to the Anderson Family.’There was no photograph attached, only a column of notes compiled from business reports, industry write-ups, and what looked like commentary from people who'd directly worked with him. Oscar read through them slowly.‘Aggressive negotiator. Has closed three acquisitions in the past two years, each through pressure tactics rather than partnership. Widely respected for results, widely disliked personally. Known for public displays of confidence bordering on arrogance. Considered the frontrunner to succee
The Wedding Invitation
Oscar broke the wax seal and slid the card out from inside the envelope.The invitation itself was expensive-looking, printed in gold lettering on heavy cream paper, the kind of card meant to be displayed rather than simply read. At the top, in elegant script, were two names.Olivia Hall & William Anderson.Oscar read it twice before the words settled.Beneath the printed announcement, someone had added a short note by hand, the handwriting neat and deliberate in a way that told Oscar it hadn't been written in anger. It had been written carefully, the way a person writes something they've thought about in advance.‘Oscar. It's only right that you're there to see it. Olivia deserves a husband who can actually provide for her. Come and see what that looks like, if you can bring yourself to.’It wasn't signed, but Oscar didn't need a signature to guess whose hand it was. He set the card down on the desk without any visible reaction, though something in his chest had gone very still."Wil
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