Ring of Power: The Billionaire's Secret

9 - The Reversal

Jake looked at him. At the regional manager bowing in front of everyone. At Stevens looking like he might pass out. At the guards still on the ground groaning.

Then he looked at Derek and Maya.

Maya's face had gone completely white. Her hands were shaking. Derek looked like someone had punched him in the stomach. His mouth kept opening and closing but no sound came out.

"This is bullshit," Derek finally managed to say. His voice cracked. "This is some kind of trick. He's not... there's no way he's..."

"I don't believe it," Maya added. Her voice was shrill. Desperate. "Harrison, you have to be mistaken. This is Jake Morrison. He's a nobody. A dishwasher. There's no way he has a Tier One card. No way."

"Yeah!" Derek found his voice again. "You're being conned! Both of you! Jake probably stole that card or bought it off someone. You need to check your records. Call Marcus Vale himself and—"

"Enough." Harrison's voice cut through Derek's rambling. Cold. Final. "I've heard quite enough from both of you."

"But you don't understand—" Maya started.

"No, you don't understand." Harrison's expression was dangerous. "This young man holds the highest level of clearance in this company. Higher than mine. Higher than anyone's except Marcus Vale himself. And you two just attempted to have him assaulted and removed from the premises."

"Because we thought—" Derek tried.

"I don't care what you thought." Harrison turned to the security personnel who were still standing. The ones Jake hadn't taken down. "Escort these two off the property. Immediately."

"What?" Derek's face went red. "You can't kick us out! I'm a VIP! My family does business with Titan Enterprises! We have connections!"

"Had connections," Harrison corrected. "Past tense. Now leave before I have you arrested for trespassing."

"I'm not leaving!" Derek pulled out his phone. Waved it around. "My father knows people on the board! High-ranking executives! When he hears about this—"

"Mr. Mitchell." Harrison's voice dropped to something lethal. "If you don't leave right now, I will personally ensure that your family never does business in this city again. Do you understand me?"

Derek's mouth opened. Closed. Opened again. "This is insane. You're all insane."

Two security guards moved toward Derek and Maya. Not the injured ones. Fresh ones who'd just arrived.

"Don't touch me," Derek said. He backed away. "We're leaving. Come on, Maya."

Maya hesitated. She looked at Jake. At Harrison. At the crowd of people watching. Recording. Her face was doing this thing where it kept changing expressions. Shock. Anger. Fear. Disbelief.

"Maya, now!" Derek grabbed her arm.

They started walking toward the exit. But Derek couldn't help himself. He kept looking back. Kept talking.

"This isn't over! You hear me? This isn't over! When my father finds out what happened, when he talks to his contacts—"

"Out!" Harrison's voice boomed.

Derek and Maya disappeared through the entrance. Gone.

The crowd started whispering immediately. Phones still up. Recording. Posting.

Harrison turned to Jake. "My apologies, Mr. Vale. That should never have happened. If you'd like, I can have them banned from the property permanently."

"No," Jake said. "Not yet anyway."

Harrison raised an eyebrow but nodded. "As you wish. Shall we head inside?"

Jake started walking toward the entrance. The crowd parted for him. Everyone staring. Whispering.

He could hear fragments of conversation as he passed.

"Did you see that?"

"Six guards. Just like that."

"Who is this guy?"

"Jake Vale. Apparently he's Marcus Vale's son."

"Since when?"

"Since today, I guess."

Jake kept his expression neutral. Calm. Like this was normal. Like he hadn't just revealed himself to hundreds of people.

Inside, the lobby was massive. Marble floors. Gold fixtures. Art on the walls. People everywhere in expensive suits and dresses.

And they were all stopping to stare at him.

Harrison led him toward the elevators. "The main event is on the third floor. That's where the anniversary celebration is being held. Everyone's waiting for the new chairman to make an appearance."

"The new chairman," Jake repeated. "That's me, right?"

"Officially, yes. Though the formal announcement hasn't been made yet." Harrison pressed the elevator button. "Your father wanted you to make your entrance during the main event. Make it memorable."

'It'll be memorable alright,' Jake thought.

The elevator doors opened. They stepped inside. Harrison pressed three.

As the doors started to close, Jake saw something through the glass entrance doors. Outside on the street. Derek on his phone. Yelling at someone. Maya next to him looking panicked.

The doors closed. The elevator climbed.

***

Outside, Derek was losing it.

"Dad! Dad, listen to me! You need to call Mr. Patterson right now! Right now!"

His father's voice crackled through the phone. "Derek, calm down. What's going on?"

"They kicked us out! Maya and me! They kicked us out of the Titan event!"

"What? Why?"

"Because of Jake! That loser ex-boyfriend of Maya's! He showed up and somehow convinced them he's important! They believed his fake card and now they're treating him like—"

"Slow down," his father interrupted. "What fake card?"

"A Tier One access card! But it has to be fake! There's no way Jake Morrison has legitimate clearance at Titan Enterprises!"

There was a pause on the other end. Then his father's voice came back. Quieter. More serious. "Derek. Describe the card."

"What? It's just a black card with the Titan logo and—"

"Was the name Jake Vale or Jake Morrison?"

Derek blinked. "Vale. But that's just part of his scam. His real name is—"

"Derek." His father's voice had changed. Gone cold. "Listen to me very carefully. If that card said Vale, then it's real. Jake Vale is Marcus Vale's son. The heir to the entire company."

Derek felt like the ground had dropped out from under him. "What? No. That's not... that can't be..."

"Where are you right now?"

"Outside. They kicked us out. But Dad, you have to do something! You know people on the board! You have connections! Call Mr. Patterson! He can get us back inside!"

"Derek—"

"Please! The announcement is happening soon! Our deal is supposed to be finalized today! If we're not there—"

"Alright. Alright." His father sighed. "I'll call Richard. He owes me a favor. Just... stay calm. Don't make any more scenes."

"I won't. Just hurry."

Derek hung up. Looked at Maya. "He's calling Mr. Patterson. One of the board members. He'll get us back in."

Maya nodded but she looked sick. "Derek, what if that card was real? What if Jake really is—"

"He's not," Derek said. But his voice shook. "He can't be. There's no way someone like him could be connected to Marcus Vale. It's a coincidence. Or a trick. Or something."

But even as he said it, doubt was creeping in. The way Harrison had reacted. The way everyone had looked at Jake. Like he was someone important. Someone powerful.

'No,' Derek told himself. 'No, that's impossible. Jake is nobody. He's always been nobody.'

His phone rang. His father.

"Dad?"

"Mr. Patterson is sending someone down to escort you back inside. He said there was a misunderstanding with security. You'll be allowed back in for the event."

Relief flooded through Derek. "Thank you. Thank you so much."

"But Derek, listen. When you get inside, keep your head down. Don't interact with Jake Vale. Don't even look at him. Understand?"

"Why? If he's a fraud—"

"Just do as I say!" His father's voice was sharp. Worried. "I'm still trying to figure out what's going on. But until I do, you stay away from him. Got it?"

"Got it," Derek muttered.

He hung up. Looked at Maya. "Someone's coming to get us."

"That's good," Maya said. But she didn't sound convinced.

Five minutes later, a man in a suit approached them. Mid-forties. Professional. "Mr. Mitchell? Ms. Torres? I'm James Quinn, assistant to Mr. Richard Patterson. He's asked me to escort you inside. There seems to have been a misunderstanding with security."

"Yeah, a big misunderstanding," Derek said. "Let's go."

James led them back through the entrance. Past the guards who'd tried to remove them. Past the lobby manager who'd declared Jake's card fake.

Everyone stared but nobody stopped them.

They took the elevator to the third floor. The doors opened to reveal a massive hall. Packed with people. Champagne and appetizers. Classical music.

"The announcement will begin in about twenty minutes," James said. "Please enjoy the event."

He left them there. Standing at the edge of the crowd.

Derek straightened his jacket. Put on his confident smile. "Okay. Let's do this. We just need to avoid Jake until after the announcement. Once Dad's deal is finalized, none of this will matter."

Maya nodded. But her hands were still shaking.

They walked into the crowd. People noticed them immediately.

"Isn't that Derek Mitchell?"

"The one whose father is getting the big construction contract?"

"I heard the announcement is today. Fifty million dollar deal."

Derek's smile got wider. This was better. This was what he needed. People recognizing him. Respecting him.