THE UNSEEN HEIR

The Banquet.

The silver e-bike hummed to a halt at the side of the manicured plaza outside the grand ballroom.

Lorenzo clicked his helmet onto the handlebars and smoothed out the collar of his simple, unbranded button-down shirt.

To anyone passing by, he looked like a delivery driver or a late-shift student. But as he stepped toward the glass entrance where the city's ultra-wealthy were disembarking from a parade of pristine sports cars, his eyes instantly locked onto a familiar, elegant figure.

Roxana stood near the velvet ropes, clutching a leather folder to her chest. She had changed out of the borrowed loungewear and into a modest, sharply tailored black blazer dress.

Even without flashy diamonds, her natural grace and sharp, intelligent posture made her stand out effortlessly against the sea of over-dressed socialites.

"Roxana," Lorenzo called out, walking up with a warm smile.

She turned, her eyes widening in surprise as she recognized him. "Lorenzo? What are you doing here?"

Before he could answer, the sharp, rhythmic click of designer heels clattered against the marble behind them.

"Well, well. I knew I smelled exhaust fumes and cheap laundry detergent," a venomous voice interrupted.

Chloe stepped into their space, draped in a backless gold sequin gown that practically screamed for attention.

Her arm was tightly looped through Justin’s, who was preening in a velvet tuxedo. Chloe glared at Lorenzo, her face twisting into a mask of utter irritation. "What the hell are you doing here, Lorenzo? Don't tell me you're stalking me now."

Lorenzo didn't even blink. "I came here for work. It has absolutely nothing to do with you."

"Work?" Chloe let out a loud, mocking laugh that drew the attention of several nearby guests. "You rode up on a pathetic e-bike, Lorenzo! What kind of 'work' are you doing? Rolling silverware? Scrubbing the toilets? Are you working as a waiter now?"

Justin chimed in, a smirk playing on his lips as he looked down his nose at Lorenzo's simple clothes.

"Hey, don't insult the Vanguard Apex staff, Chloe. Even the waiters here have to go through a rigorous screening process. Honestly, buddy, looking at the way you’re dressed—like a literal beggar—you wouldn't even pass the initial selection. But hey, I’m a generous guy. I happen to know the banquet manager inside. If you beg nicely, I can introduce you to a backdoor waiter job."

"No thanks," Lorenzo replied, his voice deadly calm, a sharp spark hidden beneath his deadpan expression. "Like I said, I’m already here for work."

Chloe tossed her highlighted hair, her expression haughty and bloated with unearned pride. "Justin is being kind-hearted enough to throw you a bone, Lorenzo. You should be dropping to your knees in gratitude instead of putting on these pathetic airs. Look around you. This banquet only invites the city's top dignitaries, tech moguls, and true celebrities. There is absolutely no place for a penniless, bottom-tier student like you."

As she finished her rant, Chloe’s eyes finally drifted past Lorenzo, locking onto Roxana. Her smirk instantly soured.

At every single annual Hawthorne family gathering, no matter how much Chloe spent on her wardrobe or how loudly she bragged, Roxana’s effortless beauty and natural brilliance always stole the spotlight.

The deep, toxic jealousy that had plagued Chloe for a decade flared to life.

"Oh, look what the cat dragged in," Chloe sneered, stepping closer to Roxana. "The Vance family tech firm is about to completely go under, and you still have the trashy mood to be out eating, drinking, and having fun? I heard a rumor that your stepmother successfully married you off to Lord Barry Sterling this afternoon. What's the matter, Roxana? Did he kick you out already, or have you just changed your target for seduction?"

Justin’s eyes trailed down Roxana’s frame, a sudden, heavy flash of lust coloring his face. He swallowed hard, wondering how a broke loser like Lorenzo, after being dumped by Chloe, could suddenly be standing next to a woman who possessed such breathtaking, magnetic beauty.

Lorenzo stepped into Justin’s line of sight, effectively shielding Roxana. He tilted his head, looking directly at Chloe. "How strange. How come I hear loud dogs barking at such an upscale, prestigious banquet?"

"Who are you calling a dog?!" Chloe shrieked.

She pointed a manicured finger at Roxana. "A disfavored, broke young lady from a failing household really thinks she can climb the social ladder by seducing people! I’d love to see how you intend to get into the banquet today, Roxana. This isn't a cheap campus club where you can enter just by smiling at the bouncers a couple of times."

Before Chloe could continue her tirade, Lorenzo smoothly slid his arm around Roxana’s waist, drawing her body against his side. The casual, possessive authority in his movement made Roxana’s breath hitch, her heart hammering against her ribs.

"What does it have to do with you that I'm attending this banquet with my girlfriend?" Lorenzo asked, his voice ringing clearly over the murmurs of the growing crowd.

"Your girlfriend?" Chloe scoffed, looking at them like they were dirt. "Neither of you even belongs in this zip code."

"Is that so?" Lorenzo’s lips curled into a cold, mocking smile. "Then let's make it interesting. Let's place a bet right here, in front of everyone. Whichever party cannot legally get through those front doors tonight has to kneel right here at the entrance and apologize publicly."

Roxana’s eyes widened in sudden panic. She didn't have an official invitation yet—she was planning to plead her case to the management at the door.

She leaned in close, whispering frantically into Lorenzo’s ear, "Lorenzo, stop! What are you doing? We don't have a way in. We should go."

Lorenzo merely squeezed her waist reassuringly, his eyes fixed entirely on the enemies in front of him. "Trust me," he murmured back, his voice an unshakeable anchor.

By now, a large circle of high-society onlookers had gathered, whispering and nudging each other as they recognized the Hawthorne name.

Justin laughed out loud, raising his hands to address the crowd. "A bet? Are you insane? Chloe is recognized as one of this city's top ten most renowned female entrepreneurs. She gets more exclusive VIP invitations to elite banquets than she can even find time to attend. There is absolutely no reality where she can't get in."

"Exactly," Chloe agreed haughtily, crossing her arms and glaring at Roxana. "You're humiliating yourself."

Turning to the towering, burly security guard stationed at the velvet ropes, Chloe snapped her fingers authoritatively. "Guard! I want you to strictly check these two. They look incredibly suspicious, and I suspect they're trying to sneak in to steal from the high-profile guests."

The guard, eager to please a wealthy heiress in a gold dress, stepped forward instantly and blocked Roxana’s path. "Stop right there, Miss. Show your official invitation immediately, or I will have you forcibly expelled from the property."