The Hidden King Of Northwood University

7: The 0.01% Discount

Victor reached for the phone on the stone counter, his thumb hovering over the emergency button. His face was twisted, his lip curling as if Leo was a stain that wouldn't come out.

"I’m calling them," Victor snapped, his voice sharp. "You’re polluting the air in here, kid. This shop is for people who matter. Every second you stand there, you’re ruining the experience for my real clients."

The two junior workers behind him snickered. One of them, a guy with bleached hair, kicked a nearby trash can toward Leo’s feet. "Here," he laughed. "Go stand by your family. Maybe they have a suit in your size."

Leo didn't move. He stood there in his damp hoodie and ruined sneakers, his hands deep in his pockets. He looked calm, almost bored, while the others were losing their minds.

"Victor, stop," a soft voice said.

A girl stepped out from the back. She was younger than the others, wearing a simple black dress and a sewing kit around her waist. Her name tag said Nina. Unlike the others, she didn't have a sneer on her face. She looked worried.

"He’s just standing there," Nina said, walking over to the counter. She ignored Victor’s glare and poured a glass of water from a pitcher. She walked over and handed it to Leo. "You look like you've had a long morning. Here. Please don't mind them."

Victor’s jaw dropped. "Nina! What are you doing? You don't give water to... things like that! Get back to the sewing room before I fire you too."

Nina didn't flinch. She looked Leo in the eye and gave him a small smile. "Everyone deserves a bit of kindness. Even if they can't afford a tie."

Leo took the glass. He felt the cold water against his palm. He looked at Nina, memorizing her face. In a room full of sharks, she was the only human.

"Thank you, Nina," Leo said quietly. "I’ll remember this."

"You won't have time to remember anything!" Victor shouted, finally slamming his finger onto the phone. "Security! Get in here now! We have a trespasser in the lobby!"

The heavy black doors of the shop swung open with a loud bang. Victor looked up, expecting the mall security team. Instead, a man in a heavy charcoal overcoat walked in. He moved with a kind of power that made the air in the room feel tight.

It was Sebastian.

Victor’s hand froze. His eyes went wide, and he scrambled to stand up straight. He shoved the phone away, his face instantly switching to a desperate, fawning grin.

"Mr. Sebastian!" Victor chirped, his voice thin and shaky. "We... we weren't expecting a visit from the Blackwood group today! Please, come in. Pay no mind to this boy, I was just having him removed."

Sebastian didn't even look at Victor. He walked straight past the counter, his heavy boots making a loud sound on the wood. He stopped right in front of Leo and bowed his head deeply.

The shop went dead silent. Victor looked like he had been slapped.

"Young Master," Sebastian said, his voice deep and clear.

Sebastian reached into his coat and pulled out a small, old box made of dark wood. He opened it, revealing a vintage gold key.

"Your grandfather bought this brand thirty years ago," Sebastian said, holding the key out to Leo. "He left the deed in a private trust. The lawyers just finished the transfer. The Golden Lion belongs to you now."

Victor’s legs gave out. He stumbled back against the stone counter, his face turning white. The two workers who had been laughing looked like they wanted to vanish.

Leo took the key. He looked at Victor, who was now shaking.

"My shop, right Victor?" Leo asked.

"I... I didn't know!" Victor stammered. "Sir, please! I was only doing my job!"

Leo looked at Nina, who was standing there in shock. Then he looked back at Victor.

"Your job was to serve people," Leo said. "But you only serve money. You're fired, Victor. You and the two standing behind you. Get out. Don't take anything but your coats."

Sebastian signaled to two large men at the door. They walked over and grabbed Victor by the arms, dragging him toward the back exit as he begged for mercy.

Leo turned to Nina. She looked terrified.

"Nina," Leo said. His voice softened. "You're the manager now. Double your salary. Hire people who know how to treat a human being."

Nina gasped, her eyes filling with tears. "Me? But I... I'm just a junior tailor."

"You're the only one who saw me," Leo said. "That makes you the most qualified person here."

He turned to Sebastian. "Where is it?"

Sebastian pointed toward a hidden door behind a velvet curtain. "In the vault, Young Master. Your grandfather had it made for you years ago. He updated the measurements every year. He knew exactly who you would become."

Leo walked into the vault.

Ten minutes later, the black doors of The Golden Lion opened.

Maya was sitting in the Ferrari, tapping her fingers on the steering wheel. She was frustrated. Her call with the lawyers hadn't gone well.

"What is taking him so..."

Her voice died in her throat.

Leo stepped out onto the sidewalk.

The hoodie was gone. In its place was a midnight-black suit that fit him like a second skin. The fabric had a deep, rich look. His white shirt was crisp, and his hair was pushed back, revealing the sharp lines of his face.

He didn't look like a scholarship kid. He looked like the man who owned the city.

Leo walked to the Ferrari and sat down. He didn't look at Maya. He just stared straight ahead.

Maya couldn't speak. She felt a sudden spark of fear. The boy she had been "helping" was gone. This man was someone else.

"Leo?" she whispered. "Where did you get that? That's... that's a Blackwood original."

Leo shrugged.

"It was on sale," he said, his voice flat. "Let's go, Maya. We have an auction to win."