The Hidden King: Rise of Hercules

Frustration

Weathervane Restaurant is top-tier, a place where Alex never pictured himself walking into.

Before dinner rolled around, though, he had to grab some lunch.

“Pizza delivery!” a guy shouted from right outside Alex’s front door.

Alex smiled, grabbed a hundred-dollar bill, popped the door open, and handed over the cash.

“Thanks for ordering. That comes out to $15.”

“Keep the change!” Alex answered right away, snatching the pizza box. He shut the door before the driver could say another word.

Staring down at the box, he remembered how long it had been since he last ordered pizza, back when every extra cent went toward saving for Sophia’s birthday present.

Alex thought back to what Mr. Kane had told him earlier, wondering how he was supposed to stay under the radar now that he had walked away from his day job.

At least he could afford decent food now instead of scraping by.

After eating, Alex decided to lie down for a solid nap, especially since his body still ached a bit from the rough treatment he caught after waking up next to Sophia.

By the time he woke up, it was pushing six o'clock, so he got moving to prep for dinner.

He took a quick shower and threw on a gray shirt paired with black slacks. Honestly, it was one of the sharpest outfits he owned.

He was heading to Weathervane, fully aware that his everyday clothes didn't match the vibe of a high-end spot like that.

Taking a cab instead, he arrived at the restaurant shortly after and paused outside for a second to take in the impressive architecture.

The Weathervane sat comfortably among the top five luxury restaurants in town, famous for its incredible standards. It pulled in an elite crowd willing to drop serious cash on upscale meals. In short, anyone dining at Weathervane was loaded.

He let out a quiet sigh and started toward the main doors.

“Hey!” A sharp voice stopped him dead in his tracks, and a staff member rushed over to block his path. “What the hell do you think you're doing?”

Judging by his uniform, the guy was a waiter.

Alex blinked once, then twice. “I'm trying to go inside. Why are you interrogating me and blocking my way?”

The waiter looked him up and down, then let out a loud, mocking laugh. “Are you actually joking? You seriously thought I’d let you walk in here?”

Alex gave him a puzzled look. “And why wouldn't you?”

The waiter gave him another harsh inspection.

Alex tracked where the guy's eyes were pointing and realized he was staring right at his simple clothes.

“I know guys of your type inside out. No way am I letting you cause trouble in here. Turn around, you're not getting in!” the waiter declared flatly.

Alex stared at him, completely baffled. “What is your problem? Why can't I walk into this restaurant? Do we know each other?”

“Look, I don't need a history lesson to know what you're up to, and I'm here to put a stop to it!” the waiter snapped, glaring daggers at him. “I swear, broke guys like you always think you can stroll into upscale places and scam free food. Weathervane isn't your playground,” he ranted.

A hot wave of anger hit Alex, but he kept his cool, refusing to make a scene outside such a nice establishment.

Instead, he pulled out his phone and dialed Mr. Kane’s number. The old man picked up on the first ring.

“Hello, Hercules, where are you at?”

Alex glared at the waiter for a second. “I'm standing right outside Weathervane. Did you reserve a table?”

“No, why would I need to do that when I own half the place? Just walk right in, the staff will take care of you. Plus, I'll be arriving shortly,” Mr. Kane explained.

“Well,” Alex started, noticing the waiter glaring at him with pure contempt. “I can't even get through the door because a waiter won't let me. He's been insulting me and making a spectacle out of me for the last few minutes.”

“What the hell! Who is this clueless idiot?” Mr. Kane roared over the line. “Give me ten minutes and I'll be right there. I am so sorry about this, please don't let it ruin your night,” he apologized.

Alex nodded. “All right, I'll be waiting,” he said before hanging up.

The waiter scoffed loudly. “Oh, that's rich. Are you trying to act tough on the phone? Because it's not working, you're still locked out,” his eyes hardened. “And don't lie, you didn't call anybody important, and there is zero chance you can afford a single plate here.”

Alex opened his mouth to put the jerk in his place, but a familiar, arrogant voice cut in from behind him.

“Well, look who it is, the broke ex-boyfriend,” Ryan mocked, walking up alongside Mia.

Mia giggled behind her hand. “He was never my boyfriend. Just some total loser trying to keep up appearances. Maybe he should try getting a real job before thinking about dating.”

“You shouldn't go around treating people like trash,” Alex warned quietly.

Ryan and Mia laughed even harder.

“That is hilarious. By the way, what are you even doing here? Because we both know your bank account can't handle a place like this.”

Alex shrugged with a faint smile. “Actually, Mr. Kane invited me here.”

“Oh really?” Ryan smirked, turning to Mia. “I forgot to mention, Mr. Kane apparently thinks this clown is the grandson of an old buddy. He probably crawled here begging for charity.”

Mia nodded along. “So he crashed the invite, basically?”

“Spot on!” Ryan laughed.

“You heard what I said,” Alex cut in, keeping his tone dead serious. “He personally invited me.”

The waiter snickered again. “I knew it! Total clown show.”

Ryan, Mia, and the waiter all burst out laughing together.