The Live‑In Son‑In‑Law Who Ruled The World

Chapter 8 — The Mind Game

After the waiter's words,"We don't need any part‑time workers here today,"the air at the entrance froze instantly.

Four people were clearly standing there, yet the waiter seemed to have eyes only for Alexander, his gaze fixed squarely on him, not sparing a fraction for the others beside him.

Alexander was wearing the most ordinary shirt and trousers. The colors were clean, but the style was indeed understated. Standing next to Aurelia and Nahir, both dressed in haute couture, he looked particularly out of place.

Aurelia's expression darkened immediately.

She had already been in a foul mood because of the previous night's events. Now, humiliated in public by the waiter, her lips tightened sharply, and even the look she shot at Alexander carried fire.

"Alexander, could you please stop embarrassing me?"

Her voice was very low, but every word was sharp.

"Why is it that everywhere we go, as long as I bring you along, you always make me lose face? For once we go out, can't you wear something decent? Dressed so cheaply—don't you find it shabby yourself?"

Vivian stood beside her, frowning slightly as if she wanted to say something, but in the end, she held back.

Nahir, however, stepped forward half a pace, wearing an understanding, gentle smile, his voice pitched just right for everyone at the entrance to hear.

"Aura, don't blame Alex."

He glanced at Alexander, the slight contempt in his eyes barely concealed.

"He's used to serving people at home. It's natural that he dresses like a waiter when he goes out. Petty bourgeois, you know? That's just how it is. Once he gets more used to the lives of the rich, he'll be fine."

At these words, Aurelia's expression darkened even further.

She didn't think Nahir had gone too far. She only felt that Alexander's presence there made her look worse.

Alexander remained silent the whole time. He simply lifted his eyes and looked at Nahir, his gaze cold as ice.

Nahir felt an inexplicable chill run down his back. His smile froze for a moment, then he casually looked away.

Vivian finally couldn't hold back anymore. Her face looked grim as she turned to the waiter.

"Waiter, this is our friend. How can you speak like that?"

The waiter immediately dropped his earlier attitude toward Alexander and resumed his standard, formulaic calm.

"Ma'am, it's my job. Even customers need to make a reservation in advance to enter."

At these words, Aurelia's expression turned thoroughly unpleasant.

The anger in her eyes seemed ready to burst out, as if it would erupt at any moment.

Seeing this, Nahir immediately stepped forward, as if to smooth things over for her.

"Waiter, I made a reservation for this cafélast night."

The waiter's demeanor became more professional. He gestured with his hand:"Very well, sir. Please enter your membership number."

Nahir's lips curled upward as he regained some of his confidence.

He reached out and entered his membership number on the machine, his movements unhurried, as if victory was already within his grasp.

Aurelia stood by, and the look she gave him noticeably softened.

Vivian also raised an eyebrow, as if waiting to see the waiter proven wrong.

But the next second, the waiter looked at the screen, and his expression changed.

He looked up, and his tone suddenly turned sharp.

"I'm sorry, but you are only an ordinary member. You are not eligible to make a reservation. There must be some mistake. You cannot enter. Reservations are required, and today's reservations are full."

The smile on Nahir's face froze.

"What did you say?"

The waiter repeated himself expressionlessly.

"Dear customer, in our establishment, only Premium members and above have reservation privileges. As an ordinary member, you do not have that right. It's the store's policy."

Nahir's face darkened completely.

"Impossible."He stared at the waiter, his voice hardening."How can my membership not allow reservations? Do you know who I am?"

The waiter remained neither humble nor pushy.

"I'm sorry, sir. Rules are rules."

People at the entrance had started to look their way.

Kairo Coffee was the most famous influencer caféin the city. Reservations were always in high demand, and the number of people trying to get in was insane. With a per‑person average spend of over ten thousand dollars, people still flocked to it, treating it as a status symbol.

Nahir had merely made a phone call to confirm the night before. He had assumed his status would be more than enough, but he never imagined he wouldn't even be able to get through the door.

Aurelia began to grow uneasy as well.

She had only wanted to bring Nahir here to show off. But if they were turned away at the door today, by tomorrow everyone near the company would know that she and Nahir couldn't even qualify to enter a café.

If word of this got out, it wouldn't just be a loss of face.

If the media added fuel to the fire and reported that the founder of Aurelia's company couldn't even get into top‑tier social venues, it would affect future fundraising and even jeopardize the Harbor International deal.

The more she thought about it, the uglier her expression became.

Nahir clearly refused to accept being humiliated in public either.

He pulled out his phone with a cold expression, his voice barely containing his anger.

"You must have gotten the rules wrong. I contacted your store manager last night, and he personally told me I could come in. I'll call him right now."

The waiter didn't stop him. He simply stood there, his expression indifferent.

Nahir dialed the number and deliberately put it on speaker, his face regaining a bit of the confident control he thought he had.

The call connected quickly.

"I'm at the entrance and can't get into the store. Didn't you say yesterday that I could make a reservation?"

On the other end of the line, the manager's voice carried a perfunctory, apologetic tone.

"Sorry, Mr. Nahir. You contacted us too late. I hadn't woken up properly last night, and my mind wasn't clear. I forgot that you're only an ordinary member."

The surroundings went quiet for a moment.

Nahir's face turned visibly ugly.

"Do you think just saying sorry is enough?"His voice rose, his anger no longer contained."I'm being blocked at the entrance right now. Who's going to bear the reputational damage? If this affects the family business's stock price, can you afford the consequences?"

There was a half‑second of silence on the other end of the line.

When the manager spoke again, his tone had turned completely cold.

"Kairo Coffee does not fear any family's power. That's why it's so popular. Even the head of the Kairo family himself would need a Premium membership to make a reservation."

These words landed like a slap squarely on Nahir's face.

Aurelia and Vivian both froze.

Nahir's hand gripping the phone tightened sharply, his knuckles turning white.

He had just been throwing his weight around, and now the manager had publicly slapped him back, leaving him not even the last shred of dignity.

But he still couldn't accept it. He forced his voice down, even managing to squeeze out a hint of pleading.

"You're already the manager. Isn't there any way at all for me to get in without a reservation?"

The manager's reply was cold, almost dismissive.

"I'm sorry, sir. I don't have the authority to do that."

With those words, the call ended abruptly.

The beeping busy signal sounded twice at the entrance, especially jarring.

Nahir stood frozen on the spot, his face cycling through shades of pale and red.

All the confidence and superiority he had shown moments ago were now shattered completely.

The way Aurelia and Vivian looked at him had changed.

It wasn't admiration anymore, but unmistakable pity.

This time, Nahir had truly made a huge fool of himself.

The line of people behind them was growing longer by the minute.

In just a minute, a queue of over thirty people had formed behind Alexander. Some murmured among themselves, some craned their necks to look, and others pulled out their phones as if ready to capture the spectacle at any moment.

Aurelia's breathing grew heavy.

She knew better than anyone how high the threshold was for this café. Even an ordinary membership card was difficult to obtain; she had only gotten hers through family connections. As for a Premium membership, it was far beyond her current reach.

No matter how unwilling she was, she had to accept it.

At least if they left now, they could preserve a final shred of dignity.

Nahir clearly couldn't bear the stares any longer either. He forced a pathetic smile and turned to Aurelia.

"How about…we find another place?"

His voice was dry, his usual composure gone.

"Otherwise, if we keep blocking the entrance and can't get in, people waiting in line will start complaining."

Aurelia pressed her lips together and remained silent for a long time.

She didn't want to leave, but she also knew that staying would only make things more embarrassing.

Vivian let out a soft sigh and tacitly agreed to leave as well.

The three were just about to turn around when a low, cold voice came from behind them.

"Someone from the Virel family? Can't even get through a door?"

Alexander glanced at Nahir.

Aurelia's footsteps stopped. She turned around.

Nahir froze too.

Vivian looked up. Her eyes landed on Alexander, and her heart sank.

The entrance was noisy. Morning light hit the glass door, bright and cold.

Alexander stood there. His face didn't change much, but something in his eyes felt different.

Nahir's face went red."A live-in husband like you is talking? You couldn't even get a job at a place like this."

Aurelia's voice turned cold."Alexander, stop embarrassing yourself. You don't have any money. Quit acting like a big shot."

Alexander didn't say anything. He just looked at her, then at Nahir."A place like this? I come and go as I please."

Nahir laughed out of anger."Fine. If you can get us in today, I'll get on my knees right here. I won't ask you to apologize."

Alexander stood where he was, his expression cold, as if the curious gazes at the entrance couldn't touch him at all.

Aurelia furrowed her brow and spoke, suppressing her anger:"Alexander, aren't you ashamed enough? If we don't leave now, do you have some way to get us in?"

Nahir let out a cold laugh as well. The humiliation of being turned away at the door moments ago was forcibly compressed into even sharper mockery.

"Alex, this isn't one of your part‑time job places. Make too big a scene, and it'll only get uglier."

Alexander couldn't even be bothered to look at him. He simply took a card from his pocket and handed it to the waiter.

It wasn't a glittering black card, nor any kind of exaggerated status symbol that people would recognize at a glance. It was just an ordinary‑looking card.

Aurelia grew even more impatient.

"Alexander, what are you trying to do now?"

Alexander ignored them.

The waiter took one look at it. Her whole attitude changed. She straightened up.

"I'm very sorry, sir. I didn't know who you were.“