The Monarch Crown System

20. He Crawled In

The tension at the table thickened the moment Elias reached Kiara.

He did not raise his voice. He did not posture. He simply extended his hand toward her, his gaze steady and calm.

“Come with me,” he said quietly.

Kiara did not hesitate. She reached for his hand instinctively, relief flooding her face as her fingers brushed his. For the first time since the lunch began, she felt safe.

But before they could take even one step, a hand slammed down between them.

Damien stood abruptly, his chair scraping loudly against the marble floor as he blocked their path.

“Let go of my wife,” he barked.

The word hit the room like a slap.

Elias looked at him slowly. “Your wife?”

Damien sneered. “Do not play stupid with me. She is mine.”

Elias turned to Kiara, his voice gentle but firm. “Do you know him?”

Kiara’s chest tightened. She glanced briefly at Damien, then at her parents, then at Celeste, whose eyes burned with contempt. In that moment, she understood exactly why Elias had come. She shook her head firmly.

“No,” she said.

Then she stepped fully behind Elias, gripping the back of his jacket as if anchoring herself to him.

Susan shot up from her seat. “Kiara, have you lost your mind?”

Henry slammed his palm on the table. “Get back here this instant.”

Celeste laughed harshly. “So this is who you are now. Chasing after trash.”

Susan pointed at Kiara with trembling fury. “You shameless girl. Following a lowlife like him. Have you no dignity?”

Henry added bitterly, “We raised a whore in our own house.”

Kiara flinched, but she did not move.

Damien’s face darkened. His anger was no longer contained. “You think you can choose him over me?” he snapped, glaring at Kiara. “Do you know who I am?”

He turned to the Halstons, his voice cold. “If you do not get her under control, I will make sure you regret it. Without me, you are nothing.”

Susan’s face paled instantly. “Damien, please.”

Henry rushed to placate him. “She is confused. She will come around.”

Elias finally spoke again.

“You are threatening them,” he said calmly.

Damien laughed. “I am reminding them of reality.”

Elias met his gaze without blinking. “Reality is not as simple as you think.”

Damien scoffed. “You talk too much for someone who has nothing.”

The surrounding tables had gone quiet. People were watching openly now, sensing drama. Damien straightened his jacket, clearly deciding it was time to humiliate Elias publicly.

He glanced around the restaurant deliberately before smirking. “Do you even know where you are?”

Elias did not respond.

“This is the Golden Tulip,” Damien continued loudly. “This entrance is reserved for the one percent. People wait days just to get approval to step inside.”

He leaned closer. “Dining here costs fifty thousand dollars before you even touch the food. Without a reservation, it costs one hundred thousand just to walk through that door.”

He laughed mockingly. “Your type cannot even afford the parking lot.”

The Halstons immediately seized the opening.

Susan scoffed. “So that is it. He sneaked in.”

Henry nodded eagerly. “Probably crawled through a hole somewhere.”

Celeste smirked. “This hotel does not forgive people like you. Security will throw you out and you’d be sued for trespassing.”

Kiara’s grip tightened on Elias’s jacket. Her fear returned full force. She looked up at him, panic in her eyes.

“I am sorry,” she whispered. “I did not know this would happen.”

She turned to Damien, her voice trembling. “Please, have mercy. This is my fault.”

Damien waved her off dismissively. “You should have thought of that earlier.”

Elias placed a hand gently over Kiara’s, steadying her.

“I came through the main entrance,” he said calmly.

The words drew laughter.

Damien chuckled. “Do you expect us to believe that?”

Henry laughed louder. “This man has no shame.”

Susan shook her head. “Delusional.”

Damien folded his arms. “Let me guess. You bribed someone?”

“No,” Elias replied. “I paid.”

Damien raised an eyebrow, amused. “You did not pay one hundred thousand dollars for a pass, did you?”

He laughed openly now. “That would be impossible.”

Elias’s expression did not change.

“Of course I did,” he said.

The laughter died instantly.

Damien’s smile froze. His jaw dropped slightly before he caught himself.

The Halstons stared at Elias in stunned silence.

The restaurant felt suddenly very small.