The bronze bells of St. Jude University tolled, echoing across the manicured, emerald-green lawns.

Pandemonium erupted in the ballroom. Suddenly, the people who had mocked Julian hours ago were practically falling over themselves to get near him. The sycophants who had flanked Tristan now looked at Julian with terrifying, desperate awe.

"Mr. Vance!" "Julian, my father is on the board of—" "Julian, please, let me get you a drink—"

Julian stood amidst the chaos, disgusted. This was exactly why he had hidden. This was the disease of the elite. They didn't see a human being; they saw a breathing treasure chest.

He looked around the room, his eyes hard and uncompromising. The silence rippled outward from him until the entire ballroom was quiet once more, waiting on his every word.

"Keep your observatory," Julian told the auctioneer, his voice echoing with absolute finality. "Consider the five million a donation. On one condition."

He pointed to the Dean. "The caste system at this school ends tonight. No more preferential parking. No more VIP cafeterias. You treat the scholarship students with the exact same respect you treat the trust funds. If I find out a single student is harassed over a brand name again, I will buy this academy, bulldoze it to the ground, and pave it over."

The Dean nodded furiously, sweating through his tuxedo. "Yes, Mr. Vance! Absolutely! Whatever you say!"

Julian looked down at Tristan, who was still kneeling on the floor, weeping over his phone. Julian felt no joy in the victory. It was just business.

He turned his back on the stage, the money, and the desperate, pleading eyes of the elite. He walked back down the aisle, straight to where Maya was standing, frozen in shock.

He gently offered her his arm. "I believe I promised you a dance, Maya. But the music here is terrible. Want to get out of here?"

Maya stared at him, looking at the multi-billionaire heir who had just conquered the school in ten minutes. Then, she smiled, slipping her arm through his. "Only if we can get drive-thru burgers. I'm starving."