Chapter 3 - The Golden Ticket
The Kingston Legacy Gala was the apex of the social calendar. It was a charity auction where the elite flaunted their unfathomable wealth, bidding millions on trivial items to prove their dominance.
Tristan walked through the cafeteria, handing out the gold-embossed envelopes to his favored courtiers. When he reached the back corner, he stopped at Julian's table.
"Well, well," Tristan mocked, waving an envelope in Julian’s face. "The Gala is this Saturday. Minimum donation at the door is fifty thousand dollars. But I pulled some strings with the committee."
Tristan dropped the envelope onto Julian’s spilled lunch tray. It landed in a puddle of ketchup.
"I got you a ticket," Tristan smiled maliciously. "Of course, you'll have to work the coat check. But at least you'll get to see how real people live. Don't be late, peasant."
The cafeteria erupted into cruel laughter. Maya looked down, her face flushed with secondhand embarrassment.
Julian didn't flinch. He calmly picked up the stained envelope by the corner, his expression unreadable. He looked at the golden seal, then back at Tristan.
"I'll be there," Julian said evenly. "But I won't be taking coats."
Tristan laughed, a harsh, barking sound. "Right. What are you going to wear? That tragic jacket? See you Saturday, nobody."
May you like
As Tristan walked away, Julian pulled his phone back out. He opened a secure messaging app and sent a single text to Alistair, the Vance family’s chief of operations.
Prepare a suit. And look into Sterling Holdings. It's time to test their foundations.
