Chapter 3 - Cheap Coffee and Bitter Truths
Two weeks into the masquerade, Julian found himself addicted to the grueling, mind-numbing routine. He liked the subway ride. He liked the anonymity. He loved watching Maya work.
She was brilliant. Her analytical skills were sharp enough to rival the ivy-league quants Julian employed on Wall Street, but she was trapped behind a desk in Queens because she couldn't afford a fancy pedigree.
It was 9:00 PM on a Friday. The office was empty, save for Julian and Maya. They were sitting in the breakroom, illuminated by the harsh glow of a vending machine. Julian was drinking coffee that tasted like battery acid from a styrofoam cup. In his real life, he drank Kopi Luwak from porcelain. Right now, the battery acid tasted like heaven.
"So," Maya said, kicking her feet up onto the plastic table. "What's a guy like you doing here? You type like a hacker, you speak like a politician, and you wear cheap shirts like they're a costume."
Julian froze mid-sip. His heart hammered. "I'm just a guy paying rent, Maya."
"Right," she laughed, rubbing her tired eyes. "Well, whatever you're running from, I'm glad you're here. You're the only one who can keep up with me."
Julian looked at her. In the harsh breakroom light, she was breathtaking. There was no artificial gloss. No Botox, no forced laughter, no calculated manipulation. She was raw, real, and fiercely loyal to her coworkers.
"Why do you stay?" Julian asked softly. "With your brain, you could be working on Wall Street. You could work for... Vanguard."
Maya scoffed, a bitter sound. "I applied to the Vanguard Spire three years ago. I passed all their tests. Then I got to the final interview with some VP of Human Resources. He looked at my address in Queens, looked at my state college degree, and told me I wasn't 'the right cultural fit.' It's a rigged game, Jules. The elites keep the gates locked."
Julian felt a sharp, twisting guilt in his gut. His empire was designed to be exclusive. He had built the gates she was talking about.
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"If I ever meet Julian Vanguard," Maya muttered, staring into her cheap coffee, "I'm going to throw this hot coffee right in his smug, billionaire face."
Julian chuckled nervously, rubbing the back of his neck. "I'll be sure to hold your coat if you do."
