Chapter 2
The entrance to the Nova Luxe gaped like a giant mouth, pouring out golden light.
I stood before the revolving doors, looking down at my faded hoodie and the worn-out canvas shoes on my feet.
The security guard stepped in front of me, his eyes saying loud and clear, "You don't belong here."
"Sir, if you're here for a delivery, please use the side entrance."
Without a word, I slapped the black Carter Holdings card right onto his chest.
The guard's face went from looking down on me to freaking out, all in three seconds.
He bowed so deep he was practically folded in half, holding the card out with both hands, his voice strangled like he had a mouthful of cotton. "M-Mr. Carter, please, this way."
The door to the Grand Hall swung open, and a blast of air conditioning mixed with the scent of luxury perfume hit me.
My dad, William Carter, was sitting at the head of the table, clinking glasses with a middle-aged man.
"Alax, you certainly live up to your reputation... distinctive style."
He glanced at my outfit, his lips twitching as he forced a polite smile.
He was Richard Lane, the head of Lane Enterprises.
"Violet's not here yet?" William shot me a glare, frowning, then turned to Richard.
Richard glanced at his watch. "That girl said she wanted to pick out a gift herself. She'll be here any minute."
I swaggered over and dropped into a seat, grabbed a top-shelf cigar from the table, lit it up, and took a long drag.
"Dad, let's get one thing straight. After tonight, don't bug me about this anymore. I've got a girlfriend. Her name's Violet, and she's a college student hustling to pay her own way..."
I didn't even get to finish my sentence before the doors swung open again.
The sharp click of high heels on marble echoed through the hall, each step pounding in my chest like a hammer.
"Sorry, Dad, Mr. Carter. Traffic was brutal."
I would have recognized that voice in hell.
I whipped my head around.
There she was. A woman, in a black strapless evening gown, with an oversized sapphire necklace gleaming at her neck, walked in.
Her long hair was styled in flawless waves, her makeup icy and glamorous, and every step she took just oozed wealth.
It was Violet.
She was carrying a limited-edition Hermès bag, greeting the elders with perfect grace.
Then, her gaze locked onto me.
For a split second, her pupils contract violently, and all that elegant composure just froze.
I was just as stunned, too.
I was still clutching that half-smoked cigar. The grease stains on my hoodie gleamed under the crystal chandelier.
"Alex?" Her voice trembled with disbelief.
"Violet?" My throat went dry, and my heart was pounding so hard it felt like it might slam right through my ribs.
William and Richard shot each other a baffled glance.
"You two know each other?"
Violet's eyes swept over my face, down to my beat-up sneakers, and finally locked onto the exclusive Carter Holdings nameplate sitting in front of me.
She let out a cold laugh, seething with rage over the betrayal.
"Know him? How could I not?"
She strode right up, towering over me, her sapphire necklace catching the light and stabbing at my eyes.
"Did you get your monthly bike-share renewed, Alex?"
I opened my mouth, but not a single word came out.
She grabbed a glass of ice water from the table and, without hesitation, splashed it right in my face.
"We promised to stick together through poor and plain, but you went off and turned out to be a secret rich kid instead. Alex, you are really something else!"