That night, the city was bathed in neon light.
The "Apex Club" stood tall in the financial district—a towering glass building that glowed like a diamond. It was the most exclusive club in the city, a place where the entry fee alone was more than most people made in a year.
A long line of luxury cars stretched down the street. Celebrities, CEOs, and heirs to fortunes waited patiently outside, hoping to be let in.
At the front of the line, Derek Morgan was preening.
He held a golden membership card in his hand—the highest level, or so he claimed. Mia stood beside him, wearing a revealing red dress, soaking in the envious glances from the crowd.
"See that?" Derek said proudly to Mia. "This is the real high society. That loser Leo could never even get within a mile of this place."
Mia nodded, but her mind kept wandering back to the scene at the hospital. Leo's cold gaze, Dr. Harrison's respect, the $50 million donation… it all felt like a dream.
But she pushed the thought away. Derek was her boyfriend now. He was rich, he was powerful. Leo was just a fluke.
"Next!" The bouncer at the door shouted.
Derek stepped forward, holding out his golden card triumphantly. "Derek Morgan. VIP."
The bouncer took the card and swiped it through a machine. His expression changed.
"I'm sorry, sir," the bouncer said flatly. "This card is counterfeit."
The crowd gasped.
"Counterfeit?" Derek's face turned red. "Impossible! I paid $100,000 for this!"
"The real Apex Club golden card has a microchip and a holographic seal," the bouncer explained, holding up the card. "Yours has neither. Security!"
Two large security guards stepped forward.
"Wait!" Derek shouted, panic in his voice. "My father knows the owner! Call him! Call Mr. Winston!"
The bouncer sneered. "Mr. Winston is busy tonight. He's personally welcoming our most honored guest."
Just then, the crowd parted.
A black supercar—even more luxurious than Derek's rented one—pulled up to the curb.
The door opened. Leo Carter stepped out.
He was wearing a custom-made Armani suit, a watch worth more than Derek's entire net worth on his wrist. His hair was styled perfectly, and his Peak Charm Aura made every woman in the crowd turn to look at him.
Kane followed closely behind.
The moment the bouncer saw Leo, his stern expression melted into a grin. He bowed deeply, lower than he had bowed to anyone all night.
"MR. CARTER!" he shouted, loud enough for everyone to hear. "Welcome to the Apex Club! Mr. Winston is waiting for you inside!"
Leo nodded. He glanced at Derek and Mia, who were frozen in place.
Derek's face was as white as a sheet. Mia's mouth was open, her eyes wide with terror and disbelief.
Leo walked past them, pausing for just a second. He looked at Mia, his voice calm but icy.
"Mia," he said. "You said I'd never amount to anything. You said this place was for 'normal people' like me."
He gestured to the bouncer, who was holding the door open for him.
"Apparently, the definition of 'normal' has changed."
Mia felt tears stinging her eyes. She wanted to say something, to apologize, to beg him to take her back. But no words came out.
Leo turned and walked into the club.
As the glass doors closed behind him, Derek collapsed onto the sidewalk. His fake card, his pride, his relationship with Mia—everything was shattered.
Mia stood there, staring at the closed doors. The envious glances from the crowd were now replaced with pity and mockery.
She thought of Leo's smile in the rain. She thought of his $100 million bank balance. She thought of the $50 million donation.
And for the first time in her life, Mia felt true, soul-crushing regret.
Inside the club, Leo was led to the top floor by Mr. Winston himself—the owner of the Apex Club, a billionaire in his own right.
"Mr. Carter! What an honor to have you here!" Mr. Winston said, shaking Leo's hand vigorously. "Kane told me you might stop by. I've prepared the best suite for you."
Leo looked out the window, down at the street where Mia still stood, a small, lonely figure in the rain.
He took a sip of his champagne.
The game was just getting interesting.
But first, he had a business empire to build.
[Ding!]
[Host has completed the "Humiliate the Fake Rich" quest!]
[Reward: 50% stake in Morgan Real Estate (Derek's father's company)!]
[New Quest Unlocked: Build a Business Empire! Reach a net worth of $1 Billion within one month!]
Leo smiled.
One billion?
Piece of cake.