Chapter 29 –Lucas' Worst Nightmare

A suffocating silence gripped the room as Ethan reached into his jacket pocket. Every eye was locked onto him, waiting for the moment of truth. Would he crumble under the pressure, proving Lucas right? Or would he somehow, against all expectations, manage to pay?

Lucas leaned back in his chair, arms crossed, a smug smirk tugging at his lips. "Well, Ethan?" he taunted. "Let's see if you've got what it takes."

Ethan didn't respond. He simply pulled out his wallet and retrieved a card—one none of them had ever seen before.

The moment he placed it on the bill folder, the room fell into a stunned silence.

"What kind of card is that?" someone whispered.

Even the waiter hesitated before picking it up, his professional demeanor cracking just slightly. He examined the card for a brief second before giving Ethan a respectful nod and walking toward the payment terminal.

Lucas scoffed. "Tch. He's just putting on a show. Probably a limited-edition gimmick or something."

"Yeah," another classmate muttered. "I've never seen a card like that before. What bank even issues that?"

Ethan ignored the whispers, uninterested in giving them an explanation. It wasn't his problem that they didn't recognize it. After all, only ten people in the entire world had access to this card. He wasn't about to break his low-key lifestyle just to satisfy their curiosity.

The waiter returned moments later and placed the receipt in front of Ethan.

"Thank you for your payment, sir," he said with a deep bow. "Everything has been processed successfully."

Lucas' smirk froze.

The entire class exchanged shocked glances.

"Wait... he actually paid?"

"That means he just dropped 99 grand like it was nothing..."

Ethan calmly took the receipt, slipping it into his pocket. Without saying a word, he stood up and adjusted his black jacket. Jordan followed suit, patting Ethan on the back as they turned to leave.

As Ethan and Jordan walked toward the exit, Lucas finally snapped out of his daze. He let out an awkward chuckle. "Hah! Well, it looks like it's my turn then."

The confidence in his voice was forced. He grabbed his wallet, retrieving his own card—a platinum-tier card he had always been so proud of—and handed it to the waiter.

The waiter took the card, slid it into the machine, and...

Declined.

Lucas frowned. "Try again."

The waiter complied, running it through a second time. The machine let out the same disheartening beep. Declined.

Murmurs erupted across the room.

"Wait, did it just..."

"No way..."

Sophia, sitting beside Lucas, stiffened. She could already feel what was coming next. Her fingers twitched slightly before she suddenly stood up. "I need to go to the restroom," she announced.

Emily and Tabitha, her two best friends, immediately followed.

Lucas barely noticed. He was too busy staring at the waiter. "Again. Try it again," he demanded, his voice losing its composure.

The waiter hesitated, but given the persistence of the customer, he attempted once more.

Declined.

This time, the waiter didn't even look at Lucas. He simply handed the card back.

"I'm sorry, sir. Your payment cannot be processed."

Lucas' face burned with humiliation. His classmates, the ones who had once looked at Ethan with disdain, were now whispering among themselves, their judgmental gazes directed at him instead.

Sweat beaded on his forehead as he grabbed his phone, hastily dialing his father.

"Dad... I need you to come to the Royal Garden. Now."

Meanwhile, in the restroom, Sophia splashed cold water on her face. Her mind was a whirlwind of emotions.

"Lucas is screwed," Tabitha muttered.

"You think he's gonna ask us for money?" Emily added with a scoff. "Because I am not covering for him."

Sophia exhaled sharply, turning to the two of them. "He won't even get the chance."

Just then, as they were about to step out, a stranger approached them. A young man, sharply dressed but clearly drunk, smirked as he leaned toward Sophia.

"Hey, gorgeous. You here alone?"

Sophia barely spared him a glance. "Move."

The man chuckled, stepping in closer. "Oh, don't be so cold. How about a drink? My treat."

Sophia's patience snapped. Without a word, she slapped him across the face—hard. The sound echoed in the restroom, leaving a stinging red mark on his cheek.

"What the—" the man hissed, holding his face.

Sophia didn't care. She pushed past him, Emily and Tabitha following close behind.

"Let's go. I don't have time for this."

By the time Sophia and her friends returned, they found Lucas standing stiffly at the table, his father having already arrived.

Lucas' father, a towering man with a sharp, authoritative presence, looked absolutely livid. His sharp gaze moved from his son to the bill, then back to Lucas.

Without a word, he slapped Lucas across the face.

The entire class gasped.

"You absolute disgrace," Lucas' father seethed. "How dare you humiliate me like this?"

Lucas' pride crumbled under the weight of his father's fury. His hands clenched into fists, his face burning with both pain and shame.

His father didn't even wait for a response. He took out his own card and paid the bill without hesitation.

The moment the transaction was completed, he turned back to Lucas.

"We're leaving. Now."

Lucas had no choice but to follow. As he passed by his classmates, he could feel their judging stares, their hushed whispers—this night would haunt him forever.

Meanwhile, Outside

Ethan and Jordan walked toward the valet, the cold night air refreshing against their skin.

Jordan let out a low whistle. "Damn, that was intense. You really just paid 99 grand like it was nothing."

Ethan chuckled. "It's just money."

Jordan glanced at him. "That card of yours... I've never seen anything like it. You're not gonna tell me what it is, huh?"

Ethan smirked but didn't answer.

Jordan sighed. "Figures."

Just then, they heard the distinct sound of Lucas' father's car roaring past them. Through the tinted windows, they could barely make out Lucas' humiliated silhouette in the backseat.

Jordan shook his head. "Man... he's never living this down."

Ethan merely adjusted his jacket and exhaled. "He brought it on himself."

With that, he signaled for the valet to bring his ride.

Tonight was just the beginning.