As I stepped into the private banquet hall and looked at the shocked faces of my old classmates, I walked straight past them to the table where Tristan and Michael were sitting. I took a seat right beside them, offering a warm, genuine smile. "Sorry I was out of contact for the past eight years and couldn’t even attend your weddings," I said softly, my voice carrying a note of true regret. "I’m very happy to see you two doing well."
They smiled back, their eyes holding genuine warmth. "It’s all right, Julian," Tristan replied. "Recently, we saw you on the TV news when you took over the Young family. We were so happy to see that you weren’t struggling anymore and that you’re doing well after all this years."
I looked at them, my expression softening. "I didn’t contact you because I had to throw myself entirely into my work to prove to my family that I was worthy of being heir. I focused everything on my career, and as you saw on the news, I’ve taken over the Young Group and Cosmos Group. Now, in Metro City, no one holds more power and influence than I do. But even with all of that, it was still a long road."
I turned around, picked up the two gift bags I had brought with me, and handed one to Tristan and the other to Michael. "These are wedding gifts for you and your wives. Please accept them as my personal apology and my best wishes for your futures."
They took the boxes hesitantly, opening them to reveal the exquisite luxury items inside. Their eyes went wide with alarm. "Julian... this is far too expensive! We can’t accept something like this!"
"It’s not expensive at all if you consider our friendship," I insisted gently, patting their shoulders. "Please, just accept them." Reluctantly, they nodded and put the boxes away with deep gratitude.
I then turned my attention back to the rest of the class. Visible regret, envy, and awkward jealousy flickered across their faces, but I didn’t care about any of them. Suddenly, one of the female classmates leaned forward, her voice laced with disbelief. "Julian... are you really the chairman of the Cosmos Group?"
I looked at her calmly. "If I wasn’t, why would I appear on the national news? Think before you ask."
Another classmate jumped in, eyes wide. "And are you really from a hidden noble family?"
"Yes, but I’m not allowed to talk about the details until an official announcement is made, so let’s drop that topic," I answered coolly.
Turning back to my two friends, I smiled. "Why don’t you and your families come over to my house this weekend for dinner?"
Tristan nodded eagerly. "We’d love to, but before that, you have to come over to our place first. We actually live right near each other in the same apartment complex—so come eat with us after we leave here."
"Sounds like a plan," I agreed easily.
Just then, a hotel attendant walked over and handed me my car keys. "Boss, your car is parked and secured in your private executive garage."
Before I could reply, an arrogant voice cut through the air. "Oh, sorry everyone, I’m late!"
It was the class monitor, who had just returned from working abroad. Because he had been out of the country for years, he had no idea about my current background, my corporate empire, or the power I held. He strode over with an inflated sense of self-importance. "Oh, Julian, you came too? I heard you completely vanished for the last eight years."
I looked up at him with utter indifference. "You didn’t come to any reunions either. Did I ask you where you were?"
The monitor’s smile faltered, replaced by a defensive sneer. "Well, unlike you hiding away, I was abroad earning big money! I just got a major promotion, and my yearly package is five million Stardollars."
"Good for you," I replied flatly.
He puffed out his chest, looking down his nose at me. "You wouldn’t even fit to shine my shoes, let alone sit here as my classmate. Why don’t you just leave so the rest of us can actually enjoy our dinner in peace?"
The entire room went dead silent. Everyone stared at him, thinking, What on earth is this idiot saying? Does he have a death wish?
Before I even had to lift a finger, one of my shadow soldiers—discreetly stationed near the door—strode forward and delivered a lightning-fast backhand slap straight across the monitor’s face. The impact was so ferocious that it shattered several of his teeth, sending him spinning backward onto the floor.
The class monitor clutched his bleeding cheek, howling in rage and pain. "What did you do?! Do you have any idea who my connections are?! The general manager’s son of this hotel is my personal friend—we met at a massive high-society party abroad!"
Trembling with humiliation, he pulled out his phone, dialed his friend’s number, and babbled out an exaggerated, distorted version of events.
Miraculously, within fifteen minutes, a familiar obnoxious brat burst through the double doors of the banquet hall. I took one look at him and let out a cold chuckle. Isn’t this the exact same spoiled brat I taught a lesson to at the mall yesterday?
"Didn’t I tell you that I’d beat you every single time I laid eyes on you?" I asked softly, standing up from my chair.
The young man froze, staring at me in sheer terror. "D-Don’t do anything! My father is the general manager of this hotel!"
"Is that so?" I stepped forward, grabbing his wrist. "Call him right now. Let’s see what your precious father can do."
Panicking, the brat pulled out his phone and dialed his father. A harsh, furious voice boomed through the speaker: "Who dares touch my son?! I’m coming right now!" and the call abruptly disconnected.
"Well, you called your father," I said calmly. "Now, let’s finish what I started."
With a sharp twist of both hands, I snapped his wrist joint with a sickening crunch. He let out a piercing, blood-curdling scream of agony. Moments later, the general manager burst into the room, gasping for breath, but the moment his eyes landed on me, all the color drained from his face. "S-Sir... you?!"
I looked down at the whimpering manager with absolute coldness. "Your son tried to assault me twice in two days. I don’t like people making the same mistake twice, because normal humans don’t repeat mistakes. Those who repeat them aren’t humans, and I certainly don’t keep animals around."
I pulled out my phone, dialed the hotel’s executive director, and gave direct instructions: "Fire this general manager and his son immediately. Dig up every single kickback and bribe he has taken over the years, hand all the evidence over to the authorities, and make sure they spend the rest of their lives behind bars."
Turning away from the pathetic groveling on the floor, I looked at Tristan and Michael. "Let’s go. Let’s get out of here and go to your place instead."
The two of them nodded, completely unfazed by the chaos, and we walked out of the banquet hall together.
I handed my keys to the head valet, who quickly brought my luxury SUV around to the front entrance. Tristan, Michael, and I climbed into the spacious cabin. I started the engine and looked over. "So, where to?"
"Sunrise Apartments," Tristan replied.
"Oh, that’s a very decent residential area. You two must be doing great in your careers," I remarked.
Tristan let out a bitter, heavy sigh. "We were doing fine... but not anymore. We both got fired."
I raised an eyebrow, shifting the car into gear. "Fired? What happened?"
"We discovered that our arrogant team leader stole our entire project file and put his own name on it to take all the credit," Michael explained, his fists clenched in frustration. "We didn’t have solid proof at the exact moment we confronted him, and to make matters worse, that team leader was the secret mistress of the department director. So, she fabricated excuses and made the company fire both of us on the spot. We managed to save a little money, but as you know in this city, savings never last long."
Tristan nodded grimly, adding, "And it’s even more problematic for Michael."
"Why’s that?" I asked, glancing over at him.
"Well, his wife is currently seven months pregnant," Tristan said quietly. "Michael needs stability and money now more than ever. Who knows how long his savings will hold out with a baby on the way?"
I smiled softly, tapping the steering wheel. "If you two don’t have any objections, how would you like to come work as the general managers for the Cosmos Group and the Young Group? In a month or two, I’m expanding our primary operations to River City, and I desperately need trustworthy people I can rely on to manage our branches and ongoing projects here in Metro City. What do you say?"
Michael’s eyes welled up with sudden tears. He covered his face with his hands, his shoulders shaking. "Julian... I was so ashamed to ask you for a job tonight, even though I desperately wanted to bring it up. But you offered it to me before I even had the courage to ask..."
I reached across the console and playfully punched him in the shoulder. "We’re brothers, Michael. If family doesn’t help each other out in hard times, who will? And honestly, by taking over these positions, you’re helping me just as much by letting me expand my business in River City without any worries."
I paused, giving them a firm look. "Your starting salary will be 10 million Stardollars annually, plus performance dividends."
Both of them gasped in unison, their eyes popping out of their heads. "What?! Ten million?! Julian, that’s way too much!"
"Nothing is too much for the loyalty you showed me in the past," I replied steadily.
As we talked, the SUV smoothly pulled into the parking lot of Sunrise Apartments. We rode the elevator up to the 16th floor and walked down the hallway. Michael rang his doorbell while Tristan knocked on the door right next door.
A moment later, both doors swung open. We stepped inside Michael’s cozy apartment. Since his wife was visibly pregnant, I immediately took a seat on the couch to make her comfortable. Tristan and Michael formally introduced us.
"This is my wife, Kiara," Tristan said, gesturing to his partner.
"And this is my wife, Rhea," Michael added gently. Then, turning to the two women with wide grins, they announced, "And this is our best friend, our brother... and our brand-new boss, Julian Vance—the exact same Julian you saw on the financial news!"
Both wives gasped, staring at me in absolute shock.
Tristan chuckled nervously. "To be honest, Julian, they didn’t believe us when we told them we were your best friends. They thought we were just joking around!"
I laughed warmly, waving a hand. "No, no, sister-in-laws, we really are brothers."
I reached into the shopping bags I had brought along and handed them the beautifully wrapped gift boxes. "I’m so sorry I couldn’t attend your weddings, but please accept these as my apology and congratulatory gifts. And honestly, if I had known about the baby on the way, I would have brought even more gifts for the little one. Please forgive me for that oversight!"