Their eyes widened at the sleek black card in Mason's hand. This wasn't just any old piece of plastic - it was the mythical Platinum Pinnacle Card.
Whispers rippled through the crowd: only seven of Chicago's most powerful players possessed such a thing.
Smart folks started inching towards the exits, suddenly very aware they might've just ticked off someone who could squash them like bugs. The bolder ones? They leaned in, hungry for drama.
Olivia's snorted, firing a disdainful look towards Mason. "Oh, please," she hissed. "Drop the act, Mason. I know you're full of hot air. You might fool everyone here, but I see right through you. You're as hollow as your promises."
Mason only smiled, and nodded to the auctioneer. 'Carry on,' his eyes seemed to say.
Ethan, not one to be outdone, jumped in. "Babe, I told you don't waste your breath on this loser." He smirked, puffing up like a peacock. "That card? It's as fake as his self-respect. Hell, even my family doesn't have one of those. Only the seven big dogs in Chicago do. So how'd this mutt get his paws on it? If this brainless, idiotic soon-to-be ex-husband of yours thinks he can boast here, he's only going to make a fool of himself even more."
The power couple was on a roll, slinging insults like they were going out of style. They wanted to see Mason break, to watch him crumble and admit what a worthless, shameless skull he was.
But Mason? He was getting good at this game. Still, a part of him ached. How had Olivia, the woman he once loved, become so hellbent on destroying him?
"Is it a crime to be so poor and unworthy? Clearly, a poor man can't survive in this world." Mason pondered.
The auctioneer returned, bearing a box that screamed 'stupid expensive.' Inside, nestled on a bed of midnight blue velvet, lay the most exquisite necklace Mason had ever seen. A teardrop-shaped diamond, easily the size of a quail's egg, hung from a delicate platinum chain studded with smaller diamonds. It caught the light, throwing rainbow fractals across the room.
"Congrats, sir," the auctioneer said, clearly impressed. "You're now the proud owner of the Aurora Borealis Diamond. Only three of these babies exist in the whole world."
The room went quiet. You could've heard a pin drop - or a jaw hit the floor. No one dared join the power couples in humiliating Mason any further.
Ethan's face did a dance between disbelief and fury. "No way," he sputtered. "This has gotta be some kind of trick! Did he really buy the diamond?"
The auctioneer, caught between a rock and a hard place, obvious that he didn't want to get entangled into whatever was going on between this two, cleared his throat. "With all due respect, sir, Mr. Rivers here did indeed purchase the Aurora Borealis Diamond. It's, uh, one of only three in existence." Showing him the receipt.
Mason nodded, snapping the box shut with a satisfying click. He turned to leave, savoring his moment of triumph, when Ethan's voice sliced through the stunned silence.
"You!" Ethan snarled, all pretense of composure gone. "How the hell did you pull this off? What kind of game are you playing?"
Mason raised an eyebrow, looking bored as all get-out. "Game? I wasn't aware we were playing one, Mr. Langford. I saw something shiny, I bought it. Isn't that how these fancy parties work?"
Ethan's face twisted, an ugly sneer distorting his handsome features. "Cut the crap, Rivers. Don't play dumb with me. You're a nobody, a washed-up contractor who can barely keep the lights on. Where'd you get three million bucks?"
Mason leaned in close, his voice dropping to a whisper. "Maybe, just maybe, you don't know jack about me, Ethan. Maybe there's more to Mason Rivers than meets the eye."
He pulled back, relishing the flicker of doubt in Ethan's eyes. Then, loud enough for their growing audience to hear: "Now, if you'll excuse me, I've got a rather pricey bit of bling to take care of. Have a lovely evening, won't you?"
As Mason turned to leave, he locked eyes with Olivia. For a split second, he saw... something. A crack in her icy facade? Regret? Curiosity?
But he made sure he delivered the message that this wasn't over.
"You think this changes anything?" Olivia hissed. "You're still the same pathetic loser I left. Money can't buy class, Mason."
Mason smiled, a genuine one this time. "You're right, Olivia. It can't. But it can buy a hell of a lot of other things. Like, say, a controlling interest in Langford Industries?"
Ethan's head snapped up so fast you'd think he'd been electrocuted. "What did you just say?"
Mason winked, enjoying the way Ethan's composure crumbled. "Oh, nothing. Just thinking out loud. Have a lovely evening, you two. Bye now."
Sweet victory had never tasted quite like this. Mason stood alone in his moment of triumph, and somehow that made it even better – this quiet satisfaction of knowing he'd just knocked Chicago's golden boy down a peg or two.
Behind him, the whispers were already spreading. "Did you see that? Some nobody just outbid Ethan Langford!" The gossip was music to his ears, each shocked murmur and scandalized gasp adding another layer to his satisfaction. His lips curved into a smile he couldn't – and didn't want to – suppress.
This wasn't just about winning a necklace. This was about watching Mr. High-and-Mighty Ethan and his picture-perfect wife squirm as some "nobody" swooped in and snatched their prize. The look on Ethan's face had been worth every penny.
Mason made his exit with unhurried steps, the velvet box warm in his grip. He could feel the weight of their stares – all those elite socialites who wouldn't have given him the time of day an hour ago. Now they'd remember his name, even if they had to whisper it behind their champagne flutes: Mason, the nobody who dared. And wasn't that just the sweetest part of all?
"Not so fast." Ethan's voice cut through the murmurs of the crowd. His lips curled into a cunning smile as he raised his phone. "Don't you dare think this is over."Mason froze, his hand on the door. He turned slowly, eyebrow raised. "Something else on your mind, Ethan?"Ethan's face was already red, veins popping on his forehead. "You worthless fraud! That card - it's stolen! It has to be! There's no way in hell a nobody like you could have a Platinum Pinnacle!"The crowd, which had been buzzing with whispers, fell silent. All eyes darted between Mason and Ethan, like spectators at the world's most intense tennis match. Mason's grip tightened on the velvet box containing the Aurora Borealis Diamond, his knuckles turning white. The accusation was heavy. Seemed like they've finally found the right spot to crush him.Olivia, sensing her moment, stepped forward, her crimson dress catching the light. "Oh, this is rich. First, he shows up here uninvited, and now he's committing fraud?" Her
Mason's heart skipped several beats as the cold metal pressed against his skull. Eve's familiar voice sent a chill down his spine that had nothing to do with the night air."Don't move," she growled again, "or I'll paint this parking lot with your brains."His mouth went dry. This was it—she'd figured out his deception. "Eve, what's—""Care to explain," she cut him off, her tone deadly serious, "why our birthday boy who should be at his own party with the boys chose the police station as his preferred venue?"The gun lowered, and Mason released a breath he hadn't realized he'd been holding. She was joking. Sort of.He forced a chuckle, though his heart still raced, studying Eve's expression for any sign she knew more than she let on. "What can I say? The birthday boy was just buying himself a present before those idiotic cops got entertained about this card." He pulled out the black Platinum Pinnacle, extending it toward Eve, while being perfect maintaining his composure. "Those idiot
Mason's heart did a weird stutter-step. The video showed Olivia, clearly tipsy, ranting to reporters:"You want to know the truth about that man?" She swayed slightly, her perfect composure betraying her. "He was a big fat nothing! A nobody! I flushed six whole years down the drain with him, and what'd I get? Empty promises and jewelry that'd make a gumball machine blush!" She laughed. "And now he waltzes in with some magic black card? Please! Give me a break! I know that man better than anyone – he's just a two-bit con in a fancy monkey suit!"Mason watched, keeping his expression blank. Once upon a time, those words would've crushed the old him like a bug. But now? Now he saw something different in her eyes. Unrepentant. Sin. A total she-devil, reeling from realization that maybe, just maybe, she didn't have him all figured out after all."You good, boss?" Eve's voice was uncharacteristically gentle. "And... six years? What's she on about?"Mason's brain kicked into overdrive, spinn
Mason Rivers wiped his sweaty palms on his jeans, his heart pounding with anticipation. The sapphire bracelet nestled in its velvet box felt like it weighed a ton in his pocket. He'd scrimped and saved for months to afford it, working overtime and weekends until his hands were calloused and his back ached. But it was worth it. For Olivia, anything was worth it.He fumbled with his keys, juggling the bouquet of lilies—Olivia's favorite—and the bottle of wine he'd splurged on. The clock on his beat-up Honda read 6:47 PM. Perfect. He was early, and Olivia wouldn't be home from her yoga class for another hour. Just enough time to set up the surprise.As he climbed the stairs to their third-floor walk-up, Mason allowed himself a rare moment of pride. Sure, their apartment was small, and yeah, his contractor's salary wasn't exactly setting the world on fire. But he and Olivia had built a life together. Six years of marriage, of shared dreams and whispered promises. Tonight was going to be s
Mason blinked, sure he'd misheard. "Excuse me?"The woman's gaze never wavered. "Get in. Enemies mightn't wait to take a shot."Maybe it was the shock. Maybe it was the crushing weight of having nothing left to lose. Whatever the reason, Mason found himself sliding into the plush leather seat.The door clicked shut, sealing him into a world that smelled of expensive cologne and danger."Dammit!," the woman exclaimed, pulling smoothly into traffic. "We've been worried sick. Where have you been?"Mason opened his mouth, then closed it. What the hell was happening?The woman's eyes flicked to him in the rearview mirror. "You look like hell, Leo. Rough night?"Leo? Mason's mind raced. This woman thought he was someone else. Someone important, by the looks of things.He should speak up. Tell her there'd been a mistake.But then Olivia's words echoed in his head. Worthless.Mason straightened, squaring his shoulders. "You could say that," he replied, deepening his voice slightly. The woman
Mason leaned back, a slow smile spreading across his face. "Because I realized something. We're not just a crime syndicate, Eve. We're an empire. And empires don't crumble because of one close call. They adapt. They grow stronger."He stood, pacing the room as the words flowed. "We've been playing it safe for too long. It's time to expand. To take what's ours."Eve's expression shifted from suspicion to intrigue. "What exactly are you proposing?"Mason's mind raced, piecing together fragments from the earlier meeting. "Ramirez thinks he can muscle in on our territory? Let's crush him. The Italians are worried about their shipments? We'll double them. And as for our friends in city hall..." He paused, a wicked glint in his eye. "Well, let's just say it's time for some new leadership in this town."Eve stared at him for a long moment, then slowly nodded. "Now that sounds like the Leo King I know." She grinned. "Welcome back, boss."As Eve left the office, Mason sank back into the chair,
The next evening, Mason adjusted his Italian silk tie, catching his reflection before a full-length mirror. The man staring back bore little resemblance to the contractor who'd stumbled through the rain just days ago. Tonight, he wore power like a second skin, wrapped in a bespoke Tom Ford tuxedo that Eve had somehow procured within hours, its price tag more than he used to make in a year. "Looking sharp, boss," Eve said, leaning against the doorframe. "You sure you don't want backup tonight?"Mason shook his head. "This is something I need to do alone."Eve's eyes narrowed. "You know, a few days ago, I would've bet my life that I knew everything about you, Leo. Now? I'm not so sure."Mason met her gaze in the mirror. "People change, Eve. Sometimes overnight."A wry smile tugged at Eve's lips. "Yeah, well, just make sure you come back in one piece. I've gotten used to having you around."As Mason headed for the door, Eve called out, "Oh, and Leo? Happy birthday."He mumbled a thanks
Mason reached his car—a sleek Aston Martin that belonged to Leo—just as his phone buzzed. Unknown number."Mr. Rivers?" A crisp, professional voice. "This is James Wheeler from Hartman & Associates. We have your divorce papers ready for signing. Would tomorrow at 9 AM suit you?"Mason's grip tightened on the phone. For a moment, rage threatened to overwhelm him—at Olivia, at Ethan, at the whole damn world that had conspired to humiliate him.Then, slowly, his fingers relaxed."Actually," he said, his voice deadly calm, "I'm afraid I'll have to decline. You see, I've recently come into some... opportunities. I think we'll need to renegotiate the terms."He hung up before the lawyer could respond.Truly, he's realized for the second time that Olivia's mind was made up over the divorce and there was no turning back.Clenching his phone tightly, a deafening roar ensued ripping up from his gut, unleashing all the fury he'd bottled up through the endless night.A wounded man's cry.Just the