It's late in the morning and everyone in the mansion had not seen Cade's shadow. Antoine and the maids went upstairs and knocked at his door to solve this alarming matter. "Young Master, breakfast is served!" As it opened, Cade stood with his hair all messed up, darker circles under his weary eyes, cracked lips, and his skin had gotten paler than ever. They gasped at the sight of him.
"Leave me alone, will you?" His voice was lifeless. "Young Master, you have to eat. You are near to being a skeleton," Antoine said. "No need for barbarous comments, Antoine. I am doing a hunger strike to see if there's mercy left in my father's heart."
"But Sire will come home late at night. You will starve to death."
"Don't worry. I can withstand this, so don't bother me anymore. I will stay in my room awake while my mind is asleep. If I show signs of defeat, I will call you."
Antoine and the others turned back to their chores. Meanwhile, Cade immediately took a bath, changed his clothes, and transformed into a decent person. "My plan works. If they see me miserable, they won't suspect that I'm going to escape," he said. He tied a rope to the railings and used it to slide down from the veranda.
Cade arrived at their hideout—a tiny bamboo house in the middle of a forest where their parents couldn't track them. They built the house in secret, so they had somewhere to stay when everything went south. Theo was already there, sitting on the bamboo couch.
"Where's Stan?" Cade asked.
"I think he's stuck."
"Do you mean he can't escape?"
"He is rather scared to escape."
"We have to do something about that."
They sneaked into Stan's backyard and threw some stones at his window. It opened, and a rope came falling to the ground. Cade and Theo climbed up to his room.
"What is your problem?" Cade asked as soon as he got in. Stan was in his pajamas, reading a mystery-thriller novel with some chips on the bed. "I'm good. I don't appreciate any disturbance at this moment. It's not too bad to stay at home and enjoy my own company," Stan replied without looking at them.
"Dude, books are boring," Theo said.
"Are you ditching us?"
"Look, that's not what I mean. Can't we relax for a while? Aren't you tired of moving around?"
"Don't hide the fact that you're a coward, man."
Stan closed his book and focused on them. "If our parents find out about this, they will skin us alive and crucify us."
"Stan, will you please stop thinking about ancient forms of execution? You've read too much. Books are bad for your health," Theo said.
"I promise you, this scheme will not fail," Cade said.
"So what's so interesting about today's activity?"
"I asked a friend to set a triple date for us," Theo said.
"Do you have friends other than us?" Stan asked.
"I mean someone who owes me a hundred bucks. Trust me, those girls are Class A."
"Alright. Let me prepare for that. You two can talk about Plan B if we get caught."
Stan dressed up and put some gel on his charcoal-colored hair. His steadfast and penetrating gray eyes were a perfect pair for his blue long sleeves.
"Hey, do you have a dress code for intelligent guys? Because you look like one," Theo commented. "I am," Stan replied and sprayed some perfume.
It was their first time riding a cab. Cade sat in the middle of Stan and Theo. His brows were knitted ever since they entered. "Is it always this crowded in a cab?" Cade asked. "I'm okay with it, as long as the air is purified," Stan replied. "Well, I am not."
The driver glanced at them. "You must come from a rich family."
"Not so," Stan said.
"I can read you just by your appearance," the old man said.
"Really? Try me!" Theo said.
"You do the dirty work. The lucky go lucky and the chick magnet."
Theo clapped his hands. "Oh my God, he is so good! Chick magnet? I get that a lot."
"What about me?" Stan asked.
"You are a good guy. The security net, and the most intelligent."
"I am not sure about the good guy. But it sounds convincing. What about him?" Stan tapped Cade.
"Oh, the most complicated. He has a lot of rage in him. That boy wants to be freed when he is not caged. He has a lot of haters."
Stan and Theo suppressed a burst of laughter. "Do you believe in this wrinkly old hag? You shouldn't be driving if you are a legitimate clairvoyant. We don't pay you for talking balderdash."
"Relax, man. Don't be defensive. Are you offended?" Theo asked.
"I despised judgemental people."
The cab halted at The King's Lounge. The magnificent restaurant was regarded as one of the most elegant dining rooms in the world, with shimmering chandeliers, soaring marble columns, and towering floor-to-ceiling windows overlooking the quiet sanctuary of Hyde Park. Their motif had the shades of maroon and pink that brought them to the Regency period.
"We have separate seats. Stan, take that girl," Theo said as he pointed to the girl in a white puffy dress. "Oh, my taste."
"For you Cade. Please be nice to her." Theo pointed to the girl in a black bodycon dress. "I'm unsure about her." Theo pushed him to move forward. "Give her a chance, dude."
"Hi. I am Stan Carline. You are?" Stan lay his hand with a broad smile on his face. "I'm Zara Evans."
"May I take your order?" the waiter said.
"I'd like to have Tomahawk steak, caviar omelet, and a Champagne, please," Stan said.
"What about you, Madame?"
"Grilled Australian Wagyu burger. Thanks," Zara said.
Stan cleared his throat when the waiter left. "So, where do you study?"
"In Mchalmmond High School."
"Oh. That's in New York, right? What made you visit London?"
"We are spending our vacation here. I'm with my sister, Theo's date."
"You know my cousin?"
"Not really. Only his name."
Zara's red nail polish sparkled as she placed her palm on her cheek. "Is it your first time at this restaurant?" Stan asked. "Yes. But I heard so much about this place."
"Indeed. They got their lamb from the Lake District. Their succulent lobsters are from Southwest Scotland, and the slices of beef are from the Cornish moors."
"You must be a regular customer."
"Often."
"Oh, that's so humble of you."
They clanged their glasses and drank a glass of Champagne.
"Where do you study?" Zara asked.
"Westgate High."
"I haven't heard of that."
"It's unpopular. Our parents chose it to discipline us."
"But someone like you deserves to be in Mchalmmond High School. They give the best quality of education, more opportunities to land in the best universities, and it's exclusive for the elites."
"I doubt my father would allow me to be away from him. But I'll try to convince him."
Cade ordered Peking Duck with pancakes and plum sauce. He also had a choice of ginger and spring onion and black bean sauce or salt and pepper. His date, Olivia Cooper, roamed her eyes on the list of expensive dishes on the menu.
"I… I'd like to have… I," she stuttered. Her nervousness was visible to Cade. "Don't worry about the bill. It's on me. Order anything you want," he said and showed her a black credit card in between his fingers.
Olivia came back to her senses, regained her posture, and lifted her chin. "It's not about the prices. That's so rude of you."
"Oh." Her straight face astounded him. "It's my first time in this 'average' restaurant and I am unfamiliar with their cuisines," she gazed at the waiter, "serve me your signature dish." The waiter nodded.
"So, Miss Olivia. Tell me more about yourself."
"Is this a job interview?"
"This is a blind date, and I haven't done a background check on you."
"My parents are both doctors. I am an only child. I studied at Mchalmmond High School."
Cade intertwined his fingers and thought, 'Manhattan's elite high school. Interesting.'
"What about you?"
"We have a lot in common. My mom was a doctor, too. My father is an actor and a CEO, but the world doesn't know that he has a son. He hid me from the eyes of the public. Anyway, so much for the drama."
Their food arrived with a beguiling aroma. The glossy skin of the duck made him lick his lips. "Bon appétit."
They sliced and munched their food, indulging its juices and flavorful layers. In 20 minutes, their plates were as clean as the tablecloth.
"That was worth every penny. By the way, I came from Westgate High. There's nothing engrossing about it."
"Why?"
"The school is filled with a bunch of famished people."
"What do you mean?"
"It's like a dumpsite. In short, 80% of the students are poor. The other 20% are members of my organization and I am on top of the hierarchy of power," Cade expounded.
"Oh, wow. You are so…"
"Attractive, right? I know."
"So full of yourself," Olivia said.
"Excuse me?"
Olivia lifted an eyebrow. "What's wrong with being poor?"
"Everything about them is wrong. They are lazy and dumb. That's why they are always at the bottom. Their lifestyle sucks. Most of the criminals are poor people."
"I beg to differ. Being poor is not their fault. Also, did you consider the fact that the big shots could do heinous crimes easily without being caught? Rich people are just privileged criminals."
"Why are you defending them?" Cade raised his voice.
"Because I hate rich people who exalt themselves."
"I thought we were on the same page."
"Too bad. I am one page ahead of you."
"There's no need for us to prolong this date."
"Of course. But remember this, Cade Robertson. You are nothing without the poor."
It was the first time that a girl was unimpressed by his social status. Cade clenched his fist and left the restaurant. He stood outside and waited for his friends, which took 2 hours to end their date.
"Your date was a disaster, wasn't it?" Stan said.
"You are a clairvoyant now? Did the old man pass his stupid powers to you?" Cade said.
"It's written all over your face, man," Theo added.
"What a nasty girl. Oh, I hate her."
"Is she that bad?"
"Don't even ask. Forget it."
They took a cab and were quiet during the entire trip. Stan broke the silence when he asked, "Cade, do you have cash?" Cade shook his head. "I used my black card at the restaurant. Do cabs accept it?"
"What? Have you gone mad?" Stan said.
"What is so big deal about it?"
"Your father will find out that you escaped. Consider yourself dead. How can you be so clumsy?"
"I'm sorry, okay? I got used to it. It's been a long time since I held fresh cash."
"My date was perfect. I'm going to marry her," Theo said.
"You always tell that to all the girls. You have no object permanence," Stan remarked.
"Hey, that's not true. Besides, girls can't date a tall, handsome, rich, loyal, and intelligent man."
"Certainly. I can't be in different places all at once," Cade said. Stan and Theo flashed a bored look on their faces.
Theo wandered his eyes around their current location. There were no buildings and people. There were only trees and grassland. "Guys, I think we are in the wrong direction." Stan peered at the window.
"Yes, you are," the driver said with a grin. The cab stopped, and some men came to them.
"What is this?" Cade asked.
"I believe they will kill us before your father does," Stan said.
The men dragged them out of the cab and hit their heads with a bat. The boys fell unconscious with their blood flowing on the ground.