The evening air was thick with the sounds of the elite, a mingling of laughter, clinking glasses, and casual arrogance. William had kept to himself all night, hiding in the background like a shadow at the edge of the lavish party. As the event dragged on, the wealthy heirs grew bolder, their conversations sharper, their insults more cutting.
In a secluded corner, Ethan Cain and Victor Wu, flanked by other heirs from the hidden powerful families, stood drinking and laughing. William noticed the cold glances they shot in his direction but tried to ignore them. He had grown used to their scorn, knowing full well that any small mistake he made could be magnified into a massive problem. The quiet humiliation had become almost normal, but tonight, things were different. He could feel it.
As he turned to walk past them toward the kitchen, Ethan suddenly stepped into his path, a malicious smirk on his face.
"Rothschild," he said loudly, drawing the attention of the group around him. "Where do you think you're going? Avoiding us all night? You think you're too good to hang out with us?"
William kept his head down, trying to remain calm. "Just heading inside to help clean up. Don't want to get in the way."
Victor's grin widened as he crossed his arms. "You hear that? 'Don't want to get in the way.' That's all you ever do, Rothschild—get in the way."
Suddenly, a sharp laugh pierced the tension. It was Morgan, William's stepsister, standing nearby with her clique of equally spoiled friends. "Is this the part where we pretend like he doesn't ruin every event just by showing up?"
The group laughed. Ethan's smile grew darker. "Actually, Rothschild, I think you already ruined something tonight."
William frowned, sensing a trap. "What are you talking about?"
Victor pointed toward the collection of vintage cars displayed outside on the lawn. "You didn't notice the little surprise on the car collection? The scratch down the side of the Lamborghini? Looked like someone wasn't careful enough."
William's heart raced. He hadn't been near the cars, but he knew how quickly things could spiral. "I didn't touch any of the cars," he said defensively, trying to keep his voice calm.
"Oh, but you were out there earlier, weren't you?" Ethan said, feigning concern. "I could have sworn I saw you near the cars. Maybe you tripped, fell, and accidentally scratched it. Happens when you're a clumsy little nobody."
The crowd watched, their eyes on William as if they were waiting for his fall. Victor stepped closer, his voice low and menacing. "Maybe we should teach you to be more careful around things you can't afford."
Before William could react, Ethan grabbed him by the collar and shoved him backward. The force knocked him off balance, and he crashed into a nearby table, sending glasses shattering to the ground.
The crowd gasped, but no one moved to help him. Instead, Morgan clapped mockingly, her laughter echoing through the garden.
"Oops, looks like Rothschild can't handle himself," she said, eyes gleaming with satisfaction.
"Maybe you should stick to doing what you do best—being invisible," Victor sneered, standing over William as he struggled to get up.
As William scrambled to his feet, Ethan punched him in the stomach, hard and fast, knocking the wind out of him. William doubled over, gasping for air, but Ethan wasn't done. Another punch hit him square in the ribs, sending him to the ground, pain radiating through his body.
The heirs stood around, smirking, some whispering to each other in amusement. William felt the sting of humiliation, but worse was the knowledge that no one here would stand up for him.
Just as he lay there, trying to regain his breath, he heard a voice from behind.
"William?"
It was Kate. She hurried over to him, her expression filled with concern—or at least the illusion of it. She knelt beside him, putting a hand on his shoulder. "Are you okay?"
For a moment, the pain subsided as he saw her. Kate was his only refuge in a world that constantly tore him down. Her soft smile, her kind words—they were all he had. He leaned into her touch, feeling a flicker of hope, even if it was faint.
But as she helped him stand, something flickered in her eyes—something he didn't notice in his dazed state. She cast a quick glance toward Ethan, and there was a brief, unspoken exchange between them. It was fleeting, but enough for those in the know to catch.
Victor raised an eyebrow, clearly amused. "Kate, you're always so kind to him," he said with a smirk. "It's a wonder why you waste your time."
Kate turned back to William, her voice smooth. "Don't listen to them, Will. Let's just get you cleaned up, okay?"
She led him away from the crowd, but as they moved further from the others, her demeanour shifted. She let out a soft, exasperated sigh, the kindness draining from her voice. "You really need to stay out of their way, Will. I can't keep covering for you like this."
William blinked, confusion mixing with the dull throb of pain in his ribs. "Covering for me? I didn't do anything."
"I know, I know," she said quickly, but there was a sharpness to her tone now, her patience wearing thin. "But you don't get how things work around here. They'll always find something to blame you for. You just have to avoid them."
Her words stung, but William didn't know how to respond. Kate had always been the one person who made him feel like he wasn't completely alone. He didn't understand why she seemed frustrated with him now, as if he was the one making life difficult for her.
They walked toward a quieter part of the estate, where William could clean himself up. Kate glanced back once more, and for a moment, William saw her look over at Ethan, exchanging another fleeting glance. He tried to ignore it, but something gnawed at him.
As they rounded the corner, away from prying eyes, Kate turned to him and sighed. "Look, I know things are hard for you, Will, but maybe you should think about... where you fit in. I just don't want you getting hurt anymore."
William's brow furrowed. "What do you mean?"
Kate smiled, but it didn't reach her eyes. "You know I care about you, right? But maybe you should stop trying to fight it. Just focus on surviving and... well, let your family handle the bigger stuff."
William nodded, still trying to process what had just happened. He didn't understand why Kate's words felt so cold, why her concern seemed tinged with something else—something darker.
As the party continued in the background, William couldn't shake the feeling that something wasn't right. But for now, all he could do was try to keep his head down, as always.
But soon, very soon, things would change. He just didn't know it yet.