Chapter 6: Walking Among Giants

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  The Weight of the Room

  The moment Kai stepped inside, the air changed.

  This wasn’t just a gathering of the wealthy.

  It was a meeting of those who controlled wealth.

  Every conversation held weight, every handshake meant millions, if not billions, moving behind the scenes.

  But Kai didn’t shrink.

  He walked with confidence, his custom bck suit fitting like armor, his gaze sharp, controlled.

  The whispers started almost immediately.

  "Who is he?"

  "Never seen him before."

  "Must be someone if he’s here."

  Exactly the effect he wanted.

  And then, there was Celeste Laurent.

  She was at the heart of the gathering, sipping her champagne, watching him with a knowing smirk.

  A test.

  She had invited him here to see if he would sink or swim.

  Kai had no pns of sinking.

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  The Art of Presence

  He didn’t rush.

  Instead, he moved with purpose, taking his time to observe the room.

  Groups formed naturally—tech moguls, real estate tycoons, political pyers.

  They were all power, but in different ways.

  And then there were the sharks—the ones who didn’t just have wealth, but controlled it.

  Bankers. Investors. Old money.

  Kai wasn’t just here to flex money. He was here to learn the game.

  A waiter passed by, offering champagne.

  Kai took a gss but didn’t drink.

  Instead, he held it lightly, his fingers rexed. A small but intentional move.

  Drunk men made mistakes.

  He wasn’t here to drink.

  He was here to conquer.

  ---

  A Strategic Approach

  He spotted two men in deep conversation near the balcony—one in his mid-40s, broad-shouldered, his watch alone worth half a million.

  The other, a quiet but dangerous type, the kind that didn’t need to speak much to be respected.

  Kai walked over and positioned himself just close enough to be noticed but not intrude.

  A presence, not a disruption.

  The older man gnced at him, then at Celeste across the room.

  Then, he smirked.

  "You must be the new one she’s testing."

  Kai met his gaze calmly. "And you must be someone important if you already know that."

  The man chuckled, taking a sip of his drink.

  "John Lancaster," he said, offering a hand. "I move money. A lot of it."

  Kai shook his hand. Firm. Controlled.

  "Kai Ashton. I move money too."

  Lancaster raised an eyebrow. "Is that so?"

  Kai smiled. "Not as much as you. Yet."

  A pause. Then, Lancaster ughed—a real, deep ugh.

  "I like you already, kid."

  First impression? Made.

  ---

  Celeste’s Py

  Before he could continue, Celeste finally approached.

  "Well, well," she said, her voice smooth, teasing. "Still standing, I see."

  Kai turned to her with an easy smirk. "Was I supposed to be on the floor?"

  She sipped her champagne. "Most new faces either get eaten alive or embarrass themselves trying too hard."

  Kai chuckled. "I prefer to observe before making my move."

  Celeste tilted her head slightly. "Good answer. But observation will only get you so far. At some point, you’ll have to prove why you deserve to be here."

  She reached into her clutch and pulled out a small, bck envelope.

  "Consider this your next step."

  She pced it in his hand and walked away.

  Kai looked down at the envelope, feeling the weight of the moment.

  He hadn’t just entered the game.

  He was being invited to py at the next level.

  But what exactly was he getting himself into?