Ethan stepped into the VIP restaurant section, immediately feeling the shift in atmosphere.
This wasn't just a place to eat — it was an arena where the rich mingled, where deals were made over glasses of expensive wine, and where the scent of power was almost as strong as the aroma of the gourmet dishes being served.
A few people waved at him, some offering polite nods, others raising their glasses in acknowledgment.
He waved back casually, knowing full well that the social hierarchy in a place like this was an intricate web.
Some people in this room were wealthy beyond imagination, while others were still climbing, eager to rub shoulders with the elite in hopes of securing a bigger slice of the pie.
That was the nature of money — there was always someone richer, always someone more powerful.
And the moment you forgot that, the moment you underestimated someone, was the moment you put yourself at a disadvantage.
Ethan had learned that lesson early.
