Course after course arrived, the chefs bowing lightly as they presented each dish. The Sterling family dined like emperors but talked like neighbors, balancing dignified gratitude with easy banter.
For Rex, it was surreal. Not overwhelming… he wasn't the type to gape or fawn, but surreal in the sense that he was sitting here, surrounded by one of America's most powerful families, and they were thanking him.
If the outside world had seen this, had seen the Sterlings raise a glass to a young man they'd only just met… rumors would flood every corner of Los Angeles by morning.
But inside this room, it wasn't about gossip, or reputation, or power plays. It was about a family grateful for the safe return of their little girl.
By the time dessert arrived… an absurd spread of mille-feuille, matcha tiramisu, and something involving liquid nitrogen and edible gold, Rex was full to the point of pain. He leaned back, clutching his stomach.
