The silence in the ballroom was heavy. You could hear the bubbles popping in the champagne glasses.
"Did you hear me?" Marcus barked. He kicked Ronan's shin. "Get down there and clean his shoes. Show our guests how the 'lost Vale' serves his betters."
Sasha smirked. She leaned in close to Ronan, smelling like expensive perfume. "See, Ronan? This is where you belong. At the feet of men like Leo and Marcus. You should have stayed in the kitchen."
Ronan looked at Leo's shoes. They were Italian leather, worth three thousand dollars. Then he looked at Leo's face. Leo was beaming with pride.
"Go on," Leo urged. "I might even give you another hundred dollars if you do a good job."
Ronan slowly lowered himself. He got down on one knee. Then the other.
The guests started to snicker. Some took out their phones to record the "Billionaire Servant."
Ronan pulled a rag from his pocket. He began to wipe the mud off Leo's shoe. He did it slowly. He did it carefully.
*Ten... nine... eight...* Ronan counted in his head.
"Look at him," Marcus laughed, pointing. "The blood of the Vales, scrubbing dirt. This is what happens when you spend too much time with the rats."
*Three... two... one.*
Suddenly, Leo's phone in his pocket began to vibrate violently. Then another sound—a loud, high-pitched *ping* came from his jacket.
Then another. And another.
Leo frowned. He pulled out his phone. "What the...?"
His eyes went wide. His face went from red to ghostly white in three seconds.
"No," Leo whispered. "No, no, no!"
"What is it, Leo?" Sasha asked, her smile fading.
"My... my stock app," Leo stammered. "My family's company shares... they just dropped 90% in ten seconds! Someone dumped five million shares onto the market all at once!"
The room began to buzz. Other guests started checking their phones.
"Wait!" a businessman shouted. "Leo's father's company just got hit with a massive fraud investigation! It's all over the news!"
Leo's hands were shaking. He accidentally dropped his phone. It hit the floor and the screen cracked.
"My bank account!" Leo screamed. "I just got a notification! My personal accounts are frozen! Pending 'criminal investigation'?! What is happening?!"
Ronan stood up. He tucked the rag back into his pocket. He wasn't shaking anymore. He wasn't crying. He looked perfectly calm.
"Is something wrong, Leo?" Ronan asked. His voice was smooth and deep.
"You!" Leo pointed a shaking finger at Ronan. "Did you do this?! No... that's impossible. You're a dishwasher!"
"I'm just a servant," Ronan said with a tiny, dangerous smile. "Maybe you should have spent more time watching your finances and less time in dark alleys."
Marcus stepped forward, confused and angry. "Leo, what's going on? You're ruining my party!"
"I'm ruined, Marcus!" Leo cried. He looked like he was going to vomit. "I have nothing! My father is going to prison! The bank is taking the house!"
Sasha backed away from Leo like he had the plague. "What? You're poor now? Leo, you said we were going to Paris next week!"
"Paris?" Leo looked at her, his eyes wild. "I can't even afford a bus ticket!"
Marcus looked at Leo with total disgust. He signaled his security guards. "Get this loser out of here. The Vales don't associate with bankrupt trash."
"But Marcus! We're friends!" Leo pleaded as two giant guards grabbed him by the arms.
"We were friends when you had money," Marcus said coldly. "Now, you're just a nuisance. Throw him out. And the girl too."
"Wait! Not me!" Sasha screamed. "I have nothing to do with this! I'm with Marcus now!"
Marcus laughed. "I don't think so. You're tainted now, Sasha. Get out."
The guards dragged Leo and Sasha toward the door. Sasha was crying. Leo was begging. It was a total humiliation.
Ronan watched them go. He didn't feel happy. He didn't feel sad. He felt nothing.
Marcus turned to Ronan, his eyes narrowing. "You. Back to the kitchen. Now."
Ronan didn't move. He looked Marcus straight in the eye. For the first time, Marcus felt a shiver run down his spine. He felt like he was looking at a predator, not a servant.
"The kitchen can wait," Ronan said.
**Cliffhanger:**
The grand doors of the ballroom swung open again. A man in a high-end waiter's uniform walked in. It was Jax. He walked straight to Ronan and handed him a sleek, black tablet.
"Boss," Jax said, loud enough for the whole room to hear. "The acquisition is complete. You now own 51% of Leo's family company. What should we do with the employees?"