She leaned in, smirking. "Why is the Vincent Aston here? Your dad basically owns half the world. A hundred million is like pocket change to people like you."
"Huh? What are you talking about?" I replied, trying to play dumb.
I panicked for a second and glanced around. No one else seemed to be listening.
"Who's the Vincent you're talking about?" I said quietly. "I don't know who that is."
She smirked, looking down at my chest.
She rolled her eyes. "Please. Even if your name wasn't literally stitched onto your chest, your face is everywhere. I'm not stupid."
"Okay, fine," I sighed, lowering my voice. "Just… don't tell anyone. Please. I don't want them to know who I am."
She tilted her head, curious. "Why?"
I looked away. "That name… it's not something I'm proud of."
She shrugged. "It's always the same with rich kids."
I almost snapped back, but she softened a little.She leaned back, hands up playfully. "Relax. I'm not gonna snitch."
I stared at her for a second. "Thanks. I mean it. And by the way that's my dad's wealth. Not mine."
She gave a small laugh. "It's never theirs... until they suddenly need it."
I sighed. "So who are you, then?"
"Nomi," she said, offering a small nod.
"Vincent," I muttered, then sighed. "Besides, how do you even know who I am? I thought business in Sector A stays in Sector A. How do you know my dad?"
She paused. Her smile faded a little.
"Technically… I was from Sector A. Born and raised. But a scandal hit my dad's company a few years ago. We lost everything. Had to move to Sector B, then eventually settled in Sector C."
"Shit… I'm sorry," I said quietly.
She shrugged, like she was used to the pity.
"It's fine," she said. "Sector B wasn't too bad. Honestly, it's like Sector A, just... less expensive and more reality. Life goes on. People work hard. Families stick together. No fake smiles, no elite nonsense."
"Oh," I said, trying to piece it together. "So like… the workers in Sector A live in Sector B?"
"Exactly," she said. "It's like the backbone of the whole system. Sector A shines because Sector B breaks their backs for it."
I glanced around the room again. Everyone in here probably came from places like that. People who'd kill for a chance like this. And then there was me running from a life everyone else would kill to have.
I sat back, deep in my head again, and glanced once more at the girl in the corner.
She still hadn't moved. Hadn't touched her food. Just sat there with that same empty look on her face. I don't know why, but I kept watching her. I felt this weird kind of pity like I wanted to go over and ask if she was okay. And honestly, I didn't even understand why I cared.
"Earth to Vincent," Nomi's voice snapped me out of it.
"You even listening?" she asked, giving me a look and shaking her head like I was hopeless
"Of course, what about Sector C?" I asked, still trying to piece this whole world together outside of my perfect little bubble.
Nomi gave me a look one of those tired, worn-out looks like she's lived through more than she should have. "Trust me," she said. "You don't want to know."
"Is it that bad?" I asked.
She gave me a look that said it was worse.
"It's full of people drowning in debt. Everyone's struggling just to eat. You wake up every day praying something good happens, and it never does. It's nothing like Sector A... or even B. Honestly, Sector C is hell."
She paused.
"But compared the sector D?" She paused and then whispered . "People call it the swamp.
"Swamp?" I blinked.
"Yeah.Like…Literally. People barely survive there. Floods,disease,no clean water,barely any power,no jobs. Just pain."
"Shit…" I whispered. I swallowed. That was the first time I truly felt out of place. I grew up in Sector A, where the worst thing I dealt with was running out of hot water in my bathroom.
"I didn't know it was that bad out there," I said quietly. "I've never really been outside Sector A before."
She looked at me like I was a little kid seeing the world for the first time.
"Yeah, well… welcome to the rest of the world, Vincent," she said.
I'd never really thought about what life was like outside Sector A. Not really. I'd heard rumors, sad stories from the maids, the drivers, but I never felt it until now.
I cleared my throat and looked down at my fingers.
"So… why exactly are you here?" she asked. "What does a guy like you need this money for?"
I let out a breath, rubbing the back of my neck. "I wanna start my own life. Like… really live it. Not just float through it under my dad's name."
She raised an eyebrow. "But you're the heir to Aston's Empire, right?"
"Technically, yeah." I shrugged. "But I don't want it. I don't want his company. I want to build something of my own."
Nomi burst out laughing. Not in a mean way more like she couldn't believe what she was hearing.
"Wow," she said, shaking her head. "Typical rich kid story. You all get handed the world and still feel caged."
I tried to smile, but it came out weird half-forced, half-sad.
"You think I'm just running away?" I asked.
"No," she said after a moment. "I think you're trying to find an easy way out."
I didn't say anything. Maybe she was right. Maybe I was just trying to escape my problems the easiest way I could.
"I hope it works out for you though, for real," she said.
Then BANG a loud alarm rang through the walls, so loud it felt like it shook the floor.
The lights flickered red.
A deep voice boomed from the speakers, "IT'S TIME."
Every face in the room froze.
I swallowed hard.
This was really happening.
The game was about to begin.