The Vale Mansion was a fortress of glass and marble. It sat on top of a hill, looking down on the city like a god.
Ronan sat in the back of the armored car. He had changed his clothes, but only into another set of cheap, worn-out rags. He refused the silk suit Alfred offered him.
"You must look the part," Ronan whispered to himself.
As they drove through the heavy iron gates, a woman stood by the side of the road. She was holding a professional camera with a long lens. She was wearing a trench coat and had messy brown hair.
"Who is that?" Ronan asked.
"Elena Cross," Alfred said. "A reporter. She is like a bloodhound. She has been trying to find out about the 'survival game' for years. She's dangerous, Master Ronan."
Ronan looked at Elena through the tinted glass. For a second, their eyes met. She looked surprised. She started snapping photos rapidly.
The car pulled up to the front steps. A crowd of people stood there. At the front was Marcus Vale. He looked sharp, arrogant, and mean.
When the door opened, Ronan didn't step out like a king. He stumbled. He fell onto the gravel. He let out a small, scared sob.
"Oh! Please! Don't hurt me!" Ronan cried out. He hid his face in his hands.
Marcus burst out laughing. "Look at this! Look at the 'mighty' heir! He's shaking like a wet leaf!"
The other relatives laughed too. They pointed and whispered.
"He smells like the slums," a woman said, holding a silk handkerchief to her nose.
"Stand up, you embarrassment," Marcus walked down the steps. He grabbed Ronan by the collar of his cheap shirt and yanked him up. "You're back because Grandpa is senile. He thinks you learned 'character' in the dirt. But I see the truth. You're just a dog."
Ronan let his body go limp. He made his eyes water. "I... I just want a job, Cousin Marcus. I was hungry. I didn't want to come back."
"A job?" Marcus sneered. "Fine. You want to work? You can be the house help. You can clean the toilets and scrub the floors. Just like you did in that disgusting café."
"Thank you, Marcus," Ronan said, his voice trembling. "Thank you for being so kind."
Inside Ronan's head, he was counting. *One. Two. Three.* Across the street, hidden in the bushes, Elena Cross was looking through her camera lens. She zoomed in on Ronan's face.
She stopped. Her finger froze on the shutter button.
"Wait a minute," she whispered to herself.
She looked at the screen of her camera. Ronan was "crying." He looked terrified. But his eyes...
"His eyes aren't crying," Elena muttered. "They're cold. He looks like he's counting the seconds until he kills everyone in that house."
She looked at the photo again. In the background, behind the bushes, she saw a shadow. It was a giant man—Jax. He was watching Ronan with total respect.
"Something is wrong here," Elena said. "This isn't a reunion. This is an invasion."
Back at the mansion, Marcus pushed Ronan toward the servants' entrance. "Get in there. Tonight is the Gala. Every important person in the city is coming. If you show your face to the guests, I'll throw you back in the gutter myself."
"I understand," Ronan said, bowing his head.
As soon as Marcus turned his back, Ronan's expression vanished. The fear died. The tears dried instantly.
He walked into the kitchen. A young maid looked at him with pity. "Are you the new guy?"
"Yes," Ronan said.
"I'm Lily. Here, take this," she handed him a tray of expensive champagne. "The guests are arriving. Just keep your head down and don't speak unless spoken to."
Ronan took the tray. He walked into the grand ballroom.
The first people he saw were Sasha and Leo.
Sasha was wearing a gold dress. She was laughing, holding a glass of wine. Leo was bragging to a group of businessmen about a new deal.
"And then I told the kid, pick up the money!" Leo laughed. "And he did it! He actually did it!"
Ronan walked right up to them. He held out the tray.
"Champagne?" Ronan asked quietly.
Sasha's glass almost fell out of her hand. She stared at Ronan. Her jaw dropped. "Ronan? What are you doing here?!"
Leo's face turned red with anger. "You! I told you to stay away! How did you get in here?!"
**Cliffhanger:**
Before Ronan could answer, Marcus walked over. He put an arm around Leo's shoulder. "Relax, Leo. He's the new servant. I thought it would be funny to have him serve us tonight. Ronan, get on your knees. Leo's shoes got a bit of mud on them in the alley earlier. Clean them."
The entire room went quiet. All the rich guests turned to watch.