Burning The House Of Cards: taking revenge on my billionaire family
Chapter 46 - 45. The Crown Prince

Chapter 46: Chapter 45. The Crown Prince

Where do people often meet for networking? Office? No, it was hotels. Naturally, for meetings with high-level participants, it should be in one of the best hotels in the country.

Leaving the car with the valet, Hajin stared at the luxurious hotel, which could be considered top-class even among the same five-star establishments. Hauling a bold name of ’Imperial’, it was owned by the top conglomerate in the country: Mirae Group.

"Huh..." Hajin looked at his nonchalant master. Was that why she felt confident?

The Circle was situated on her investor’s lover’s turf.

Well, it was only natural. As a ’secret’ society where the top 0.1% gathered, it was started by people who were in power at that time: founders of conglomerate families, lawmakers, government officials...

Basically, a modern aristocratic circle.

"So you do know the place," Axton commented with a scoff and half disbelieved.

While the existence of the Circle itself wasn’t a secret among the conglomerates, not everyone was privy to its location. Naturally, Axton was doubtful that someone who had no friends and had just returned from abroad like Sarah knew about it.

At the inquisitive stare, Sarah merely shrugged and smiled innocently. "Please lead the way."

Knowing the place was one thing, but entering the venue itself required an invitation, which she shouldn’t have. She received one from her contact just before they arrived, but why should she waste her half-brother’s generosity?

"Hmph," Axton turned around with a haughty smile, knowing that he was the holder of their entry ticket. Perhaps that was why he took Jasper--so he would be able to feel superior as someone who brought the kid to the prestigious meeting.

Sarah pressed her lips, once again holding back her laughter. She glanced at the new reply on her phone before putting it inside her pocket with a smile.

Following Axton, they went straight to a corridor behind the grand staircases leading to the second floor. The older brother showed his invitation to the staff guarding an elevator door, and only after confirming it were they allowed to enter.

The elevator brought them to another corridor, even more lavish than the one decorating the hotel. It led them to a wide lobby where bodyguards and attendants could be seen lounging around, waiting for their charges.

"Only the invitees can come inside from now on," a staff member told them stiffly.

Knowing this, Axton and Jasper had only come with a driver, who they left to tend the car. They glanced at Sarah and snickered briefly before continuing to walk toward the venue’s entrance.

Sarah rolled her eyes and turned around to face her frowning bodyguard, caressing the furrowed brows with a calculated, tender touch that got everyone eyeing them. "Wait here, puppy."

"Yes, Master."

"Don’t sulk too much, okay?" Sarah chuckled and pulled Hajin’s collar to kiss the man’s cheek--which got the brothers clicking their tongues in disgust.

Pfft--despite walking away briskly earlier, they still stopped near the entrance to watch Sarah. Perhaps they wanted to make sure she came inside instead of returning safely.

Amusing boys.

Sarah followed the brothers leisurely. Once they were passed that elevator, an invitation was no longer needed. Even if the brothers left her, it didn’t matter. They might think she would be confused on her own, but why would she?

She had already visited the place in her previous timeline.

She just walked languidly, nonchalantly, as if she had come countless times and belonged to the place. It was like any other party venue, anyway; there was a lavish lounge right after the entrance with several sitting nooks like those of a club, a playroom with gambling tables at the back, and several private rooms for all kinds of functions--from serious meetings to more intimate settings.

If someone were to be led there blindfolded, they would think they were at a party in a mansion rather than inside a hotel. While it was just like any other conglomerate party, the teenage boy Jasper looked around with awe as he spotted several models and celebrities--until Axton nudged him harshly on the side.

Jasper immediately scowled, but Axton glanced behind them meaningfully. Right away, the boy remembered what they were there for and nodded, following the older brother and walking briskly inside to leave Sarah alone.

"Hmm..." Sarah looked around as she found herself suddenly alone in front of the lounge, wondering where she should go to waste her time.

Axton, who was leading Jasper to a table of people he knew from the business circle, snickered while seeing his half-sister stop in place. In his eyes, the girl looked like a deer in headlights. "Look at her, all confused."

Jasper giggled in response. If there was anything able to unite the siblings of HS Group, it was their common distaste for the favorite granddaughter. "She’ll get flustered in a minute. Let’s ask those mean girls to--"

"Sarah!"

Before Jasper could finish his diabolical thought, they heard a loud call that got everyone in surprise. People weren’t paying attention to the newcomers initially, but their eyes naturally followed the figure hurriedly coming down the stairs to welcome the new girl.

Sarah put on an easy smile and waved a little bit. "Ah...you’re here?"

The coming figure was a man who looked like a model for those actors who always cast for male lead CEO in romance dramas; the type who seemed to wear glasses for aesthetic purposes--even though the ones framing his mischievous eyes were real ones. He smiled brightly and offered his hand exaggeratedly to Sarah, who took it in the same exaggerated manner with a playful laugh.

"You should’ve told me if you’re coming, my lady," the man said while kissing the air above Sarah’s hand.

"I only knew I was coming half an hour ago," Sarah shrugged in return.

"Is that so? Well, whatever," the man chuckled and patted Sarah’s hand before placing it around his elbow. "Anyway, glad to finally see you here--let’s go up."

Sarah looked at the stairs where the man had come from earlier, which was leading to the second floor of the venue. A subtle smile played on her lips as it felt like deja vu. Just like Helios, the Circle also had its own levels. In a world where hierarchy was everything, there was no way the top dogs would play with everyone.

"Hmm? Who’s that girl?"

"Oh~ new player?"

A murmur of interest spread across the venue, some mixed with envy. Axton, meanwhile, was simply befuddled; his eyes widened and his lips parted in shock as he stared at the two people who looked like they had known each other forever.

"W-what?" he stuttered.

It was weird enough for him that Sarah knew someone here, but...

"H-how...how is that bitch know Kang Daniel?"

But for it to be the future king of the Circle?

Like any society for youth, there would always be unofficial ’status’ inside the Circle. The one who was always heralded as the ’king’ was the heir of the Mirae Group. In the past, it was Kang Jun, Song Yonghwa’s secret lover.

In fact, the Circle was where they first met and tangled with each other.

Naturally, the unmarried ’bachelor’ Chairman didn’t have a child--and had no intention of having one. In the first place, he managed to become the Chairman after making a pact with his uncle, and Daniel was the grandson of that Uncle--in other words, Kang Jun’s nephew and appointed heir.

The future chairman of Mirae Group.

Of course, Sarah had never met the man before. He graduated before Sarah entered the academy, and spent his higher education abroad. He returned last year after finishing his master’s degree, and in Sarah’s memory, had only started to be active right before she died. But she had seen him from afar when she came to the Circle, so she thought he would be around at this time and called the twins to ask for his help.

"Did you have an acting lesson, Daniel-ssi? You’re very good," Sarah asked as they climbed the stairs.

"Nice to meet you too," Daniel laughed. Fortunately, he didn’t seem to mind the charade and thought it was interesting instead. Well, knowing Sarah was under his uncle’s lover would be enough for a short cooperation. He gave the girl a wink. "Isn’t acting lesson just basic for people like us?"

"That’s true," Sarah chuckled. "I’m sorry to impose."

"It’s fine, I’m already here anyway," Daniel shrugged. He seemed to be a chill guy, but as they arrived at the second floor and walked toward the bar, he leaned down and whispered. "But, hey--I’m actually in the middle of an important meeting, so..."

"It’s fine," Sarah nodded in understanding. After all, someone with his status would only be there for meetings--not hanging out of boredom. "You’ve done enough."

Sarah had only meant to make it seem like Daniel knew her so no one would bother her even if those silly brothers incited people. The man, however, took it further and made it seem like they were childhood friends or more. Sarah could even feel people staring at her with admiration; if she stayed with Daniel even more, people might think she was the next big shot or something.

That didn’t sound good for her plan.

Daniel smiled at the girl’s rather uncomfortable expression and pulled a chair for her in front of the bar’s counter and made a signal to the bartender. "I’ll try to finish it in half an hour."

"That should be enough to show my face around," Sarah nodded. Being escorted out by the top dog would make it seem like she got bored instead of escaping.

"Here, have a drink," Daniel placed a milky-looking drink in front of her.

"I’m not drinking."

"I know," Daniel smiled and whispered closely again. "I told them to make it non-alcoholic."

Ah...the twins must have told him--which was good, since it didn’t make sense for her persona to not drink at all. She gave the man a genuine smile and nodded. "Thank you."

"Well, it’s probably hard for you to do so, but...have fun?" Daniel chuckled before stepping away with a wave.

Sarah, on her part, waved back by wiggling her fingers coquettishly, which made Daniel laugh and fueled more assumptions between the people watching.

Sipping on her drink--which was actually a blended yogurt drink with lychee flavor--Sarah observed the venue relaxedly. It truly felt different watching people from the second floor; wholly different from standing on the corner dumbly because she didn’t know anyone and every pair of eyes she met contained mockery and snickers that got her hunching and lowering her head even more.

Haa...how upsetting. She should have glared back and returned their spite, but unfortunately, her self-esteem was truly rock bottom at that time. Sarah remembered in disgust that she even felt grateful at first because her siblings ’invited’ her to a gathering.

How pathetic.

Sarah sighed into her drink. Talking about her siblings, though...

She watched her brothers whispering with some people at the corner booth down there. Axton wasn’t brilliant enough to be invited to the second floor, and Jasper wasn’t even a member yet. But she soon got bored when the brothers disappeared to the back room that couldn’t be seen from the second floor.

"Hmm...what are they planning now?"

Sarah hummed and took out her phone to check on her bodyguard out of boredom.

[You’re okay, puppy?]

The reply came immediately.

[They have coffee]

Sarah chuckled and typed with a hum. [Go and eat dinner downstairs or something. You have the card.]

Thinking back, they only had a canned drink that night. They had planned to have midnight snacks once they were home, but two silly boys suddenly wanted to bring her to the Circle.

Hmm...was there some nice food in this venue?

[You’re going to let me eat alone, Master?]

The text was followed by a cute puppy emoji with tearful eyes that got Sarah giggling unconsciously.

"Cute..."

[Are you going to be long?]

[No, just]

"Well, well...look who’s here?"

Sarah accidentally pressed send before she could finish her text when a grating voice startled her. She arched her brow when she was suddenly surrounded by three men who leaned against the counter as if they were filming a cheap dating show.

"Why are you here alone, cutie? Aren’t you supposed to be with your brothers?"

Ah...

Sarah sighed inwardly. Here we go.