10 CHAPTER 10
“Mr. Lorenzo, I’d love to have lunch-” (1)
Their were Special security.
“This must be a mistake!”
The crowd slowly escorted him forward, surrounding him like an honorary king. Some called his name with admiration, others praised his journey, his vision, his youthful
brilliance.
James blinked. He leaned in. “What did you just say?”
That was why James had poured everything into preparing for this night. He knew this
was his moment.
Camera flashes began to go off from guests and press alike, a few murmured among
themselves, others gestured excitedly as they nudged their companions.
The man who came from nothing… and was now moments away from being crowned
king.
However he didn’t respond to any of them.
“Let him in, for heaven’s sake!”
At that moment James adjusted his cuff, fully expecting the gate to swing open.
James beamed, soaking it in. He waved occasionally, nodded modestly, but inside his
chest swelled with ambition.
Even Emily looked stunned.
A few murmurs rose quickly, then subsided under the weight of disappointment, Several
single ladies in the crowd subtly dropped their gaze, their hope dimming. Some parents who had quietly fantasized about introducing James to their daughters exchanged awkward glances.
Tonight, he wasn’t just attending, he was the event.
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Then, a sleek, brand-new Mercedes AMG purred into position at the entrance.
Its engine hummed low as the door opened, and out stepped James Lorenzo.
“I’m sorry, sir,” he said. “Your name isn’t on the list.”
People around the entrance turned their heads. Some gasped. A few onlookers froze where they stood, unsure if they had heard right.
He was a phenomenon a storm rising from nowhere and everyone wanted to catch just a bit of his momentum. To stand near him. Shake his hand. Exchange cards. Take a picture.
Mention him at future meetings.
Winning meant his name would be permanently stamped into elite status. It meant
raising his standard so high that even established companies would have to bend to work
with him.
The guards, now visibly nervous, repeated the scanning process twice, then a third time,
but still… nothing.
A seat at the same table as the most powerful family in South Caden.
“I knew you’d be something, even two years ago!”
He wasn’t a billionaire yet but everyone here knew it was only a matter of time.
It was no longer just an award, It was a golden key to the highest levels of South Caden’s
power structure.
At that moment a ripple of frustration moved through the crowd. It was unthinkable.
James Lorenzo-the man expected to be crowned the star of the night—was being denied entry?
It would be a bridge-a possible future with the Victor family itself.’
As James casually stepped away from his Mercedes, the crowd around the entrance stirred again. Valets tried to control the line of incoming cars, but eyes were focused on him. Photographers clicked away. News correspondents whispered into their
microphones.
“The man of the year.”
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10 CHAPTER 10
His words caused faces to light up. Several people clapped him on the back, others nodded in approval. Some even started whispering to each other about potential collaborations. The moment James spoke, he created gravity pulling them in deeper.
At that moment the crowd shifted, heads turned immediately. Conversations paused.
“That’s him… James Lorenzo.”
James adjusted his cufflink and looked around, soaking in the attention like it was
sunlight.
With every step toward the event hall, he was surrounded by supporters, admirers, and
opportunists alike.
It wasn’t just about prestige. It was about leverage.
Behind him, the crowd began to murmur. A few guests raised their voices.
As one Rolls-Royce glided away and a Maybach pulled in behind it, the whispers grew
louder.
After tonight, he thought, anyone who wants a piece of me will pay a price for it. A heavy
one.
Wearing a deep navy-blue tuxedo tailored to perfection, shoes gleaming, and an
expression of quiet confidence, James stood tall with a smirk that said he believed the
night belonged to him.
Tension crackled in the air. Then, from the far end of the hall, a group of men in sleek, gray
suits with gold pins on their lapels approached swiftly.
One of them leaned into the ear of the head guard, whispered something, then turned to
James.
“My father owns the-”
‘After all, working with James Lorenzo wouldn’t just be business.
He’d tax their time. Their respect. Their wallets.
With a calm smile, he pulled her gently to his side and said aloud, “Everyone, this is Emily, My girlfriend.”
If she was the one who caught James Lorenzo, then she had to be something more than
she seemed.
“He’s James Lorenzo!”
He confidently approached the registration checkpoint guarded by two sharply dressed security men in black vests. With a practiced smile, he reached into his inner coat pocket and presented his exclusive invitation card.
They waited.
Direct access. Real status.
“Everyone,” he said with a charming smile, “I truly appreciate all the interest, but I won’t be able to talk business right now.”
But this year… everything had changed.
He needed to win tonight’s award.
Winning the award tonight would grant him something no contract ever could.
He was the rising star.
“I’m a little anxious about tonight’s results,” he added, letting out a soft, nervous chuckle -just enough vulnerability to humanize him, just enough confidence to maintain the spotlight. “But after the results are out, I’ll personally go drinking with everyone who came up to me tonight. I want to talk partnerships, futures… big moves.”
The guard straightened. “Your name, sir. It’s not showing on the guest list.”
At that moment People who had already entered the hall began to drift back outside. Many paused in the garden area of the Dazzling Red Event premises just to catch a glimpse, he wasn’t just attending the event he was, for the past year, the talk of it, the man surrounded by mystery, media attention, and rumor.
As he arrived at the grand marble entrance of the Dazzling Red Event Hall, James walked with Emily on his arm, his head held high and his shoulders squared.
Immediately Laughter rippled through the group, and then applause.
Emily stepped out of the car, her gown glittering under the lights, hugging her figure in a
way that caught the eyes of men and women alike. Her heels clicked confidently as she made her way toward James, her smile soft and controlled.
“Mr. Lorenzo, you’re what this city needs!”
Valet attendants dressed in tailored black suits moved swiftly and gracefully, opening doors and bowing slightly as each guest emerged, Every figure stepping out of the polished vehicles was someone of weight business magnates, aristocrats, socialites, and celebrities each one greeted with murmurs of recognition and subtle awe.
But the guard looked up, their brows furrowed.
His voice almost cracked under the pressure. He nearly said it I’m the winner but something in him held back. He couldn’t reveal that. Not yet.
They looked at her differently now.
But then… everyone turned their attention to Emily.
There he was.
“The youngest entrepreneur shaking up White Snail City.”
The Victor family had officially partnered with the city to co-host the event, elevating it beyond anything the city had ever seen. With the Victor name tied to it, the winner
wouldn’t just receive applause-they would gain elite access, undisclosed partnerships, and financial privileges most only dreamed of.
“White Snail City’s future!”
At that moment the crowd quieted slightly, tilting in to hear him better.
James ignored the sea of people approaching him businessmen, young entrepreneurs,
socialites. Dozens of outstretched hands, business cards flashing like currency in the dark.
James’s face tensed, his smile vanishing. “Do you know who I am?” he asked coldly. “Check again.”
“Apologies for the delay, Mr. Lorenzo,” the man said smoothly. “There was a glitch in the registration system. Please, go on in.”
“Sir, I’m sorry. Your name isn’t in the registry,” the second guard said firmly.
combined wealth of entire families… families who had been in the game longer than he had even been alive. His name would sit above theirs. His empire would stretch farther.
Wider, Deeper.
Then the second door opened.
James lifted a hand gently, signaling the sea of eager voices to calm.
“Just a quick pitch, sir-”
Instead, he turned to Emily and extended a hand toward her as she approached.
Immediately the crowd paused.
James stood at the top of the red-carpeted stairs, his chin slightly raised, his eyes scanning the luxurious premises of the Dazzling Red Event Hall like he already owned it.
“This is nonsense!”
The Victors.
The Dazzling Red Event Hall shimmered under the evening sky like a crown in the middle of the city. The glow from its massive chandeliers spilled out through the glass walls, casting golden reflections across the courtyard. Red carpets stretched from the entrance
like a river, and the luxury cars arriving one after another only heightened the
atmosphere.
One of the guards nodded, took the card, and scanned the barcode on the machine.
The City’s Most Uprising Entrepreneur of the Year award had always been a relatively simple affair-hosted annually by the city mayor and meant mostly for public show. In previous years, it was more of a symbolic gesture than an actual stepping stone. A pat on the back, a framed certificate, a handshake, and a few mentions in the local press.
Immediately the words hit like a slap across the plaza, for a moment, the air went completely still.
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