Ethan was a bit surprised. "You actually know watches?"
Kevin clearly knew his Patek Philippe; recognizing the exact model at a glance meant he had a sharp eye.
Kevin said confidently, "Come on, don't underestimate me. I've been into watches for like two years myself, you know!"
"How much did you pay for this watch when you bought it?"
"A little over eight hundred, not quite nine hundred." Ethan's tone stayed calm.
"Damn, that's generous." Kevin wasn't about to make the same mistake Jessica had, mistaking it for some completely different number. "Guess you're really into watches, huh?"
Kevin wasn't all that surprised. After all, among trust-fund kids, what they chased after was luxury cars, luxury watches, women, that kind of thing.
It was already a common sight.
"Not really into it," Ethan said, giving his wrist a casual shake. "Just convenient for checking the time. If I had to pick a preference, I'd lean more toward cars."
"Haha! Then you came to the right place today!" Kevin's eyes lit up as he excitedly threw an arm around Ethan's shoulder. "I'm gonna blow your mind and treat you right! Let me introduce you to some friends first."
Kevin pointed at Ethan and announced to everyone there, "This is a friend I just met recently, Ethan, from LA."
He paused, deliberately drawing it out like he was dropping a bombshell. "Don't let Ethan's age fool you—he's only eighteen, but he's already a top-tier client at Chase Private Bank, and he's even got his own personal secretary!"
As soon as he said it, the group of guys who'd been eyeing Ethan with curiosity and a bit of skepticism instantly changed their expressions.
A few of them quickly glanced over his youthful face and the Patek Philippe on his wrist, then their expressions turned serious, like the air itself had filled with a quiet sense of re-evaluation.
A top-tier Chase Private Bank client plus a personal secretary—that kind of weight wasn't something to take lightly in their circle.
A playful smile tugged at the corner of Kevin's mouth as he turned to introduce the people next to him, one by one.
His gaze landed first on a slightly chubby guy with a round face and an air of simple, easygoing charm. He pointed at him and said, "This is Tony, my cousin. Don't let the chubby panda look fool you—he's actually pretty sharp, and he's got a serious thing for shiny stuff, especially watches."
Tony seemed naturally easygoing, with none of the usual rich-kid airs. He grinned and stuck out his hand. "Hey, what's up, man! I'm Tony. Kevin's told me about you—take care of me from now on, yeah?"
His voice was loud and clear, nothing like a trust-fund kid—more like the cheerful energy of a street kid, which made him feel approachable right away.
Ethan smiled slightly, shook his hand politely, and nodded. "Nice to meet you, I'm Ethan."
Tony's gaze drifted onto Ethan's understated but clearly luxurious watch, and his eyes immediately lit up.
He raised his eyebrows and let out an exaggerated whistle. "Whoa, isn't this the Patek Philippe Ref. 5370P? The split-seconds chronograph, limited edition, right? If I remember right, these start at close to a million bucks! Damn, bro—you're only eighteen and you can already afford something like this?"
Ethan glanced down at his watch, the corners of his mouth lifting in a modest smile. "Yeah, something like that."
"Tsk tsk, that's not cheap at all!" Tony's tone was dripping with envy, his eyes narrowing like a kid staring at his favorite toy.
He leaned in a little, lowering his voice. "Tell me, man, what's your family do? You're eighteen and they're already cutting you this kind of cash flow? When I was eighteen, I begged my grandparents for a car and didn't even get to see a single wheel of it!"
Kevin, standing nearby, couldn't help cutting in with a mischievous grin. "I just got a Ferrari not too long ago, red one, real flashy!"
"What?" Tony's face fell instantly, like a deflated balloon.
He grabbed his head with both hands, looked up at the sky, and groaned. "Jealousy is literally disfiguring me right now! God, this is so unfair!"
His expression was so over the top that everyone around him burst out laughing.
If Tony knew Ethan had also ordered a LaFerrari, he'd probably die of jealousy on the spot.
Seeing this, Ethan chuckled and waved a hand. "My family just runs a small business. Nothing worth mentioning."
Tony's round eyes went wide immediately, like he'd just discovered a whole new world. "No way! A business? Is your family like the richest family in LA or something? No wonder you can afford a near-million-dollar Patek Philippe at eighteen, and you're already an ultra-high-tier Chase Private Bank client."
He muttered under his breath, "This whole setup is just way too much."
Ethan shook his head, still calm and composed. "Seriously, it's just a small business. Just a little workshop, barely getting by."
Ethan really wasn't lying. His dad ran an industrial business—not exactly a "small and micro enterprise"!
Tony looked like he thought he was being messed with, shrugging exaggeratedly. "Bro, is your definition of 'small and micro' on a whole different planet from mine? By your standards, would a tobacco company even count as a small business?"
Ethan shrugged. "I guess that's just how it is!"
At that moment, a skinny guy with elaborate tattoos on his arms chimed in, sounding amused. "He's right, actually. According to the tobacco company's registration info, it does have under forty employees, so it qualifies for small-and-micro-enterprise tax breaks. As for all those massive subsidiaries underneath it... well, that's a whole different story."
"No way!" Hearing that, Tony, half in disbelief, pulled out his phone and quickly looked it up.
The screen lit up. His eyes went wide and he muttered, "It's actually true... The headquarters itself is basically nothing, just a couple stragglers, but the subsidiaries are everywhere. That's some next-level shamelessness, thick-skinned enough to stop bullets!"
After saying that, he couldn't help but grumble, "That's a slick move, I gotta admit!"
The skinny guy from before warned him, "Careful with that mouth! You're talking way too loud, don't go setting anyone off. If this blows up, you're the one who'll be on your knees apologizing, chubby."
Tony looked around at everyone and said, "Oh man, guys, I take it all back! You and your small-and-micro businesses are way above my pay grade. My bad, please don't come after me!"
With that, he gave a solemn little bow.
Everyone burst out laughing at Tony's antics.
Ethan couldn't help smiling. "It's nothing, nothing, everyone's just messing around."
Tony was basically a walking meme. No wonder Kevin brought him along to liven things up—with him around, even the coldest room would heat up instantly.
There are 130 advance chapters ahead in my Patreon. If you are interested can check it out.
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