After introducing Tony, Kevin turned to another guy with a slightly stern demeanor, dressed simply but impeccably tailored. "This is Brandon, from the family that runs one of New York's biggest steel operations. The only heir. Don't let the calm look fool you — deep down he's wild."
Brandon was tall and lean, in a well-tailored light gray suit, a faint smile on his face, every bit the typical elite rich kid.
His background had been a popular topic online in his past life.
Word was he was the only son of a steel tycoon, and rumor had it his father controlled a massive underground cash flow...
There were all kinds of versions floating around, but back in his past life, before he was reborn, Ethan had actually learned the real story.
His parents had built their fortune from a scrapyard business.
Back then, with connections and guts, they'd grown it from nothing into a billion-dollar empire.
But in an era that only cares about results, holding that kind of wealth was real power, plain and simple.
Nobody really asks where the money came from.
Ethan took the initiative and reached out his hand with a polite smile. "Ethan."
Brandon gave Ethan a sharp look, then reached out and shook his hand. "Brandon."
They shook and let go, and that was that.
Kevin then pointed to the last two. "This is Logan, his family's in real estate. They snatched up half the prime land in New Jersey. And over there is Preston — his family runs a jewelry business, jade and diamonds, the whole deal. The stuff they've got could fill a museum."
Introductions done,
Kevin said to Ethan, "Alright, it's about time. Let's get on board first and talk more once we're on the boat!"
Ethan looked ahead and saw a snow-white yacht docked along the riverbank, about a hundred feet long. Soft LED lights flickered along the deck, and the smooth lines of the hull made it look like a silver shark lying in wait.
He'd figured today's event would be something different, but it turned out to just be a yacht party.
Among trust-fund kids, this kind of thing was pretty common.
Out on the water, wind in your face, nothing to do — he wasn't exactly thrilled.
Kevin caught the flicker of disappointment in his eyes, blinked quickly, and leaned in to whisper. "Don't worry, Ethan. Once you get on board, you'll see this isn't just about drinking and cruising. You're into supercars, right? There's a surprise coming, guaranteed to make your eyes pop."
Brandon, standing nearby, saw Kevin still messing around and let out a short laugh, then just spelled it out. "Kevin loves playing games. Look, we're not the only group on this boat — there's another crew too. Today's basically a semi-private trading event for rare stuff. Things like rare supercars, especially limited editions, you can barely find on the open market, but here you might run into them."
He looked at Ethan, his eyes carrying the quiet understanding of someone speaking to a kindred spirit. "If you know, you know."
Ethan's eyes lit up a little. "Oh? Now that's actually pretty interesting. I just ordered a LaFerrari, and the wait time's a full six months. Honestly, the waiting's starting to get to me."
"You're into LaFerrari too?" Brandon's eyes lit up immediately, like he'd found a kindred spirit.
Ethan's lips curled into a grin. "Mechanical beasts, the aesthetics of speed — who wouldn't love that? It's just a guy thing."
"My kind of guy!" Whatever distance had been on Brandon's face instantly melted, and his tone got noticeably warmer. "We've gotta talk more later!"
Then he explained in more detail. "In our circle, we hold these underground auction-style gatherings pretty regularly. Today's one of those. People bring out stuff they've been sitting on, and whoever bids highest takes it home. So it's not just supercars — you can find rare stuff here that almost never shows up on the open market. Information and connections, that's the real currency."
Ethan got it right away, and silently gave the idea credit. Smart move. Trust-fund kids weren't short on cash — what they were short on was rare, one-of-a-kind stuff. And collectors who needed cash fast needed a safe, efficient way to liquidate. This yacht had basically become the perfect private trading floor.
Both sides got what they wanted. Everyone walked away happy.
His smile grew a bit more genuine. "I see! There's way more to this than I thought. I honestly figured it was just a regular yacht party. Guess I was just out of the loop."
Brandon waved it off, unbothered. "You're still young, just started college, first time out on your own. It's totally normal you haven't run into stuff like this. I was the same way — got dragged in by an older guy, and when I opened my eyes there was just treasure everywhere. Take it slow, the bigger your circle, the more you naturally pick up on."
Kevin pretended to be offended and punched Brandon in the arm. "Hey! Brandon! That's so unfair! I was trying to keep it from Ethan. Once he got on board and saw the cabin full of treasure, his jaw-drop reaction would've been hilarious! I could've snapped a photo of his shocked face and turned it into a meme, something he'd never live down. But now that you went and said it, man, you ruined everything!"
"Ethan's seen plenty. He just didn't know what today's event was." Brandon shot back. "Keep messing with him like this and watch him pin you down the second he gets on board. With that build, I'd bet he takes you out with one hand."
Kevin looked at Brandon and laughed. "Isn't that what you're here for? Either way, this is our turf — between the two of us, we can handle Ethan just fine."
Brandon said calmly, "I don't think the two of us together would cut it. We'd probably be the ones getting handled."
"Yeah, fair point..." Kevin gave an awkward smile.
Looked like he wasn't getting that photo of Ethan after all.
Hearing that, Ethan deliberately flexed his wrist and let out a faint crack, then said with a playful smile, "Now that you mention it, I'm actually kind of into this. Otherwise, just drinking and watching the water with you guys — that's really not gonna do it for me."
Kevin immediately clutched his chest like he'd been mortally wounded, the accusation way over the top. "Ethan! That really hurts, man! Women are just the icing on the cake! Hanging out with the guys — that's real character, real fun!"
"Damn, Kevin, something's off with you." Brandon eyed Kevin warily, then turned to Ethan. "Watch out for this guy. I'm fine, but you're young and good-looking. If Kevin sets his sights on you, that'd be a real problem!"
Ethan immediately played along, taking a defensive stance and saying seriously. "Tsk, now that I think about it, when he called yesterday to ask me out, his tone was a little... too enthusiastic. So that's what's going on!"
Kevin was so worked up he stomped his foot, face flushing red. "Come on! Broad daylight! Clear skies! And you two are teaming up to slander my pure brotherly love! When I say guys hanging out, I mean drinking, talking trash, seeing who can hit the bathroom furthest, okay? Can't you two think a little less dirty?"
His indignant defense only got Brandon and Ethan laughing harder, and even Logan and Preston, who'd been quietly standing off to the side, couldn't help cracking up too.
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