Stepping out of the luxury spa, Jason, Brielle Quinn, Courtney, and and Courtney were all in high spirits. The place had been first-class—aromatherapy rooms, thermal pools, the whole works—and the results spoke for themselves.
Jason felt his skin was smoother, fresher. Sure, he was a guy, but good skin was still a big deal.
In his mind, when people said they liked a "clean, fresh" guy, they didn't mean one who just showered and scrubbed up. They meant someone who looked naturally sharp—clear skin, bright smile—the whole package.
The only one who wasn't smiling was Madison's older brother, Alex. Earlier, Jason had casually bought the spa package for everyone, and it had cost more than Alex expected—over $3,000—but Jason didn't even flinch. Alex had been hoping to see Jason wince at the bill, but instead Jason had been all relaxed and easy, which irritated him to no end.
As they strolled through the upscale outdoor shopping district, Alex noticed Brielle and Courtney stopping in front of a jewelry boutique window. The two were admiring a delicate silver bracelet with a faint gemstone glint.
Alex's eyes lit up. Here was his chance.
Striding inside, he waved the sales associate over. "Could you wrap that bracelet up for me?" He turned to Brielle with a smile. "Brielle, this is for you."
He had expected her to be delighted, but instead Brielle hesitated, looking a little awkward.
It wasn't that she was materialistic—she wasn't. Her family was comfortable; she didn't lack nice jewelry. But she didn't have any real relationship with Alex, and accepting a personal gift like this felt… inappropriate.
The silence in the store stretched, and Alex's cheeks flushed.
Madison stepped in with a laugh to smooth things over. "Come on, Brielle, it's just a small gift. With how close our families are, no need to overthink it."
Not wanting to make Alex feel embarrassed, Brielle finally accepted it with a polite smile.
Alex exhaled, relieved. The mission wasn't as smooth as he'd hoped, but the bracelet was on her wrist, and that was what mattered.
He glanced at Jason and smirked inwardly—Jason hadn't bought her a thing. Maybe he had just pulled ahead.
But to his frustration, Brielle remained warm and friendly toward Jason, while her demeanor toward him stayed formal, almost distant.
It bugged him. Why was that?
After another half-hour of browsing, the group wandered into a sleek Hasselblad camera store. Jason strolled right in, with Brielle and Courtney following out of curiosity.
Alex hung back with a scoff. Hasselblad? Seriously? Those cameras were insanely expensive. There was no way Jason would buy one.
"Welcome to Hasselblad," the clerk greeted with a professional smile. Jason was dressed sharply enough to draw attention, but there was no over-the-top flattery—just courteous service.
"I'm a total beginner," Jason admitted. "Can you walk me through what you've got?"
"Of course," the clerk said, leading him to a display. "This is the X2D 100C—one of our most popular models. It's got a 100-megapixel medium format sensor, incredible color depth, and a dynamic range that'll give you razor-sharp detail even in tricky lighting…"
Jason listened, then asked, "And what's the price range?"
"Depending on the kit and lens, you're looking at between $7,500 and $15,000."
Jason nodded thoughtfully. "What's your best model?"
"That would be the Hasselblad H6D-400c MS," the clerk replied with a hint of pride. "It offers up to 400 megapixels with multi-shot technology for absolute image precision. Price tag is $53,000."
Jason smiled. "I'll take that one."
The clerk blinked for half a second, then recovered with a wide grin. "Excellent choice, sir."
From behind, Alex froze mid-step, his smirk fading fast.
Jason scanned the QR code to pay, and in less than ten minutes, the deal was done. A $52,000 camera was his.
Brielle Quinn froze for a moment when they saw it happen. But after witnessing Jason casually purchase a fully loaded 2025 Mercedes-Benz G63 worth nearly $300,000 earlier, they knew his financial standing was on another level. This was just a small surprise to them — although the idea of a camera costing over fifty grand was still hard to wrap their heads around.
Courtney stood there slack-jawed. She'd known Jason wasn't an ordinary guy, but apparently, she had still underestimated him.
As for Alex Sterling, his jaw practically hit the floor. and Courtney, standing beside him, looked like she couldn't believe her eyes. Jason didn't just buy a Hasselblad camera — he bought the most expensive $52,000 model they had in the store.
It was like holding a Porsche 911 in camera form.
Alex's family was doing a little better than Brielle's. They had some money — enough that $52,000 wasn't an impossible number — but spending that much on a camera? His father would kill him.
His own car was worth just over $100,000, meaning Jason's camera was worth half the price of his pride and joy.
Did that mean Jason was likely far wealthier than him? No wonder he'd been able to drop over $3,000 on spa without batting an eye — it wasn't even a scratch for him.
The memory of him bragging earlier, talking down to Jason, and even suggesting Jason should come work at his luxury car dealership after graduation… made Alex's cheeks burn with shame.
Right then, Madison asked, "Brielle, what car did Jason buy at your dealership again?"
Brielle glanced at Alex before answering truthfully, "The latest fully loaded 2025 Mercedes-Benz G63."
Madison blinked, a little stunned, but Alex… he froze. The landing price for that beast was about $290,000.
A scooter? he thought bitterly. You call that a scooter?
Alex wanted to crawl into a hole. He'd been thoroughly outclassed. The humiliation stung — and a small part of him even resented Jason, as if the man had done it on purpose just to put him in his place.
But the show wasn't over yet. Jason turned and walked straight into a Patek Philippe boutique.
Alex's pupils shrank. No way… he's not going to buy a Patek Philippe right after dropping fifty grand on a camera, is he?
"Good afternoon, welcome to Patek Philippe," the associate greeted politely as Jason stepped inside.
When Jason asked about certain models, the associate explained that most had to be ordered in advance.
Jason, wearing a Rolex worth over $15,000 on his wrist, caught the associate's attention. The smile turned warmer, more genuine — Rolex was nice, but in the world of Patek Philippe, it was small change.
Madison noticed the Rolex and nodded to herself. Sure enough, it was a mid-tier model worth about fifteen grand. Alex noticed too, his expression tightening yet again.
After a brief conversation, the associate returned with a stunning rose gold Patek Philippe that was in stock. Price tag: an eye-watering $298,000.
Jason looked it over, verified the details, and simply said, "I'll take it." He swiped his card without hesitation — like he was paying for lunch.
He took off the Rolex, slipped it into his pocket, and fastened the Patek Philippe around his wrist. The gleaming rose gold seemed to radiate quiet arrogance.
Brielle and Courtney were floored. Even buying a half-million-dollar SUV didn't feel as extreme as this. Rich people often spent big on cars, but luxury watches? That required extra money — money you could just throw away on "rich toys" while the rest of the world was still figuring out rent.
Madison was equally shocked. At this point, Jason wasn't just "mysterious" — he was an enigma.
Alex, meanwhile, was left completely crushed. Everything he'd bragged about earlier had been stomped into the ground… and then ground into dust.