If wealth had a scent, the room was drenched in it.
The reunion was held in one of New York's most exclusive restaurants, where former high school students of Dalton School had gathered. The class of 2018 was back together, sharing drinks, laughter, and stories of careers, travels, and fortunes.
Jeremy Carter sat quietly in a shadowed booth at the back of the room. His suit was impeccable, cut to fit the man he had become, but he didn't command attention. He sipped his drink slowly, his gaze scanning the room with the calm detachment of someone who had nothing to prove, and everything to protect. Once the brightest scholarship student in their class, he was now the youngest billionaire on the Forbes list. And yet, surrounded by familiar faces, Jeremy still felt like a visitor in their world.
The doors opened.
A hush fell over the room.
Brad Mason entered with the confidence of a man who had never once questioned his place. Tall and undeniably handsome, with broad shoulders and a tailored suit that practically whispered wealth, he exuded charm. His golden smile and perfectly styled hair gave him the effortless glow of someone born into the spotlight.
But it was the woman beside him who truly drew every eye.
Ally Gordon.
She moved with quiet grace, her emerald dress flowing like silk in motion. Her honey-blonde hair tumbled over her shoulders in soft waves, and her smile ,gentle and poised, was enough to make time slow for a moment. There was a natural warmth in her presence that hadn't dimmed over the years.
Brad, never one to miss a moment to impress, pulled out her chair and gestured smoothly to a waiter. He ordered drinks for them both, then stood and raised his glass, commanding the room's attention as easily as he had back in high school.
"Ladies and gentlemen," he said with a practised smile, "you all remember Ally Gordon. But in six months' time, you'll know her as Ally Mason."
Gasps and murmurs spread through the room like ripples in a pond.
"Are they engaged? When did that happen? How is this not in the press?"
Ally gave a modest wave, her eyes crinkling at the corners as she smiled. Brad leaned down and placed a kiss on her cheek, his hand resting on her back in a gesture that was equal parts affectionate and possessive.They looked every bit the perfect couple.
Jeremy's expression remained neutral, but he clenched his glass. He watched Ally, watched the way she laughed, and leaned into Brad's touch. She looked content, at ease in a world Jeremy had spent a lifetime trying to reach.
Just then, a figure walked to him, no less striking.
Bailey Thomson.
Tall and radiant in a sleek black dress, Bailey moved with the elegance of someone used to being watched. Her dark curls fell effortlessly around her shoulders, and her walk had the same commanding ease that had made her a star on the international runway circuit.
Jeremy looked up just as she approached, his face relaxing into a real smile.
"There you are," Bailey said, sliding into the seat beside him. "Hiding from your old rich classmates?"
"Something like that," Jeremy replied with a quiet chuckle.
"You know, for someone who made it onto the Forbes billionaire list, you're doing a pretty good job of staying invisible."
"Some habits die hard."
She laughed. "Still the same old Jeremy. Smart, modest, and allergic to attention."
"Still the same Bailey. Sharp, stunning, and not afraid to speak her mind."
She bumped his shoulder playfully. "So, what's it like being richer than half the room combined?"
"Overrated," he said dryly.
Bailey tilted her head and gave him a teasing look. "Justin asked about you, by the way. He's still in Seattle, working too much, as usual. But he says hi."
"Glad to hear you two are still going strong,"
"We are. It's not as exciting as your life, but it's good. Boring, in the best kind of way."
"Boring is underrated. Believe me."
There was a pause.
"And you?" she asked. "Anyone special?"
Jeremy didn't answer immediately. His eyes had already drifted across the room again.
Back to Ally.
Bailey followed his gaze. Brad had his arm around her, and they were surrounded by a crowd of familiar faces. Ally was glowing, laughing, leaning in, alive in the moment.
"She looks happy," Bailey murmured
"She does," Jeremy said, though the words lacked conviction.
Jeremy exhaled, a small, half-hearted laugh escaping his lips. Bailey always had a way of seeing through him.
She leaned back and crossed her legs, glancing once more at Ally, who hadn't noticed her yet.
"Never mind," Bailey said quietly.
-----
The party continued, laughter and music echoing across the grand hall. Waiters floated through the tables like shadows, balancing champagne flutes. Ally sat with Brad's friends, flashing her signature smile as they recounted old high school pranks and bragged about investment portfolios and vacation homes. Brad, always the center of attention, leaned into every story like he was reliving it, charismatic and warm, the very image of the man everyone expected him to become.
But Ally felt her attention slipping. She sipped her drink, her gaze wandering. The conversation was polished and shallow, orbiting around cars, stocks, and who owned the newest penthouse suite in Manhattan. Her eyes swept across the room, searching for something, or maybe someone, more grounded.
That's when she saw them.
Bailey, seated beside Jeremy in a quieter corner of the room, was laughing, her hand brushing back a lock of hair. They looked at ease. Genuine. And just like that, Ally felt the familiar tug of nostalgia.
Bailey had been her best friend for ten years now. From the first day of high school, when Ally, the polished heiress of Gordon Corporation, had taken a seat beside a shy scholarship girl, their friendship had clicked. Where others saw lines of wealth and class, Ally had only seen loyalty, honesty, and a quiet fire in Bailey that made her unforgettable.
They had been inseparable since.
And while Ally had always floated through picture-perfect relationships, the kind that looked flawless in photos but felt hollow behind closed doors, Bailey had built something real. She and Justin had been together for eight years, ever since they were sixteen. They had survived college, long-distance, and now, real adult life. Ally envied that. Not in a bitter way, but with the hope that maybe, just maybe, her relationship with Brad could one day mirror that kind of deep-rooted love. Only two people in this glittering room knew the truth behind her dazzling smile..Brad and Bailey. Only they knew the cracks forming beneath the foundation of Gordon Corporation. Ally's father, once a titan in the business world, had made a series of disastrous investments. And now, the company teetered on the edge. That truth weighed heavy, and yet, in this room of polished perfection, most had no clue. For that, she was deeply grateful.
Lost in thought, she rose quietly from her seat.
With grace only years of being in the spotlight could teach, she weaved through the tables, heels clicking softly against the marble floor, until she reached Bailey and Jeremy.
"Hey," she greeted softly, her eyes lighting up.
Bailey looked up, her expression blooming into a radiant smile. "Ally! I was wondering when you'd see me."
Ally gave a small laugh and leaned in to hug her friend. "How could I not? You're practically glowing."
Bailey motioned to the empty seat beside her. "Come, sit. Take a break from Brad's stock-market fan club."
Jeremy looked up then, offering a polite nod. "Hi, Ally."
She turned to him with a smile that was both warm and curious. "Hi, Jeremy. Long time."
"Yeah," he replied, his voice quiet, as always. "You look... well."
"So do you," she said genuinely. It wasn't a lie. Jeremy looked confident in a new, magnetic way. There was still the reserved air about him, but now, it was laced with certainty. He didn't seem like someone trying to fit in. He belonged.
The three settled into easy conversation. Ally and Bailey picked up where they always did, diving into talk of Bailey's modelling gigs, the chaos of fashion week in Milan, and bizarre designers who thought duct tape was a fashion statement.
"It's like walking on stilts blindfolded," Bailey complained dramatically. "One wrong move and boom, your career is on the floor."
Ally laughed, her eyes crinkling with amusement. "Still better than my meetings. Corporate lawyers make runway divas look like preschoolers."
Jeremy chuckled under his breath.
"You're still at your dad's firm?" Bailey asked, sipping her drink.
"Yeah, heading the legal team now. Technically," Ally replied, twirling her glass. "It's been a lot."
She didn't elaborate, and Bailey didn't push. But the glance they exchanged said enough. The weight of Gordon Corporation's crumbling empire lingered, unspoken.
Jeremy sat back, listening more than he spoke. It reminded him of high school, when Ally and Bailey would chatter beside his locker, and he'd pretend not to be listening, though he caught every word.
"So," she turned to him, a curious tilt to her head. "MIT, robotics, Forbes..did I miss anything?"
He shrugged modestly. "That's the gist of it."
Bailey rolled her eyes. "He started a company that's changing the way robotics are designed, but sure 'that's the gist of it.' He's still allergic to compliments."
Ally smiled, amused. "Some things don't change."
Their eyes met for a second longer than necessary.
Bailey watched the exchange with quiet interest. She could read Jeremy between the silences, the glances. She hadn't forgotten his old crush on Ally the one he thought no one noticed. But Bailey had seen it all. And something about the way he was looking at Ally now, calm but captivated, told her that maybe that crush had not faded.
Ally turned her attention back to Bailey, laughter dancing in her eyes. But her mind tugged at the memory of Jeremy in the library, hunched over his laptop, earbuds in, always focused. She remembered admiring his determination, how he'd seemed immune to the chaos of high school drama.
Ally glanced at him now, his perfectly tailored suit and effortless poise, there was a quiet confidence in the way he held himself, like someone who had climbed mountains alone.
"Hi Bailey. Hi Jeremy."
The three of them turned.
Brad stood a few feet away, a charming smile on his face. He walked over with the easy confidence of a man used to commanding a room. Without missing a beat, he pulled out the chair next to Ally and sat, one arm resting protectively behind her. He placed a gentle hand on her shoulder, leaning in slightly.
"I was wondering where you went," he said with a chuckle. "I should've known you'd find your old crew."
Ally smiled. "You know me. I always find my people."
Brad looked at Bailey and Jeremy with pleasant politeness. "You guys catching up on the good ol' days?"
Bailey grinned. "Something like that."
Brad nodded and signaled for a server. "Let's get another round, shall we?"
The evening air around the table shifted. There was warmth, nostalgia, and unspoken tension.