Alice’s hostility was so obvious that Hera could feel a prickling sensation on her skin just from her gaze. It didn’t take a genius to figure out what Alice was thinking.


    "Please, miss, run a financial check for me," Hera said as she handed her ck Dragon Card to the staff, just as Athena had done. Then, she paused mid-motion and looked at the staff. "And please, make sure our financial reports aren’t visible to just anyone."


    She cast a side nce at Emily, and the staff immediately understood her meaning.


    "Don’t worry, ma’am. We highly value our clients’ privacy, especially when ites to their financial reports. Many of our members are business owners and high-ranking officials, so only we and the specific client have ess to those details," the staff assured her with a polite bow before excusing herself to run the financial check and process Emily’s check-in for a private dining room.


    "What’s wrong? Afraid everyone will find out that your so-called ck card is just a sticker and that your funds are barely enough?" Emily taunted, snickering as if she had struck a nerve.


    She looked at Hera with smug satisfaction, convinced that Hera feared her carefully crafted image of a wealthydy would crumble under the scrutiny of the upper-ss onlookers.


    "You think you’re smart?" Athena scoffed, shooting Emily a sideways nce as if she were looking at an idiot before rolling her eyes.


    <strong>"</strong>Just because we don’t want our financial reports on disy, you assume we’re faking it? By that logic, what about the other VIPs standing around? Are they all frauds with stickers on their cards too?"


    She crossed her arms, her tone dripping with sarcasm. "Financial reports are private and sensitive information. Many people here prefer to keep their wealth discreet, and for good reason. No one wants to attract gold diggers who see nothing but dor signs when they look at others. We value genuine connections."


    As Athena spoke, passing onlookers who had overheard Emily’s reckless remark couldn’t help but nod in agreement, some even casting her disapproving looks.


    After all, they were influential figures in business and politics, making their financial assets highly sensitive.


    While some enjoyed unting their wealth—like the nouveau riche—those from old-money and aristocratic families found such behavior distasteful, knowing it only invited trouble.


    Many who grew up in luxury sought genuine connections or simply a ce to unwind, which was why they frequented this exclusiveworking hub.


    While businessworking was a key reason for their presence there, they let their strategies and expertise speak for them, not their wealth. After all, they understood that money alone could only get them so far—true influence came from knowledge and talent.


    Wealthy people value talent more than money because talent generates wealth, but money alone can never create true ability.


    Emily, finally noticing the nces thrown her way, instinctively shrank back. She could feel the weight of their disapproving stares, realizing that her words had offended more people than just Hera and Athena.


    Of course, this was all thanks to Athena—she had masterfully emphasized Emily’s implication, subtly dragging everyone in the room into the equation.


    By grouping them together with herself and Hera, she skillfully steered public opinion in their favor, turning the crowd against the real troublemaker. After all, this was her specialty.


    Hera pursed her lips, suppressing augh as she watched Athena effortlessly deliver one verbal p after another.


    With nothing but blunt words, she had not only put Emily and Alice in their ce but also swayed the onlookers to her side—all without making it seem deliberate.


    Emily fumed with anger, but no matter how hard she tried, she couldn’t find the words to justify what she had just said.


    She knew that the more she spoke, the deeper she would dig her own grave. epting that she stood no chance against Athena in a verbal battle, she pressed her lips together and fell silent.


    Instead, she turned her hopeful gaze toward the staff behind the desk, who was processing Hera and Athena’s financial check to determine their eligibility for a membership card.


    Meanwhile, another staff member was assisting with Emily’s check-in for a private room.


    Within three minutes, her check-in wasplete, yet she made no move to leave. It was obvious she was waiting for the results of the financial check.


    Even if the staff wouldn’t reveal the exact details of their finances, the type of membership card Hera and Athena received would be more than enough to indicate their financial standing.


    Since the onlookers found the unfolding drama intriguing—and were also somewhat offended by Emily’s remark—many chose to stay and watch. After all, no one dislikes a bit of drama and gossip, as long as they aren’t the ones at the center of it.


    With the crowd still gathered, Emily felt the weight of their judgmental stares, making her uneasy. Yet, despite her nerves, she remained rooted in ce, sensing that the tide might soon turn in her favor.


    <i>’Ha! If they fail the financial assessment, all these judgmental looks will shift to them instead. It’ll prove that I was simply trying to talk sense into them and looking out for everyone’s best interests,’</i> she thought, a spark of confidence returning as the idea took hold.


    Then, Emily noticed the staff conducting the financial check pause, ncing at Hera for two seconds before looking back at the screen.


    A momentter, she stole another nce—this time, catching the attention of a nearby staff member, who also sneaked a peek at the screen. Almost instantly, their demeanor shifted, their expressions turning oddly stiff and unreadable.