From Bullets To Billions novel Chapter 91

Chapter 91: For The Family

Ever since Aron told Max he’d be attending this event, his biggest concern wasn’t Sheri, his ex-fiancée, or whatever scheme her mother was plotting. No, the real problem had always been Chad.

Now that Max knew the truth, that Chad was the one behind everything that happened at the school, it changed everything. He still didn’t know who was responsible for the attempted drowning of the real Max Stern... but this guy, Chad, had caused nothing but trouble for him in his new life.

"Why don’t we move along," Aron said with a calm smile, gently guiding Max away.

They shifted toward a nearby table, picking up small plates and nibbling on the arranged hors d’oeuvres. Max was grateful for Aron’s instinct. Even in this grand ballroom, packed with chandeliers and high-profile guests, there were still people with press badges walking around and cameras clicking in every direction.

Still, as Max picked through the appetizers, he couldn’t help but glance back over his shoulder.

There he was.

Chad had arrived, sunglasses resting on the top of his head, his hair slicked back behind his ears, and a flashy yellow patterned suit that made him stand out like a neon sign in a black-and-white photo. You could spot him from anywhere in the room.

"Mrs. Curts, it’s so lovely to see you," Chad said, bowing slightly as he lifted her hand and kissed it with practiced charm. Then, turning to Sheri, he added, "And you, you look more stunning every time I see you."

He took Sheri’s hand and gave it a small kiss as well, smiling like he’d just stepped out of a romance novel.

"I’m afraid I’ve been really busy as of late," Chad said with a sigh. "Things are getting tough within the Stern family, so I haven’t had time to get you a gift. But I promise, I’ll bring you something special the next time we meet."

"Oh, don’t be silly," Sanna giggled, gently slapping Chad across the chest like they were lifelong friends. "You don’t have to get us anything. You being here is a gift enough."

Max nearly spat out his drink right then and there, coughing hard and drawing attention from several nearby guests. He clutched his chest as he tried to breathe, making quite a scene.

Both Chad and Sanna glared at him disapprovingly, while Sheri turned her head to the side, trying, and failing, to hide a small smile.

"Are you alright? Did someone poison your drink?!" Aron asked, gripping Max’s shoulders and looking around in fake alarm.

"Calm down," Max wheezed, waving him off. "I just choked. I was shocked by the blatant double standard. These rich people... or the people sucking up to them, it’s enough to drive someone mad."

Trying to cool his head, Max walked away, deliberately avoiding Chad. As he wandered through the ballroom, he noticed all the items up for auction. Famous paintings, rare artifacts, and one-of-a-kind memorabilia were displayed with soft lights and gold tags.

There were plenty of celebrities too, faces Max recognized from the media, but they didn’t impress him much. Celebrities had never meant much to him.

What he was looking out for were underworld figures, just like the ones he’d spotted at the last Stern family gathering. But so far, no one like that had shown up.

Not yet, anyway.

"All of your family members have arrived, apart from Dennis Stern," Aron said, standing just behind Max’s shoulder. "Your grandfather’s a bit too high-profile to waste time on events like these."

"I agree," Max muttered. "Have you seen the crap they’re selling in here? And the prices people are putting on it? Even ifI had the money, I wouldn’t waste it on this garbage. Honestly, if I had the choice, I wouldn’t have come either."

"Well, it’s probably a good thing all your family members are ignoring you," Aron replied. "They seem way too busy trying to gain favor with the other guests."

Despite already having ridiculous wealth, each Stern was chasing after more, more power, more influence, more status. But the one thing Max couldn’t keep his eyes off all night... was the performance being put on by Sanna, Sheri, and Chad.

It was infuriating.

"What are you doing just following me around everywhere?" Sanna hissed in a hushed voice. "You need to be with Chad, winning him over! Don’t forget, everything we have is riding on this. I’ll do my part for the family, so you do yours."

With that, she practically shoved Sheri in Chad’s direction.

Chad was already talking to two other women, older, dressed in designer cocktail dresses, laughing and pouring him drinks. As Sheri stepped closer, the contrast between her and them was painfully obvious.

She was still a high school student.

It’s for the family.

"Not really," Chad replied with a casual shrug. "There hasn’t been anything I want to get, although I suppose there’s been one thing... I guess you could say you."

"Right... but out of all of them, only two haven’t bid on anything: Chad, and Max Stern." Daz raised her camera and took another quick shot. There was something in Max’s expression, focused, distant. He was clearly staring at someone. But who?

Her mother’s just watching this... and she’s fine with it? Max thought, his jaw tightening. Is it just me, or do these people have even fewer morals than the ones in the underworld?