CHAPTER 4: THE COOL NIGHT AIR AND THE TRUTH
Outside on the grand stone portico, Ethan was wheeling his bicycle down the winding driveway when heavy footsteps echoed behind him. He stopped, wiping his arm across his eyes to clear away the lingering moisture before turning around slowly.
Julian jogged down the front steps, his sequined black suit jacket catching the moonlight as he rushed to catch up. "Ethan, wait up! Don't you dare leave without me!" Julian called out, breathing heavily from his sprint across the marble foyer.
Ethan clutched his small wrapped gift tightly against his chest, looking down at his sneakers with a mixture of embarrassment and lingering hurt. "Your aunt was right, Julian, I don't belong at a place like this among all those rich people," Ethan muttered softly.
Julian reached out, grabbing his friend's shoulder with a firm, grounding grip that brooked no argument. "My aunt is a miserable snob who measures human beings by the price tag on their clothes instead of their character," Julian stated fiercely.
"You're my best friend, Ethan, and this birthday doesn't mean a damn thing without you sitting right beside me," Julian added, his voice softening with genuine warmth. Ethan looked up, the sadness in his eyes melting away into a profound, touching sense of loyalty and relief.
From the open doorway behind them, several party guests peered through the sidelights, watching the unfolding scene with wide-eyed astonishment. The absolute shock of a billionaire heir walking out on his own lavish birthday party for a kid in a T-shirt was unprecedented in Riverside.
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Julian didn't care who was watching from the warmth of the brightly lit mansion; his loyalty belonged on the pavement with his true brother. He grabbed the handlebars of Ethan's bicycle alongside his friend, ready to walk away from the gilded cage entirely.
The contrasting images of luxury inside and genuine friendship outside painted a vivid picture of what truly mattered in life. They stood together under the American stars, bound by a pact that no amount of family wealth could ever purchase.
