Watching Shenna happily settle into the seaside RV, Olivia finally relaxed.
The girl had been excited from the moment she stepped out of the car, running along the shore, taking photos of the moonlit waves, even carefully arranging the flower pots herself. She looked nothing like a runaway heiress. More like a college girl on her first camping trip.
After confirming that Shenna was comfortable, Olivia discreetly arranged a perimeter security detail. Black-suited bodyguards spread out across the coastal road, hidden but alert. Surveillance drones were deployed in silent patrol patterns above the shoreline.
Only after everything was secured did Olivia leave.
As her car pulled away from the coast, she sent Jason a message.
Olivia: "Miss Shenna has settled in safely. What are the arrangements for her birthday banquet tomorrow?"
Jason's reply came quickly.
Jason: "We promised her a birthday party. And we promised her parents and the Zane family couldn't take her back. So it has to be high-end. Classy. We haven't promoted our acquisition of Tourism Cruise Company yet. This is the perfect chance. Bring the Blue Sea Pearl to Harbor City. Make a splash."
Olivia's eyes sharpened. The Blue Sea Pearl. A flagship luxury cruise liner. A floating palace. Seven decks. Helipad. Glass-bottom ballroom. It wasn't just a party venue—it was a statement of dominance.
She replied: "Understood. The ship isn't on a long voyage right now. One day is tight, but manageable. What about guests?"
Jason thought briefly before answering. "Keep it casual, some group would do. Just say it's a girl's birthday party. Come have fun. And support her."
Olivia understood immediately. Support her meant support him.
She sent the invitations into group chats. And instantly, both groups exploded.
The Auto Alliance chat lit up first. Everyone still remembered what happened the last few times they "supported" Jason.
To these tycoons, Jason Carter wasn't just wealthy. He was a walking treasure vault. A man whose shadow leaked opportunities.
Now he was inviting them to "support a girl"? No one cared who the girl was. Being present was the opportunity.
Messages flooded in.
"If Mr Carter is hosting, I'll be there."
"I'm in D.C.—is it too late to book a flight?"
"If commercial flights are full, can someone arrange a charter?"
"Old Mason, handle it immediately."
Old Mason: "Already arranging. You'll make it."
From Silicon Harbor: "I'm flying in tonight."
From New York: "Clearing my schedule now."
Then a highlighted message appeared.
Rick: "Heh, I think I know who the birthday girl is. But I'll keep Mr Carter's suspense."
Another tagged message followed.
Caleb@ Josh: "I'm overseas. Flying back now. Might arrive late—please inform Young Master Carter."
Josh: "Understood."
The other chat was no quieter.
"Boss Smith is flying back from abroad? Rare sight."
"Mr Carter hosting? I'm there."
"When so many heavyweights move together, how can we miss it?"
One message summed up the collective sentiment: "Doesn't matter whose birthday it is. If Mr Carter calls, we show up."
As confirmations poured in, private jets were booked, charter flights arranged, convoys mobilized, luxury yachts redirected toward Harbor City's port.
Jason stood on the balcony of Moon Island's villa, overlooking the dark ocean. He glanced at the guest confirmation list Olivia forwarded. Names alone could shake half the country's business circles.
He smiled. Tomorrow night, the Blue Sea Pearl would dock under the city skyline. A runaway heiress would celebrate her birthday atop the sea. And the nation's most powerful young elites would gather under one banner. Not for business. Not for politics. Just to "support a girl."
Jason raised his glass toward the horizon. "Let's make this birthday unforgettable."
Inside the elite Circle group chat, silence lasted less than three seconds after Jason's invitation. Then a line of golden-name accounts appeared one after another.
Supreme VIP. Supreme VIP. Supreme VIP.
Each title shone like a badge of absolute status.
Rick (Supreme VIP): "Count me in."
Caleb (Supreme VIP): "Already preparing departure."
Josh (Supreme VIP): "Will represent Harbor City's side."
Victoria (Supreme VIP): "I'll arrive tonight."
Covell (Supreme VIP): "Looking forward to it."
The standard members were stunned. Everyone inside this Circle was wealthy—after all, the minimum entry requirement alone was a seven million dollar cash deposit. But Supreme VIPs were legends. They rarely spoke. Rarely appeared. Most members had never even seen them online at the same time.
They were like hidden dragons beneath the surface, watching, calculating, moving only when necessary. Yet now, all of them surfaced because of one sentence from Jason Carter.
The shock in the group chat was indescribable.
"Is this real? All Supreme VIPs showed up?"
"Just because Mr Carter invited us?"
"His influence is terrifying."
Even Mason, the club administrator, was trembling with excitement. He had managed this Circle for years but had never seen such cohesion. He began arranging private lounge reservations, harbor docking permits, airport VIP channels, luxury convoy escorts. If this gathering succeeded, there unity would reach an entirely new level.
Harbor City transformed overnight. Private jets streaked across the night sky. Luxury yachts redirected routes. Convoys of supercars poured in from neighboring states. It looked less like a birthday party and more like a global financial summit.
Meanwhile, compared to there Elite Circle, the Auto Alliance was quieter, lower profile, less influential, but still filled with high-net-worth members.
However, neither Shenna's family nor the Zane family knew any of this. They were qualified to join both clubs, but membership wasn't just about wealth. The Auto Alliance focused on hypercar collectors. Yonghua Circle revolved around entertainment elites and private social networks.
Old-money families like there didn't need those channels for upward mobility. If they lacked interest in supercars or elite social clubs, they didn't join. And by not joining, they lagged behind in information.
Morning arrived at the Shen family residence. Sunlight filtered through silk curtains.
Shenna's woke early. Today was her daughter's birthday. There were banquets to prepare, guests to receive, allied families to impress.
She finished brushing her teeth and glanced at the clock. Her daughter's room was still silent. Frowning, she walked over and knocked.
"Shenna, what time is it? Get up."
No response. She knocked again. "We need to prepare early today."
Still silence. Her voice hardened. "If you don't answer, I'm coming in."
She unlocked the door and pushed it open. The bed was neatly made. Blankets folded. Pillows arranged. But no daughter.
Her brows furrowed. She quickly called Shenna. Before the call connected, she noticed a midnight message.
Shenna: "Mom, I'm going out. Don't prepare my birthday party. I'm celebrating someone else's birthday."
Her face darkened. "Run away from home again?!"
She dialed. Automated reply: "If I don't answer, it means I'm still sleeping. Please call later."
Her anger surged.
At that moment, Shenna's father walked in, still adjusting his tie. Seeing his wife's expression, he paused. "Honey, who upset you this early?"
She turned sharply. "Your daughter ran away from home."
He froze. Ran away? Again? He hurried to Shenna's room and confirmed it was empty. The neatly folded blankets made it clear this was planned. He sighed. "Why today of all days? It's her birthday."
She snapped back. "Is it okay any other day? She ran away specifically today. She clearly doesn't want to see Brown Zane. Other kids grow more sensible as they age. Why is she getting more rebellious?"
He thought quietly: because she never had a rebellious phase before. But he didn't dare say that aloud. Otherwise, it would become a marital argument.
He spoke gently instead. "She's resentful. That's normal. She'll come back before the banquet."
She shook her phone. "She said not to prepare a birthday party. She's celebrating with someone else."
Silence fell. Both parents thought of the same person. Only one man could make their daughter run away on her own birthday.
Jason Carter.
She dialed Jason. No answer. She called again. Still none.
The call was picked up. But it wasn't Jason. It was his secretary. Olivia.
"Hello, this is Mr. Carter's office."
She spoke directly. "Is my daughter with Jason?"
Olivia's tone was polite, professional, and uninformative. "I'm sorry, Mrs. Shen. I'm not aware of Miss Shenna's whereabouts. If there's nothing else, I'll need to return to work."
The call ended. She's face turned darker. She knew. Olivia knew. Jason knew. But none of them would say a word.
Across the ocean shoreline, inside the seaside RV, Shenna slept peacefully. Unaware that outside, storm clouds were gathering. And that tonight, her birthday would shake Harbor City's entire elite circle.
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