Riley's words completely offended the group.
Sophia pulled Felicia aside, clearly annoyed. "Didn't she say she can get in on her own? Felicia, why bother with her? She should take responsibility for what she said!"
Riley curved her lips, her gaze drifting lazily toward Victor—just in time to catch the way his eyes kept sneaking back to Felicia.
A teasing smile flickered across her face as she shook her head.
Poor girl… your boyfriend's eyes are practically glued to someone else, and you're still defending your 'friendship'?
Riley shrugged. "If I go in, I go in. What's the big deal? I'm not like some people—blind to the truth."
Victor turned just in time to catch her expression.
His face flushed instantly, anger flaring from embarrassment. "You're not just a fool—you're vicious too! Fine! If you can get in on your own, I'll kneel and call you 'My Queen'!"
Riley raised her chin, mimicking Sophia's arrogant posture. "Deal. Your words."
Victor scoffed. "My words. I don't believe for a second that a fool like you can get in without a black card. I'll be waiting inside!"
At this point, Evan had completely lost patience. He shot Riley a look of pure disdain. "Let's go. We're going in."
And just like that, the group headed inside.
As Felicia passed Riley, she let out a soft sigh. "Riley… there's nothing I can do to help you now."
Xavier and the others hesitated. It didn't feel right leaving a girl outside like this.
But Evan had already gone in.
None of them wanted to miss this opportunity.
So they followed.
Felicia, Miranda, and the others lingered at the entrance, snapping photos excitedly before finally heading inside as well.
Before leaving, Miranda sneered, "Enjoy standing out here in the cold."
Riley simply smiled.
She pulled out her phone, scrolled for a moment, then held it out to the attendant.
The attendant's expression changed instantly.
His posture straightened as he respectfully gestured inside. "This way, please."
***
Felicia and the others stood in Auremere's grand lobby, gazing upward.
Everything gleamed with gold and intricate carvings.
The moment a person stepped inside, it felt like being surrounded by pure wealth.
Each floor of the building had a different theme.
And the higher you went, the more exclusive it became.
Evan's black card was the lowest-tier pass, granting access only to the ground floor and basement level.
A staff member led them further in, and they couldn't stop exclaiming in awe.
The ground floor was themed like an icy wonderland.
Through the glass corridors, they could see real snow—actual snow—along with chubby penguins waddling around.
Their hearts pounded.
This isn't a club… this is practically an Antarctic dome.
How much money did this cost?
The staff escorted them into a private room, serving pastries, fruit, and complimentary drinks included at their access level.
Once everything was set, the door closed.
They erupted in cheer.
Shouting, laughing, completely losing control in their excitement.
Even Felicia felt a surge of thrill, though she maintained her composed image—only taking a few photos before sitting gracefully on the couch.
Xavier slung an arm around Evan's shoulders, grinning. "Damn, man—you actually got us into Auremere. That's insane. I heard the higher floors are even crazier. If the first floor is already like this, I can't imagine what's above!"
Victor nodded eagerly. "Yeah, but we can't access the upper floors with this card. Honestly, just getting into the first floor is already incredible. Tons of people would kill for this."
Then he leaned in, lowering his voice slightly. "But I heard the basement level has some… interesting stuff. You can even make money there. Want to check it out?"