Cari stood on the sidewalk, looking up at the towering, gold-tinted glass of the Cloud Crest hotel in midtown Manhattan.

She followed the navigation map around the side of the building and pushed open the heavy metal door to the employee entrance.

A wave of air hit her face, smelling strongly of industrial bleach and cheap coffee.

She walked down the narrow hallway to the supervisor's office to check in.

Trina Sharp sat behind a metal desk, slowly painting her fingernails bright red.

Trina looked up. Her eyes dragged up and down Cari's faded t-shirt and scuffed sneakers.

A loud, mocking scoff left Trina's lips.

"We don't need anyone," Trina said flatly, waving a hand to dismiss her. Trina wanted to give the shift to her own cousin.

Megan Keller, another server carrying a stack of folded uniforms, stopped in the doorway.

"Trina, the GigMatch system already confirmed her," Megan said quickly. "If you reject her now, the platform will hit the hotel with a massive cancellation fee."

Trina rolled her eyes hard.

She reached under the desk and threw a bundled uniform at Cari's chest. It was clearly a size too small.

Cari caught the fabric. She didn't argue.

She gave Megan a small nod of thanks and walked into the locker room.

When Cari came back out in the tight uniform, Trina pointed a sharp fingernail at her.

"You take the VIP private dining room," Trina ordered. It was the heaviest, most stressful section.

Cari loaded a massive silver tray with heavy metal cutlery and three bottles of champagne.

She balanced the tray on her shoulder and walked steadily through the maze of kitchen hallways.

She reached the heavy oak doors of the top-tier VIP room at the end of the hall.

Just as she raised her hand to knock, a busboy hurriedly pushed past her to exit the room, leaving the heavy oak doors slightly ajar in his rush. A familiar voice drifted through the resulting gap. Cari's hand froze in mid-air. Her eyebrows pulled together. She leaned closer, peering through the open space before the heavy door could swing completely shut.

The room was dimly lit with crystal chandeliers. A group of wealthy kids sat around a long mahogany table.

Cari's eyes instantly locked onto the young man sitting near the head of the table.

Her stomach twisted violently.

It was her boyfriend, Hamlin Ross. The guy who always claimed he was a broke student and made her split every penny with him.

Right now, Hamlin was wearing a perfectly tailored designer suit. A thick Rolex watch caught the light on his wrist.

Hamlin held a glass of red wine, leaning forward with a sickeningly eager smile.

He was toasting Harper Zamora, who sat at the head of the table.

Cody Boggs, one of the rich followers, slammed his hand on the table and laughed.

"Hamlin, you really worked hard pretending to be poor just to get into the Zamora circle," Cody mocked loudly. "Did the fake daughter ask you for grocery money today?"

Hamlin let out a short, cruel laugh. He waved his hand dismissively.

"Cari is a desperate beggar," Hamlin sneered. "Looking at her makes me sick."

Hamlin turned his attention back to Harper.

"I only dated her to get close to your family, Harper," Hamlin said, his voice dripping with loyalty. "I gathered all her embarrassing secrets just for you."

Harper covered her mouth with her hand, her shoulders shaking with a delicate laugh.

"You did well, Hamlin," Harper praised him. "Like a very obedient dog."

Outside the door, Cari stood completely still.

The heavy silver tray dug into her shoulder. Her fingers gripped the edge of the tray so hard her knuckles turned stark white.

A sharp, stabbing pain hit her chest as the original owner's lingering emotions flared up.

But Cari's eyes were dead and cold.

A brutal, icy smile slowly formed on her lips.

She took a deep breath, shifting the heavy tray entirely to her left hand.

She freed her right hand and gripped the heavy brass handle of the door.

Down the hall, Trina walked around the corner. She saw Cari standing still and immediately opened her mouth to yell.

Inside the room, the laughter paused at the sound of Trina's approaching footsteps.

Cari ignored Trina completely. Her eyes stayed locked on Hamlin through the crack.

She pulled her right leg back, shifting all her weight, and prepared to strike.

Cari drove her right foot forward with explosive force.

Her boot slammed into the heavy mahogany door.

A deafening crash echoed through the room as the double doors flew open, slamming violently against the inside walls.

The soft jazz music playing in the VIP room was instantly drowned out. The air in the room froze.

Every head snapped toward the entrance.

They stared in shock at the girl standing there in a uniform that was too small for her.

Hamlin's hand jerked.

The dark red wine in his glass splashed out, staining the front of his expensive white shirt.

When Hamlin realized it was Cari, the blood drained completely from his face. His knees buckled, and he almost slid out of his chair.

Harper Zamora raised her eyebrows in surprise, but quickly covered her mouth to hide a malicious smirk.

Cody Boggs was the first to react. He slammed his hands on the table and stood up.

"Are you crazy?" Cody yelled. "You have no manners, you psycho!"

Cari kept her face completely blank.

She walked into the room with steady, heavy steps. She moved like she owned the building.

She walked straight up to Hamlin and slammed the heavy silver tray down onto the center of the table.

The impact shook the wood. Several crystal glasses tipped over, shattering into pieces.

The girls at the table screamed and pulled back from the flying glass.

Hamlin stuttered, his eyes darting around the room.

"Cari, I... I'm just here working part-time as a wine promoter," Hamlin lied, his voice shaking. He pulled at his suit cuffs nervously.

Cari let out a cold, sharp laugh. Her eyes dropped to the Rolex on his wrist.

"A wine promoter wearing a Rolex?" Cari asked, her voice cutting through the room like a knife.

She didn't give him a chance to speak. She repeated exactly what she had heard through the door.

She exposed his lies, word for word, detailing how he acted like a dog licking Harper's boots.

Hamlin's face turned a dark, furious red.

He reached out, trying to grab Cari's shoulder to force her to shut up.

Cari's eyes narrowed.

She swung her hand back and slapped him across the left cheek with all her strength.

The sharp crack of the slap echoed loudly in the silent room.

Five bright red finger marks instantly appeared on Hamlin's pale skin.

The room went dead silent. No one could believe the weak, pathetic fake daughter just hit someone.

Cari looked down at Hamlin, who was holding his face in shock.

"We're done," Cari said, her voice like ice. "Take your fake life and get out of my sight."

Harper stood up, playing the victim.

"Cari, you are poor and violent," Harper said, shaking her head. "You never deserved Hamlin."

Cari turned her cold stare to Harper.

"You enjoy eating garbage and feeling superior about it?" Cari mocked. "You two are a perfect match."

Harper's face twisted in anger. Her body shook.

"Security!" Harper screamed, pointing at Cari. "Throw this trash out!"

Trina finally ran into the room, breathing heavily. She saw the shattered glass and spilled wine.

Trina screamed.

"You ruined the hotel's reputation!" Trina yelled, pointing her finger in Cari's face. "You are paying for all of this!"

Cari looked at Trina with pure disgust.

She reached up, untied the cheap bow tie around her neck, and ripped the server apron off her waist.

She threw the apron directly into Trina's face.

"I quit," Cari stated loudly.

She turned around and walked out of the room with long, powerful strides, leaving the group staring after her in stunned silence.

The moment she stepped into the hallway, her phone let out a sharp ping.

She pulled it out. The GigMatch app showed her shift was terminated and the twenty cents were deposited.

A second later, the golden Wealth Unlock Protocol banner flashed across her screen.

[COMMAND COMPLETE. $2,000 AVAILABLE FUNDS UNLOCKED.]

Cari looked down at the two thousand dollars now sitting in her available balance. A cold, hard smile touched the corners of her mouth.

Loud, chaotic footsteps echoed from the hallway behind her.

Hamlin rushed out of the room, his hand still pressing against his red, swollen cheek. Cody and the others followed close behind. Trina trailed them like an angry guard dog, screaming for security.

Hamlin stepped in front of Cari, blocking her path. "You think you're tough? You just lost your pathetic twenty-cent-a-day job."

Cody stepped up beside him, crossing his arms. "I'm going to get you blacklisted on every gig app in Manhattan. You're going to starve on the street."

Harper walked out of the room slowly. She leaned against the doorframe, looking at Cari with the eyes of a victorious queen.

The noise in the hallway finally caught the attention of the hotel's General Manager, Mr. Franklin Palmer. He hurried down the hall, followed by two large security guards.

Trina immediately ran up to him. "Mr. Palmer!" she cried out, pointing at Cari. "She went crazy! She smashed glasses and attacked the VIP guests!"

Mr. Palmer frowned deeply. He looked at Cari with strict authority. "Apologize to the guests immediately, or I am calling the police."

Surrounded by their angry faces and threats, Cari suddenly laughed. The sound was light, but it echoed strangely in the wide hallway.

Everyone stared at her like she had lost her mind.

"Did the shock finally break your brain?" Hamlin asked, stepping back slightly.

Cari stopped laughing. Her eyes swept over the group, resting on Palmer. Her voice was completely calm and steady.

"Mr. Palmer," Cari asked. "How much does it cost to buy the Cloud Crest hotel?"

The hallway fell into a dead, heavy silence.

Then, the group erupted into loud, mocking laughter. Trina laughed so hard tears formed in her eyes. "You can't even buy a burger, and you want to buy an eighty-dollar hotel?"

Hamlin grabbed his stomach, pointing at Cari. "That is the funniest thing I've ever heard."

Palmer's face turned dark red with anger. He thought Cari was playing a stupid game. He waved his hand at the guards. "Drag her out."

The two large guards took a step forward.

Cari looked at Palmer with a chilling calmness. "You can call your Board Chairman to confirm. Tell him Cari Butler is acquiring this property."

She pulled out her phone. She had already sent the purchase offer to the hotel's board earlier that day through her assistant. The chairman had confirmed receipt. Now her fingers flew across the screen as she initiated the final payment through her unlocked funds.

Palmer scoffed, and the group erupted into another round of mocking laughter, treating her like a delusional beggar. The hallway was filled with their cruel giggles for several long, agonizing minutes.

Suddenly, the encrypted phone in Palmer's suit pocket began to vibrate violently.

Palmer pulled it out, annoyed, but his breath hitched when he saw the caller ID of the hotel's Board Chairman. He immediately held up a hand to stop the guards and answered the phone, his face shifting into a mask of deep respect.

The voice on the other end was loud. Even Cari, standing a few feet away, could hear the words "full acquisition" and "change of ownership."

Palmer's respectful expression shattered. His eyes widened in shock, and then pure, physical terror took over his features. Cold sweat broke out across his forehead.

He slowly lowered the phone. His head snapped up, and he stared at Cari like he was looking at a ghost.

His legs shook. He stumbled forward, practically tripping over his own feet to reach her.

In front of everyone's disbelieving eyes, the powerful General Manager bowed deeply to Cari, bending past ninety degrees.

"Boss," Palmer said, his voice trembling violently.

The laughter in the hallway died instantly. It was as if someone had choked the sound out of their throats.

Trina's jaw dropped open. Her eyes were wide with desperate confusion.

Hamlin and Cody stood frozen like statues. Their brains completely stopped working.

Cari looked down at Palmer's shaking shoulders. She slowly raised her hand and pointed a finger directly at Trina, who was shivering against the wall.

"Fire that idiot," Cari ordered, her voice leaving no room for argument. "Now."