The first light of morning slipped through the panoramic glass of Liamās bedroom, painting soft gold across the marble floor. Dubaiās skyline was still hazy with dawn mist.
Liam had already woken up a few minutes ago but he was still on his bed, staring at the ceiling. He remembered what day it was and sighed.
Today, he had a meeting with the Saudi Arabian representative.
He briefly thought about canceling. The idea lingered for a heartbeat then he dismissed it. He was the one who had accepted their invitation, after all.
Besides, he already knew the reason for their sudden "interest": curiosity. Everyone wanted to know how a young man, own a private A380, and live as quietly as he did. Especially when even governments couldnāt trace his financial beginnings.
Still, the thought of sitting through another diplomatic performance made him feel tired already.
He swung his legs off the bed, rubbing his eyes. He looked toward the dressing area and he noticed the maids had already laid out his outfit for the day.
He sighed softly and moved toward the bathroom. The marble tiles were cold under his feet.
Minutes later, steam curled from the doorway as he stepped out, towel drying his hair. He dressed silently, buttoning his shirt and fastening the cuffs. By the time he finished adjusting his tie, the tiredness had already faded into composure.
When he stepped into the hall, Claraāhis personal assistant from the family officeāwas already waiting by the door.
"Good morning, sir," she greeted softly.
"Good morning, Clara," Liam replied with a polite smile. "How are you today?"
"Iām well, sir," she answered. "Breakfast is ready. After youāre done, weāll be departing for the Royal Saudi Consulate. The meeting with the Minister of Defense and Deputy Prime Minister is confirmed for ten oāclock."
"Understood," Liam nodded.
Together, they walked down the wide corridor toward the dining room. The sunlight grew warmer with every step, spilling across the long table where his friends were already gathered.
"Morning, boss," Harper greeted with a grin.
"Morning, everyone" Liam said, as he took his seat. His smile softened at the sight of them.
The maids immediately began serving the last of the dishes. After that, Liam and his friends started eating.
"Liam, I saw the new updates you made to Lucid ecosystem. I only have one word: insane! The internet is already going crazy because of it," Harper said, as they ate.
"Yeah. I saw that too. I woke up this morning and my phone was filled with notifications from social media accounts that are talking about it," Matt said and pause for a moment, as he took a bite.
He continued, "I checked the platform on my phoneās browser and I saw the announcement on Nova Technologiesā official account, and also some videos, and pictures of it from some users. Itās called The Hub and itās actually the focus of todayās livestreams for most streamers."
As expected of Lucy. Sheās as efficient as ever. I should talk to her later, give her some head pats and praises. Sheās doing a perfect job,
Liam thought to him.
He hasnāt spoken to Lucy today because heās yet to use his Lucid.
"Liam never ceases to surprise. Itās barely three days after launch and heās not giving anyone the chance to be bored with the device," Kristopher chuckled.
"You guys praise me too much. I only added an update I felt would improve the usersā gaming experiences," Liam smiled.
The group chuckled softly, looking at Liam with admiration as they continued eating their meal.
"So, Liam, are you going to be free to game with us today? We intend to wait for you and we all will game together when you get back from your meeting," Kristopher said.
"Definitely. The meeting wonāt take long. Just some small talk and a few boring, and very obvious probing questions, and Iām done," Liam replied.
"Then, we will wait until youāre back," Kristopher said, and everyone else nodded in agreement.
Liam smiled in appreciation. He remembered something and turned to Elise, and asked, "Elise, have you posted the video you wanted to post? What are the reactions?"
He remembered her telling him that she wanted to post a video of the girlsā shopping experience during their yesterday gaming session in Terra.
"No. Iām yet to post it. I will do that when you get back. "I was going to last night," she said, "but I didnāt want the Lucid usage timer to start counting while I wasnāt actually using it."
"Thatās not how it works. The timer only tracks actual time in use, not from activation," Liam smiled.
"Oh," Elise blinked, then laughed softly. "Well... good to know. But Iāll still wait until youāre back before I post it."
Liam nodded in understanding and continued eating his meal. He finished his meal and stood up.
He turned toward the head maid standing a few meters away. She bowed her head slightly as his gaze met hers.
"Thank you for the meal," Liam said, his tone warm but composed. "Everything was perfect."
"Itās our pleasure, sir," The maid smiled softly.
He gave a small nod before picking up his phone from the table and sliding it into his pocket, and walked toward the door.
Waiting by the entrance were Mason, Nick, and Clara.
"The carās ready, sir," Mason said when Liam approached.
Liam gave a short nod. "Good."
Just as he reached the doorway, Stacy called out from the table, her tone playful.
"Have fun at the meeting!"
"I wish I could but Iām definitely going to be bored to death one minute into the meeting," Liam smiled, causing his friends to burst out into chuckles.
Liam smiled and shook his head, as he left the apartment with his entourage.
***
The elevator ride down from the penthouse was silent except for the sound of the machinery, which was almost silent.
The elevator reached the underground garage, where a Rolls Royce Phantom and a black SUV was waiting, with engines already running.
They all got into the Rolls Royce Phantom, with Nick taking the driverās seat as always, Mason beside him, then Liam and Clara in the backseat.
With everyone seated comfortably, Mason gave the signal to the car in front and the they slowly pulled out of the underground garage.
***
Almost an hour later, the vehicles slowed and stopped in front of a large white building with golden calligraphy etched across its entrance.
Flags waved gently from tall poles. Guards in ceremonial uniforms watched with sharp eyes.
The moment Liam stepped out of the vehicle, the guards straightened.
A senior official walked forward with a polite bow. "Welcome, Mr. Scott. His Excellency is waiting for you."
Liam nodded calmly.
Behind him, Mason and Nick spread out slightly, keeping distance yet maintaining protection. Clara walked beside Liam, holding a small folder containing schedules and diplomatic notes.
As Liam approached the main doors, he felt a few gazes on him. They were sharp, assessing and filled with curiosity.
Inside, the air cooled instantly.
Gold patterns lined the walls. A long hallway stretched forward, ending at a pair of grand doors guarded by two men in white robes.
"The meeting room is just ahead, sir," Clara informed him.
Liam gave a small nod, breathing in once before stepping forward. He approached the doors, and the guards pushed them open.
And he stepped inside.