The haptic feedback of a high-end smartphone vibrated against Liam Livingston’s thigh just as he stepped away from the wreckage of his scooter. He pulled the device from his pocket, the screen illuminating to reveal two incoming notifications from Serena Montgomery.
The first was a digital transfer of two thousand dollars. The second was a text message, clinical and sharp: “Buy yourself something decent. Don't humiliate me at the Family Office quarterly gathering tonight.”
Liam let out a dry, short laugh. Two thousand dollars. To Serena, this was a significant gesture of charity, a sum meant to transform a beggar into a presentable accessory. To the man who had just spoken with the Chairman, it was barely a rounding error. He pocketed the phone and hailed a taxi, giving the driver an add
