Down in the front driveway of the Sterling Hotel, a cold rain had begun to fall over the city streets.
Chloe was standing next to her father's black luxury sedan, screaming hysterically into her phone.
Chloe: Dad! Pick up the phone right now! They cancelled our catering contract!
The heavy glass doors of the hotel opened, and two security officers walked Julian out through the side entrance.
He was no longer wearing his navy tuxedo jacket—only a plain white shirt, carrying a small cardboard box of his personal belongings.
Chloe ran over to him across the wet pavement, her heels splashing in the puddles.
Chloe: Julian! What happened upstairs?! Did you fix it with your mother?!
Julian stopped and looked at her with dead, empty eyes.
Julian: Get away from me, Chloe.
Chloe: What are you talking about?! Where is your car? Why are you carrying a cardboard box?!
Julian: I got fired. I surrendered my shares. I have nothing left.
Chloe: What do you mean you have nothing left?! What about the house in Malibu?! What about the trust fund?!
Julian: It was all under my mother's name! Every single cent!
Chloe took a step back, her mouth hanging open in utter horror.
Chloe: You... you tricked me! You told me you owned fifty percent of the Sterling Group!
Julian: You only cared about my money! You never cared about me for a single second!
Chloe: Of course I cared about the money! Do you think I would spend five minutes with a loser who carries his life in a cardboard box?!
A few hotel guests standing under the valet canopy gasped, pulling out their phones to film the argument.
Julian: You fake, arrogant snake! I ruined my relationship with my mother because of you!
Chloe: You ruined your own life because you're weak! Don't you dare come near my car!
Just then, a sleek yellow tow truck pulled into the hotel driveway, flashing its amber lights.
The tow driver stepped out holding a clipboard and looked at the black sedan.
Tow Driver: Is this the vehicle registered under Sterling Corporate Fleet number four?
Chloe: Yes! What are you doing near my car?!
Tow Driver: The corporate authorization was revoked fifteen minutes ago. I'm repossessing the vehicle immediately.
Chloe: No! You can't do that! My designer bags are in the back seat!
Tow Driver: You have two minutes to clear your personal items, lady. Otherwise, they go to the impound lot.
Chloe screamed in utter frustration, scrambling to pull her bags out of the vehicle while guests laughed and filmed her on their phones.
Julian threw his cardboard box into a nearby trash bin and began walking down the rainy street on foot, completely broke and alone.