Finally, he prepared for the encounter on Bayside Boulevard. He knew it would hurt. He only did not know how deeply.
After the incident, Harold returned to a small apartment he had rented for the experiment. He removed the disguise slowly. Each layer peeled away another illusion he had once lived in. He stared into the mirror as himself again.
His reflection looked older than before. Not from makeup, but from disappointment.
“He enjoys cruelty,” Harold said aloud. “He thinks humiliation is entertainment.”
He did not sleep that night. He planned.
The following days confirmed everything. Harold watched Chase from a distance. A flower vendor approached him outside a beachfront café. Chase mocked her. A waiter accidentally dropped a fork. Chase lectured him loudly. Friends laughed. Phones recorded.
By the end of the week, a new video appeared online. Chase tossing a bill on the floor for an elderly man to pick up. The caption read, “Rich kid teaches old beggar his place.”
The internet reacted instantly. Outrage spread. Sponsors withdrew. Invitations vanished. Clubs closed their doors to him. Social circles that once praised him now distanced themselves to protect reputations.
