Brother Mocked Me as ‘Family Failure’—Then His Fiancée Learned I Was the Billionaire CEO

The crystal chandeliers in the St. Regis Chicago’s grand ballroom cast shimmering rainbows across polished marble floors, where over 180 guests mingled in couture gowns and tailored tuxedos, champagne flutes catching the golden glow.
The engagement party for my brother Jonathan and his fiancée Elise easily cost more than many people’s annual income. White roses flown in from Ecuador, a jazz quartet from New York, and enough Krug champagne to fill a swimming pool.
Every detail screamed opulence—from the gold-embossed place cards written in flawless calligraphy to the towering ice sculptures that would dissolve into puddles by dawn.