"He passed the first test," the man said clearly, his gaze locking onto Leo through the glass with a proud, paternal nod. "We found our next candidate."
Raymond’s arrogant sneer began to unravel as a cold chill ran down his spine. "Who... who does that old bum think he's calling?"
Before Raymond could utter another word, the diner’s front door chime rang again. Entering the room was not a patron, but an impeccably dressed man in a tailored charcoal three-piece suit, holding a black leather briefcase embossed with the exact same silver lighthouse emblem seen on the coin.
The attorney walked straight past Raymond without a glance, stopping directly in front of Leo.
"Leo Vance?" the attorney asked with crisp professionalism.
"Y-yes, sir," Leo stammered, clutching the silver medallion tightly.
"My name is Arthur Cole, General Counsel for the Horizon Educational Trust," the lawyer said, extending a hand. "The gentleman outside is Mr. Harrison Sterling, founder of the Sterling Logistics Group and chairman of our philanthropic endowment."
Raymond’s face turned an ashen white. His mouth hung open, words catching in his throat. Harrison Sterling—the reclusive shipping billionaire whose trust funded community colleges, trade apprenticeships, and local civic projects across the entire state.