James watched Ethan down another glass of liquor and felt a growing concern. “I think you should stop drinking now, Ethan,” James said firmly, his voice cutting through the loud music and chatter of the club. He stepped closer to where Ethan was slouched in his seat, clutching a nearly empty bottle of expensive liquor. “You're going to make a mess of yourself if you continue this way,” he added, noticing the unsteady way Ethan was holding the bottle.All of them had come to the city's most exclusive and bustling club to celebrate their recent success. After months of hard work and endless negotiations, they had finally secured a multi-billion dollar contract that would take their company to new heights. The celebration had started off with laughter and high spirits, but as the night wore on, Ethan had taken to drowning himself in drink after drink, his celebratory mood quickly turning into a drunken stupor. The once lively glint in his eyes was now dulled by the effects of the al
Reaching the vehicle, he yanked open the back door and tossed Ethan inside, his movements quick and decisive. Ethan landed in a heap on the seat, still too stunned and drunk to fully process what had happened. James slammed the door shut, his chest heaving with the effort it had taken to get him out of the club. He paused for a moment, rubbing his sore cheek, before heading to the driver’s seat, determined to get Ethan home before he could cause any more trouble.Ethan, still dazed from the alcohol, fumbled clumsily with the door handle, trying to find a way out of the car. His coordination was shot, and his mind foggy; he couldn’t figure out how to open the door, let alone escape. Every attempt he made ended in frustration as he slumped back against the seat, too drunk to understand how trapped he really was.Meanwhile, James settled into the driver’s seat, his patience worn thin by the night’s fight. He turned the key in the ignition, the car roaring to life. Glancing back at
Gradually, Ethan's eyelids fluttered open, revealing the familiar yet oddly distant ceiling of his bedroom. The cool, white surface above him seemed to be watching him, a witness to his confusion and disorientation.As his vision cleared, he noticed a slight frown forming on his face. The ceiling looked the same as always, but something felt off. A gnawing sense of unease began to creep in. With a sense of urgency, he pushed himself upright, his movements sharp and sudden, driven by the need to understand why he felt so out of place in his own home.But just as quickly as he sat up, a sharp, pounding pain erupted in his skull, stopping him in his tracks. His hands instinctively flew to his temples, trying to ease the intense throbbing that seemed to echo with every beat of his heart."Ahhh!" he groaned, his face contorting in pain as his eyes squeezed shut, seeking help from the bright light streaming in through the windows. For a moment, he remained still, trying to steady his br
The drive to the company felt much longer to Ethan than he had expected. He was deep in thought and felt nervous, which made the journey seem endless. Every few moments, he would glance at James, who was sitting right next to him, trying to gauge his mood.Ryker, who was also in the car, noticed Ethan's nervousness and started to think that they might have had a disagreement. However, he decided not to bring it up. James, observing Ethan's restless behaviour, saw him turning his head back and forth, but Ethan quickly looked away and focused on the file James had given him earlier that morning.“You know, Ethan,” James said, breaking the silence, “if you have something to say to me, just say it. Don’t make me guess if you’re upset or something.”Ethan shook his head and mumbled, “It’s nothing…” He avoided looking at James, who was trying to get him to talk.“Alright,” James said, sounding a bit frustrated, “but could you please stop staring at me?” He turned his eyes back to the road
As Ethan walked into the office, a wave of fear and uncertainty hit him hard. His heart pounded in his chest, and his hands felt clammy. The last thing he wanted was to be forced to work with Gideon, the one person he couldn't stand.Ethan couldn’t understand why they would want him to sign a deal with Gideon of all people. It seemed impossible, like some cruel joke. How could they expect him to work alongside his worst enemy?“Gideon, of all investors? Are they out of their minds?” Ethan muttered under his breath, disbelief and frustration mixing in his voice. A scoff slipped out as he shook his head. He made his way over to the large window in his office, gazing out at the city below. The view was calming, a clear difference to the rage churning inside him. He slid his hands into his pockets, trying to find some comfort in the familiar action.For a moment, the peaceful scene outside started to ease his nerves. But just as he began to relax, a loud, mechanical voice echoed inside
Ethan climbed into his car, feeling the weight of the day's stress slowly lift off his shoulders. He let out a deep sigh of relief, his eyes locking onto the road ahead as if it held the answers to everything troubling him. His grip on the steering wheel tightened, knuckles turning white, as a wave of determination surged through him. It was as if every fibre of his being was urging him to act, pushing him forward with an intensity he had never felt before.With a quick twist of the key, the engine roared to life, filling the quiet day with a steady hum. Without hesitation, he pressed his foot down on the accelerator, feeling the car lurch forward as it quickly picked up speed. The city lights blurred past his windows as he raced away from the company, his thoughts focused on one destination: the Montero restaurant. He had to get there, and nothing was going to stop him.After what felt like hours behind the wheel, Ethan finally reached the restaurant. The drive had seemed endle
Gideon sat down heavily on the worn-out couch in his dimly lit room, the only light coming from a small lamp in the corner. His eyes locked onto the drink sitting on the table in front of him, untouched. His mind was racing, filled with one dark thought: the idea of Ethan being killed. “Why is it so hard to get to you, dear Ethan?” he muttered quietly, his voice barely above a whisper. He kept his gaze fixed on the drink, but his thoughts were far away, focused on Ethan. No matter how hard he tried, every plan he made to bring Ethan down seemed to fail miserably. Each failure left him feeling like the foolish one, and he hated that feeling. He despised how things never went his way, how his schemes fell apart almost every single time. But the desire to win, to finally get Ethan, burned within him. He wouldn’t stop until he found a way to succeed.After Mr. Andrew's death, Gideon had surprisingly remained calm. He was determined to figure out what he was doing wrong, why all his a
Gideon hesitated for a moment, trying to find the right words. His eyes darted between Samuel and Nick, sensing their worry. “It’s nothing serious,” he finally said, but his voice lacked conviction.“Nothing serious?” Nick echoed, disbelief clear in his voice. “You nearly lost your life! You’re not the unstoppable force we used to know anymore, are you?”Gideon felt a pang of frustration at Nick’s words, but he couldn’t entirely disagree. “That’s not it. I’m just…” he started to explain, his voice trailing off as he tried to articulate the inner turmoil he’d been dealing with. But before he could finish, Samuel cut him off.“Just what?” Samuel pressed, not willing to let him off the hook so easily. “Weak? Of course, Gideon… we all know how weak you are right now!” Samuel taunted, his voice dripping with mockery. The words were meant to provoke, and they hit their mark. Gideon’s fists clenched tightly, his knuckles turning white with the effort to contain his anger.“Watch your words