Rise of The Unknown Billionaire

Chapter 4

Ethan was too familiar with the streets. How could he not? He had grown up there, in the orphanage that took him in ever since he lost both his parents. 

It was the house that had housed him and made sure that he was able to grow up without starving to death. Even though life there wasn't the best or the most comfortable, Ethan had a multitude of fond memories there. 

But it had been a while since he had left the orphanage, since he graduated and got married, he had begun to live there as a grown man. He took a pause in the middle of the road before he turned a corner leading to the orphanage. 

'I should not be going back there. A lot of those children look up to me and now I'm back because I've failed as a man and I've been rendered homeless.'

Ethan had such thoughts even though his going back to the orphanage wouldn't really bother the kids. They loved him very much but Ethan could only see himself as a liability. 

But he didn't have a choice, there was nowhere else to go. After all, it was hard for a struggling man of his age to have friends. Ethan was generally looked down on by most of the folks who knew him. 

Ethan made up his mind to not be a liability and determined to leave the orphanage as soon as possible. 

Before he took some steps however, a grating voice called out to him. 

"Look who is back here..." The voice said with a tone of mockery. 

Ethan's face paled a bit as he turned around to look at the source of the voice. It was Matthew the creditor. 

Matthew loved to lend people money and get back profits, he called himself a creditor but to Erhan, he was a brutal extortioner that he could almost compare to tax collectors of old times. 

Ethan saw Matthew with a group of thugs walk towards him with intimidating gazes. They were Matthew's lackeys who helped him deal with his debtors. Ethan knew their reputation. 

"Where's my money, little Eth?" Matthew asked with a sly and intimidating grin as he approached Ethan. 

"Senior Matthew, I don't owe you any money..." Ethan protested. 

"Oh, but you do." Matthew said. "Don't you remember who paid for Sylvie's treatment? Shouldn't you take responsibility as the big brother?" 

"It was a little bruise that didn't even need any financial treatment! It was years ago!." Ethan protested again with a hint of frustration in his voice. 

Matthew was trying to extort money from Ethan with the excuse that he had helped him to treat Sylvie's tiny injury some years back when he hadn't actually done anything that cost him any money. 

"Are you trying to exchange words with me?" Matthew asked with a fiery scowl on his face. "You should know your place you shit."

Matthew signaled his men to make a move in Ethan. "Teach him some manners and take my payment from him." He ordered his men. 

The men willingly surrounded Ethan and assaulted him with blows and kicks while also looking for his money. 

"Tch! There's not even a single penny on him." One of the men said as he spat on Ethan who was coiling on the ground in pain. 

Matthew became more annoyed as he drew closed to Ethan and wanted to start beating him up personally when someone punched him from behind and he fell face flat to the floor. 

Matthew's henchmen were enraged as they tried to retaliate by attacking the person who had punched Matthew but they got beaten up one-sidedly by the man. 

"How dare you filthy pigs ay a hand on the young master?!" The man said as he glowered over Matthew and his men who were all beaten to the floor. He then approached Ethan and pulled him gently up by the arm. 

"Master Ethan, are you alright?" He asked with a concerned tone. 

Ethan was surprised at the sudden turn of events and opened his bruised eyes to take a look at the man who was helped him and the man happened to wear a three piece suit. He looked like the bodyguard of some filthy rich man. 

"I think you're mistaken, I'm not a master. Why did you help me?" Ethan asked in confusion. 

"I'm not at all mistaken sir." The bald man in suit replied. "Aren't you Mr Ethan Astor?" He asked and Ethan nodded absentmindedly in reply. 

"I'm sorry for my tardiness. These hoodlums need to be properly dealt with for what they've done to you.." The man said as he cracked his knuckles in anger. 

"No stop." Ethan said "I don't understand what is going on here so I would like you to do some explanation. Plus, I don't want you to cause any further problems for me." Ethan said with fear of Matthew's retaliation. 

"These punks would never be able to harm a hair in your head ever again. But if you want to discuss then we can do that. You have someone who wishes to speak to you." He said to Ethan as he walked him away from the alley while throwing a menacing look at Matthew and his henchmen who cowered in fear and humiliation. 

"I'll get that bastard for this.." Matthew swore through gritted teeth once Ethan and the man were out of sight. He had been humiliated by Ethan and he wouldn't be able to sleep properly at night if he didn't get his pound of flesh back from Ethan. 

Meanwhile, Ethan was still having a hard time understanding what had just happened.

"Who are you?" He asked the man. 

"My name is Andrew, young master. I'm at your service." 

Ethan threw him a glance that meant he didn't believe such words.

"I am nobody, why would someone like you be at my service?" Ethan asked with scepticism. 

"You aren't a nobody, young master. You are the heir of the Astor heritage and it's time of you to claim what is yours." Andrew replied as he took a pause and brought out his phone.

"Your father would like to explain to you..." Andrew said. 

"I have a father?" Ethan asked in stupor.