Emily was shocked and dumbfounded. She stared at the two men who were engrossed in a deep conversation.
She walked to both men who happened to be her husband, Ethan and Mr Lawrence. “Y-you both know each other?” “Uh, yes, actually. I uhm… I was helping Mr Lawrence with a heart attack. He encountered a heart attack, so….” Emily wasn't convinced with her husband's reply. She looked at him, and he noticed a hint of skepticism in her eyes. “Really, I don't remember you being a doctor or a healthcare practitioner.” “Well, uhm…” “He actually helped me to suppress the heart attack I had. I was the one that called him over. He's a good man, your husband. And I'm glad he'd visited.” Ethan was surprised at how well Mr Lawrence played along with him but he was glad he did that to help him. Emily's gaze shifted from her husband to Mr Lawrence and then back to her husband, her eyes almost popping out of their sockets. It wasn't adding up— every single thing. There was something going on with Ethan, and she needed to find out as much as possible. “How did you guys know each other?” She asked, still confused and in desperate need of clarity. “Well, about two years ago, I had an accident, and then Mr Lawrence here rushed me to the hospital and paid my bills,” Ethan lied. He hoped the story was believable at least. “Yes, that's how we met.” Emily was still skeptical, but the story was quite believable. Mr Lawrence was a nice man and he seemed like someone that would help people in need if he had the chance to. “Okay, then. I actually came to see you, Mt Lawrence.” At home, Emily wasn't having the news that the company was at the verge of shutting down. How was she going to go about this? “Well, I'll try my best to make sure the family is out of debts,” Ethan said to her. He hated seeing her like this— worried and stressed out. Now that he had enough money to get her family out of the mess they were in, he swore to help her. Emily scoffed. How was it possible? She knew her husband to be a hopeless lowlife who couldn't afford anything but food to eat. How then was he going to settle her family's debts? “You know that's impossible, Ethan? You can't settle a debt of a thousand dollars, how then are you going to settle a debt with such an outrageous amount of a billion dollars?” Ethan smiled softly and looked at his wife. He really wanted to help her out of this mess. He was determined to assist his wife and make sure she doesn't suffer for her family's sake. Ethan dug his hands into his back pocket and brought out a card. Emily's jaw dropped as her eyes fell upon the card her husband was holding in between his fingers. It wasn't an ordinary card. Infact, people as touch as the Harrisons even rarely had this card. It was a black card. Emily was thrown off balance. “What the… how the hell did this come into your possession, Ethan?” “Well, this…. Mr Lawrence gave it to me after I told him about the family's unpaid bills.. It contains 800 million dollars.” As the words escaped his lips, Emily's eyes widened. Her jaw dropped. The weight of the amount her husband just uttered was too heavy. It got her so dizzy that she was about to faint. “800 million dollars? How?” “Here,” Ethan handed his wife the black card. I just want you to use this and settle your family's bills. It's not up to a billion, but I'll make sure your family's debts are settled.” Another scoff escaped Emily's lips. How could she take that much money from Ethan? What would it feel like? Besides, if she took the money, she didn't know where it'd come from. She knew her husband to be an honest man, and by being honest he wouldn't be able to afford an amount as huge as this. “No, Ethan.” She shook her head. “ I can't take the card from you.” Ethan was confused. Why wouldn't she take the card from him? Wasn't it what she wanted— to clear her family's outstanding bills? He furrowed his brows as he stared at his wife with disbelief. “Why? Why won't you take the card from me? It's “Because I don't know where it's coming from. Ethan, I can't believe you have such a card with you. Where did you get it from? Did you...” she gulped, and paused, unsure if she should say the words in her mind. Honestly, she thought Ethan had stolen the card just to please her. “Did I do what, Emily?” “Did you steal the card?” Ethan gasped. Why would his wife of all people ask him that kind of question? She knew well that he couldn't do such a thing. “Of course not, Emily. Like I said, Mr Lawrence gave me the card.” “No, no, Ethan. I can't believe Mr Lawrence would give you something as precious as the card to give to me. Something's just not adding up, really. I can't take the card from you. I'm sorry, but I won't.” Emily headed out of the living room leaving her husband standing rooted to the spot, staring hopelessly at her as she walked out on him. Ethan didn't blame his wife for her actions because if he were in her shoes, he'd act the same way. No one ever thought he would have in his possession something as priced as black card because everyone thought he was nothing but a gold digger. Determined to assist his wife, Ethan headed to the bank to withdraw some funds. Just as he got to the bank, Ethan parked his bike and then came across Sarah, a friend of Emily, who always looked down on him and mocked him for being a man who lives off his wife's wealth. “Look who we have here,” Sarah said as her eyes fell on Ethan. “You good for nothing gold digger, what are you doing here? She began ridiculing him, calling him demeaning names. Ethan ignored her, waving off her condescending words towards him. “What are you doing here, Ethan, perhaps you came to withdraw a dollar?” She noticed the card in his hand and was shocked. It was a black dragon card. ‘But what if it was fake?’ she thought. A person like then could never afford a black card. “How come this card is in your position? I bet you stole it, didn't you?” Ethan ignored her yet again and opted to withdraw eight million dollars for a start. Sarah bursted into into a bout of laughter. “Eight million dollars? You want to withdraw eight million dollars? Someone like you that can't even afford a dollar of your own. Oh! This is ridiculous.” To Sarah's shock, the regional bank manager, Mr. Dawson, recognized the prestigious Black Dragon Card in Ethan’s possession. Realizing the significance of the card, which was definitely a symbol of immense wealth and power, Mr. Dawson quickly ushered Ethan into the VIP room. “Come with me sir,” he said to Ethan. Sarah, confused and embarrassed. Why was her boss treating that wretched Ethan like he was a prince? Why was he treating him with the utmost respect? “This man is a pauper, Mr Dawson, a wretched one at that, you don't have to treat him like this because if they card he's with. He might have stolen the card,” Sarah said, but before she knew what was going on, Mr Dawson's palm met her face with a resounding s lap. “You will not speak to this man in that manner again, so you understand?”The atmosphere in the room had changed, the silence was deafening, one could hear a feather drop. Sarah still couldn't wrap her head around what had just happened, all she could do was stare at Mr. Dawson who had just made her see stars with just a life-threatening slap. She still couldn't fathom the reason as to why she deserved that, she just stood there with her hands on her cheek which had turned pepper red. She fought so hard but lost to the drop of tear which dribbled down her cheek giving it a cool sensation as the slap had caused more harm than intended. “M-m-mr Dawson, I don't get it, surely whatever I have done would have been settled amicably.” Sarah muzzled out still fighting the tears that were ready to flow out like a broken reservoir. “You will apologize to Mr. Ethan right now, and I don't care what you have to say about it, you don't treat our important customers like that, let alone someone of such great esteem, where are your manners?” Sarah, still in the dark, wi
Emily seems to have a visitor, it was her best friend, Rachel. Rachel used every opportunity she got to blame Ethan for every problem Emily faces. She even went as far as blaming Emily for getting married to Ethan instead of Michael, the handsome and wealthy man. “He has a bright future you know, and what's more, he's a master of taekwondo, he would be able to protect you financially and physically too.” Rachel points out almost getting angry at Emily. She felt if Michael was her husband she wouldn't be having financial issues with her company. They heard a soft knock on the door and assumed it was Michael. In unison they both chorused “come in.” The look on their faces dropped when they realized who it was. Ethan walked in carrying the box of money. Ethan hated Rachel's guts, he felt she was the reason why Emily was acting up, he tagged her a bad influence on Emily. The feeling of hatred was mutual among these two. After seeing Rachel, Ethan was confused as to how to break the new
As the person stepped out of the vehicle, Ethan's eyes widened — Mr Lawrence. ‘what the hell is he doing here?’ Ethan thought to himself. The crowd drew close with those phones recording the moment as Mr Lawrence approaches Ethan. They probably thought Mr Lawrence was someone who was also going to humiliate Ethan but they were shocked and proved wrong when Mr Lawrence spoke. “What's going on here Mr Caldwell?” Lawrence asked as he immediately gestured at his bodyguard to come closer. The crowd shifted immediately still amazed. “What are you doing here?” Ethan asked in a whisper. “I heard what was going on and decided to branch by, I guess.” Mr Lawrence smirked. “You, take Mr Ethan here into the car,” he told his bodyguard who immediately escorts Ethan into the car. Ethan wouldn't have accepted but he had no other option, he had been humiliated enough. “What's happening, why is this rich man treating him like a god?” “I'm as shocked as you” “What's going on?” The crowd whis
Michael White had never been humiliated like this before in his life. The blow that Ethan Caldwell had dealt him—physically and financially—burned deep. He sat in his office, eyes burning with rage, as his phone rang off the hook with calls from business partners and investors. They all wanted answers. They all wanted to know how Ethan, the man they had all written off as a nobody, had managed to orchestrate the collapse of several of Michael’s ventures seemingly overnight. The board meeting earlier that day had been disastrous. Investors, once eager to throw their money into Michael’s enterprises, were now pulling out. Ethan had severed every business tie Kingsley Mountain had with Michael, cutting off his most valuable connections. Michael slammed his fist onto his desk, knocking over a stack of files. “That bastard!” he growled. “How did he do it? How did he manage to ruin me?” His assistant, Tim, stood at the door, visibly nervous. “Sir, there’s more bad news,” Tim stammered. “T
Ethan sat in his office, reviewing the latest financial reports from Kingsley Mountain. Despite all the chaos with Michael and the Harrisons, the company remained strong, its influence untouchable. But something nagged at him—an uneasiness he couldn’t quite place. The phone rang, breaking his focus. Ethan picked it up. "Yes?" Ryan’s voice came through the line, his tone hesitant. "Ethan, I... I just received some information. It’s about your family." Ethan frowned. "What is it?" "It’s your brother. John." Ethan’s heart skipped a beat. He hadn’t heard that name in years. John Caldwell—his older brother—had been presumed dead in a tragic accident over a decade ago. The grief had been devastating for Ethan and the rest of his family, but they had eventually moved on, though the loss left a deep scar. "What are you talking about, Ryan? John’s dead." Ryan’s voice was tense. "That’s what we all thought, but it seems he’s resurfaced. And there’s more. He’s been living in the shadows, E
Ethan's heart was laced with fear and anxiety as he walked with his wife into the opulent mansion of the Harrisons. This was the second time they were calling for a meeting that week, and Ehan knew well enough that it was his matter they wanted to discuss. He knew how bad that was going to be. After all, he was a hopeless son-in-law, and he knew his wife's family were totally dissatisfied by her choice of marriage. The Harrisons hated Ethan. They treated him with contempt as his marriage to their daughter was like an insult to their face, yet they let him marry her because he saved her life— and their daughter, Emily would be forever indebted to him. Mrs Vanessa Harrison scrunched her nose as if she'd just perceive an offensive odor as Ethan walked in. Her face hid no trace of contempt and disgust as she was irritated by Ethan's presence. “Have a sit,” she urged him, and motioned to the vacant chairs that was left for him and his wife. Ethan obliged and sat down next to his wife, a
Ethan paced around in his home as he contacted Kingsley Mountain. After so many years, he'd finally considered taking his inheritance and he was fueled with strong determination. “This is Ethan Caldwell,” he said casually over the phone as he spoke to the chairlady. “Mr Ethan… This is him, if I'm not mistaken right?” “Of course.” “Well, I'm glad you called,” she said enthusiastically butin a surprised tone. Perhaps, she never expected him to call. “Thank you,” Ethan replied. “Uhm….” He scratched his head, not sure of what to say next. He actually wanted things to fall in place. His wife would be taken away from him in no time if he didn't do anything. He really loved Emily and could not afford to let her be in the arms of another. There was only one thing to do. “Liam White,” he began. “I heard that he has a solid connection with Kingsley Mountain, is that true?” “Yes, sir, of course. He's also one of the prominent shareholders in the company.” “Well, I want you to cut all tie