Ethan Caldwell

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, and opposite her brother who took it as a personal duty to mock and insult him at the slightest opportunity.

Emily placed her hand on her husband's thigh in a bid to calm him down and assure him that whatever the family meeting was called for, it was going to be fine.

“Ethan,” Mr Gerald, Emily's father said in a deep, commanding voice. “I'm glad you're here. There's something important we want to discuss with you about.”

‘And what was that?’ Ethan thought.

“Well, you see. Something really tragic has happened to this family. And as much as it's hard for us to say, we think you, Ethan, are capable of saving us from the trauma.”

What did Mr Gerald mean by that? How was he capable of getting them out of their mess? He was a mere, worthless gold digger— at least that was what they always said to him. How then was such a person capable of getting the family out of their problems.

Mr Gerald breathed. “I believe you've heard what happened to David?”

Ethan cracked his brain to think, but he didn't remember anything about David Harrison, Emily's over pompous brother. The only thing he knew about David was that he was too full of himself and he was likely to get himself into trouble because of his attitude. He was a compulsive drunk who always depended on his parents' wealth.

“No, sir,” Ethan answered, creasing his brows.

Me gerald didn't say anything further, instead he brought up the main thing that led to him summoning Ethan. “What if we offer you an alluring deal? It's mouth watering. It can change your life for good, Ethan.”

Ethan's heart thumped in his chest. His heart was laced with fear and anxiety as he wondered what the deal was about. And even if he agreed to their offer, he needed to know what it was about.

“What's the deal about,” he asked calmly, not taking his eyes off David who had a smug look stuck on his face.

“If you just take the fall for my son, David? Go to jail in place of him. Trust me, I'll compensate you for that, even if it means paying you per hour in your stay at jail,” Mr Gerald continued, his stern look unfaltering.

Emily threw him a concerned look. She noticed how tense her husband was and so she trialed her hands above his arm and held it gently. “You don't have to give in to their demands, Ethan.” She said in a soft whisper.

“What say you, Ethan?” Mr Geralds asked, jerking Ethan off his train of thoughts.

Ethan shuddered. How was he going to accept the deal? He'd go to jail in place if someone just because of money? How desperate did they think he was?

One thing the Harrison didn't know about him was that he, Ethan, didn't care about their money. He was content with the way he lived and he wasn't in anyway after their money. After all, he too had money, but he just wasn't ready to take up his inheritance.

“I don't think that'll be possible, sir,” Ethan said, simply and confidently.”

Mrs Vanessa's eyes narrowed as she was shocked at Ethan's response. How dare the scumbag refuse a deal that would change his wretched life for good? Didn't he know it was going to be for his good. She knew Ethan was so wretched, he couldn't even afford a hundred dollars of his own.

“Perhaps I didn't hear you well, Ethan. What did you say?”

“I can't accept the deal,” he said again, but this time, his tone was serious.

It seemed like a slap in the Harrisons face. David stood up from his chair, enraged by Ethan's reply. “You idiot,” je said, raising his voice at Ethan. He was infuriated. Why won't the stupid scumbag just accept the deal so he'd get him out of the mess of going to jail?

David knew he couldn't afford to be in jail. He was the son of a prominent billionaire, he had high standards to upload. He couldn't end up in jail for just a silly mistake he made.

“I'm not going to prison to take the call for David. I love my wife, and I surely am not ready to leave her just because of your money, understood?”

David riled up, charged towards Ethan to hit him, but Emily walked in the way, shielding her husband from her crazy brother.

“Move out of the way, Emily or you wouldn't like what I'll do to you.”

“You can't do anything to me, David, okay?”

“Enough,” Mr Gerald commanded, disgusted by the little drama playing out. “David, sit down, now!” David reluctantly obeyed his father's command and sat down. Emily followed suit.

“Well, how about this? If you don't take the fall, I'm afraid you'll lose your wife, Emily. She's going to have to divorce you and marry Liam White, that way, part of the family's problem would be solved,” Mrs Vanessa, Emily's mom said, smiling maliciously at Ethan.

“No, mom..I'm not going to do that. I'm not going to divorce Ethan just because of that stupid arrogant Liam who's so full of himself,” Emily protested.

“You'll do that, Emily, and it's final.”

“No, mom. Ethan saved my life remember? Without him I would be a dead piece of shit and you all know that I'm indebted to him?

“What are you saying, Emily? Do you want to put this family to shame? Your good for nothing husband isn't capable of doing anything for this family. Ungrateful son of a bitch.”

“No, mom. No matter what, I'll never leave Ethan because I love him and my heart belongs to him. I'm never going to conform with your demands for me to marry that good for nothing Liam.”

Before Emily could realize it, her mother's palm met her face with a resounding slap. “I won't let you speak I'll of this family like that. Not because if this good for nothing Ethan. You'll marry Liam, and it's final.

Ethan couldn't handle his wife being treated like this because of him. He couldn't stand it anymore— how he was being treated by the Harrisons. Now they wanted to take his wife, Emily from him and force her to marry her that supercilious, arrogant billionaire, Liam White.

“I think now is the chance to accept my true identity as the heir of Kingsley Mountain,” Ethan thought all by himself as the incident that had happened in the Harrisons mansion played out in his head. He wanted to save Emily from the position they had kept her in, by all means. He wasn't going to let the Harrisons treat her badly just because she married him.

Ethan couldn't deny that he was actually the heir to Kingsley Mountain, one of the most powerful — if not the most powerful —and mysterious conglomerate in the world.

At first, Ethan was reluctant about accepting his inheritance because of an issue with his father a few years back just before he married Emily, and also because he wanted to maintain a low profile.

If anything, Ethan hated drawing attention to himself. Hef always want to live a simple life— a happy life— with his beautiful wife, Emily Harrison.

However, with the pressure he was getting from the Harrisons, his wife's family and the distress Emily was in, Ethan was left with no choice than to take what rightfully belonged to him.

He took his phone and dialed a number. “Hello,” he said.