CHAPTER THREE

Ethan stood in the middle of the luxurious Hermès store, the shimmering lights casting a golden glow on the expensive displays. He held the Centurion card tightly in his hand, his pulse racing. Vanessa and Lucas’s sneering faces were frozen in disbelief as he placed the card on the counter.

“Are you really going to go through with this?” Vanessa scoffed, crossing her arms. “You’re so desperate to prove something that you’re pretending to be rich now?”

Ethan’s eyes met hers, the humiliation and anger of countless taunts burning in his gaze. “I’m not pretending, Vanessa.”

Lucas laughed, his voice dripping with mockery. “Yeah, right. I bet you borrowed that card from someone. Or stole it.”

Jessica, the polite saleswoman, glanced at Ethan with concern. “Mr. Reed, should I proceed with the transaction?”

Ethan nodded firmly. “Yes, please.”

The saleswoman behind the counter, Heather Smith, exchanged a skeptical glance with Lucas and Vanessa. “I’m sure this is some kind of joke,” she muttered under her breath. She swiped the card, her expression shifting from contempt to shock as the transaction went through without a hitch.

“Transaction approved. The total is $70,000,” she announced, her voice shaky as she handed the card back to Ethan. The room fell silent.

The other customers in the store, mostly university students, stared at Ethan in awe. Murmurs of disbelief rippled through the crowd. Lucas’s face turned a deep shade of red, and Vanessa’s jaw dropped, her eyes darting between Ethan and the saleswoman.

“This can’t be real,” Lucas said, his voice shaking with indignation. “There’s no way you can afford that. You must have stolen the card.”

Heather nodded, regaining some of her composure. “I agree. We should verify the authenticity of this card.”

Vanessa smirked, stepping closer to Ethan. “You’re not fooling anyone, Ethan. There’s no way someone like you has a Centurion card.”

Ethan stood his ground, his gaze unwavering. “Go ahead. Verify it.”

The store manager, a composed woman with a sharp, professional demeanor, stepped forward. “Is there an issue here?”

“Yes,” Lucas said quickly, pointing at Ethan. “We believe he stole that card. There’s no way he could own something like that.”

The manager raised an eyebrow and took the card from Heather. “Let me handle this.” She walked to a small device on the counter and scanned the card, her expression calm and neutral. After a few tense moments, she looked up at Ethan with a warm smile.

“Mr. Reed is indeed the rightful owner of this card,” she announced. “I apologize for any inconvenience caused.”

Ethan watched as Vanessa and Lucas’s faces contorted with shock and disbelief. Vanessa stammered, “But that’s impossible—”

The manager turned to Heather, her voice stern. “Miss Smith, you will treat all our customers with respect, regardless of their appearance. Mr. Reed is a valued client, and your behavior today was unacceptable.”

Heather’s face turned pale. “I… I’m sorry, Mr. Reed. I didn’t mean—”

Ethan held up a hand, stopping her apology. “It’s fine. Just… don’t judge people so quickly next time.”

The manager nodded, then turned to Lucas and Vanessa, her gaze icy. “As for you two, I’m going to have to ask you to leave. Instigating trouble and offending our customers is not acceptable.”

Lucas’s eyes widened. “You can’t do that! We’re customers too!”

The manager’s smile was cold. “Not anymore. Please leave.”

Vanessa opened her mouth to protest, but the manager’s unwavering stare silenced her. With a final, furious glare at Ethan, she grabbed Lucas’s arm and dragged him out of the store, their humiliation palpable.

Ethan watched them go, a strange mix of satisfaction and discomfort settling in his chest. He had never imagined he would be in a position to turn the tables like this. The realization of his newfound power was both exhilarating and unsettling.

Jessica handed him the wrapped handbag, her smile genuine. “Thank you for your purchase, Mr. Reed. If there’s anything else you need, please don’t hesitate to ask.”

Ethan nodded, taking the bag with a grateful smile. “Thank you, Jessica. You’ve been very kind.”

As he walked out of the store, the eyes of the other customers followed him, whispers of admiration and envy trailing in his wake. He felt the weight of the luxurious bag in his hand, the memory of Vanessa and Lucas’s stunned faces replaying in his mind. It was a small victory, but it felt monumental.

His phone buzzed in his pocket, snapping him out of his thoughts. It was Megan.

“Ethan! Where are you?” she exclaimed as soon as he picked up. “The party’s starting, and I want you here!”

Ethan smiled, her infectious energy lifting his spirits. “I’m on my way, Meg. I just… had to take care of something.”

“You better hurry! And don’t you dare come empty-handed,” she teased. “I’ve got someone I want you to meet.”

Ethan laughed softly. “I won’t. I’ve got the perfect gift.”

After ending the call, he glanced at the opulent Hermès bag and, feeling a pang of self-consciousness, ducked into a nearby convenience store. He bought a plain plastic bag and slipped the luxurious package inside, trying to downplay the extravagance of the gift.

He hailed a cab and directed it to Ru Yi Restaurant, where Megan’s birthday celebration was in full swing. His mind buzzed with the events of the day, the rush of emotions, and the surreal experience of spending more money than he ever thought he’d have in his lifetime.

As the cab pulled up to the restaurant, he spotted Megan through the window, her face lighting up as she saw him. She was talking animatedly to a girl beside her—Samantha Brooks, if he remembered correctly. She was beautiful, with soft brown hair and an innocent smile, but she seemed distracted, nodding politely as Megan spoke.

“Here goes nothing,” Ethan muttered to himself as he stepped out of the cab, plastic bag in hand. He wasn’t sure if he was ready for the changes ahead, but he knew one thing: he was done being looked down upon.

He walked into the restaurant, the noise and laughter welcoming him like a warm embrace. Megan rushed over, her eyes sparkling with excitement.

“Ethan! You made it!” she exclaimed, pulling him into a hug. “And you brought a gift! I knew you would.”

Ethan smiled, handing her the plastic bag. “Happy birthday, Meg.”

Megan took the bag, a puzzled look crossing her face. “What’s this? A surprise?”

“You’ll see,” Ethan said, his eyes twinkling with amusement.

She opened the bag and gasped as she pulled out the exquisite Hermès package. “Ethan, this is… I can’t believe it!”

Her voice drew the attention of everyone at the table, including Samantha, who looked at Ethan with curious eyes.

“I hope you like it,” Ethan said, feeling a bit self-conscious under everyone’s gaze.

Megan’s eyes were wide with disbelief. “I love it! But, Ethan, how did you…?”

Ethan shrugged, a small smile playing on his lips. “Just a little something to show my appreciation.”

Megan threw her arms around him again, squeezing him tightly. “Thank you, Ethan. This is the best birthday ever!”

As she pulled away, she turned to Samantha. “Sam, this is Ethan, the friend I was telling you about. Ethan, this is Samantha.”

Samantha smiled, a shy but genuine expression on her face. “Nice to meet you, Ethan. Megan’s told me a lot about you.”

Ethan nodded, feeling a warmth spread through him that had nothing to do with his newfound wealth. “Nice to meet you too, Samantha.”

As they sat down to join the party, Ethan felt a sense of anticipation building. He didn’t know what the future held, but for the first time in a long while, he felt like he was in control of his destiny.

This was just the beginning.