Chapter 3

A tall and oppressive figure had entered the room and was standing in front of Chloe.

An eerie silence also hung in the air before Lewis groaned in pain as he was helped up by some members of the William family. He was bleeding from his head and couldn't even open his left eye properly.

He also seemed to have broken a leg as he dragged it across the floor to meet the man who left him in such a state.

"Do you have any idea where you are and what I can do to you for laying your hands on me?!" He yelled angrily, but winced in pain when the strain from his facial expression caused his head to throb harder.

Jonas frowned seeing the man. The man was so tall and intimidating that he found it hard to meet his eyes.

"E-Ethan Black?!" Lewis suddenly frowned, recognizing the man.

"I knew he looked familiar! How dare that bastard return to Springdale?" A member of the William family hissed in anger.

He sounded like he'd walk up to Ethan and slap him across the face, but he didn't even have the wit to look Ethan on the face.

Hearing Lewis, Jonas finally found the courage to look up at Ethan's. His eyes soon settled on his cheap looking clothes and the corners of his lips curled up into a mocking smile.

"Ethan Black, how dare you touch me with your filthy hands? Have you forgotten I was the one who convinced grandpa into letting you into the family because we were the only hope you had?!" Lewis erupted, his face flushing red in anger.

"Don't turn your face away from me, I'm talking to you. Goddamn it!"

While Lewis was all worked up that he had been beaten by someone like Ethan, Ethan turned his attention to Chloe who had a cold look on her face.

He didn't need to ask her to know why she was angry, after all he had taken off six years ago without informing anyone, including her.

"You should return to wherever you came from." Chloe sounded agitated as she bent and grabbed the empty buckets.

"Where do you think you're going? You haven't signed the engagement agreement!" Lewis frowned and reached to grab her arm, but only got his hand grasped firmly by Ethan.

"Scumbag! Let go of me!" He hissed and tried to pry Ethan's hand away with his free hand. But the more he tried, the tighter Ethan's grip on him became.

The pain that wracked through Lewis' body from his wrist made tears fall from his eyes. He abandoned his manly ego and screamed at the company's employees who were watching from the side and not doing anything to help him.

"What are you all doing? Someone call the security!"

Numerous of them rushed to their desks and began putting calls to the front desk, but all calls went unanswered.

How could their calls be answered when Kane Wood had the Stellar Corporation's entire security men heaped on each other and was sitting on them?

Seeing help wasn't coming, Lewis gritted his teeth in anguish and turned his attention to Jonas.

"Mr. Kendrick, please help me. Help me teach this retarded a lesson." He winced harder as the pain on his wrist was becoming unbearable. It was as though Ethan was intent on ripping it off..

"Let go of him, Mr. Black." Jonas, who had been waiting for the right time to step forward and show everyone who really was the man with the power between him and Ethan, ordered. "You'll be offending the Kendrick family if you don't."

Ethan released his grip on Lewis like though on cue.

Chloe, who had noticed how muscular and built he now was, thought that he was going to teach Lewis a lesson. However, the light in her eyes dimmed when she saw him let go of Lewis.

Of course, he was still afraid of those in power.

Lewis scurried to his savior's side and massaged his red and aching wrist with a relieved sigh.

"If you hadn't let me go, you would've faced the wrath of the Kendrick family! You might've aged and built yourself up a little, but you're still the same weak and scared boy who married Chloe!" He met Ethan's eyes and spat out.

"I don't see the security! Is anyone even calling them?" Lewis yelled and looked towards the people who still had their telephones pressed against their ears. "What the hell is taking them so long?"

"They won't be coming." Ethan said calmly.

"For now, they won't. But if you don't leave now, you'll hate your miserable life in a few minutes." Lewis scoffed, still gently massaging his wrist.

Ethan didn't bother responding to him. He cared more about talking to the wife he hadn't seen in six years. He also planned to tell him exactly what he had done with the six years he was absent as soon as he got some alone time with her.

"Sign the marriage certificate, Chloe, and I will keep what just happened with your wretched husband away from grandpa and the cops, of course." Lewis seethed, finally getting something else to blackmail Chloe with.

Just like he expected, Chloe's face fell and he couldn't help, but laugh in happiness.

"Your godforsaken husband hasn't been back for more than five minutes and he's already brought you so much trouble. If I were you, I'd sign the engagement agreement without thinking twice."

Ethan's eyes hardened as he realized what was going on.

Sending Lewis crashing into the wall was a reflex that kicked in upon seeing how roughly he had been dragging Chloe. In reality, he had no idea what was happening. His body just reacted.

Jonas also frowned when he realized something. Previously, he didn't bother asking Chloe to divorce Ethan because no one thought the man was still alive.

But now that he was back and clearly alive, the engagement agreement would be null as long as she was still married to Ethan in the eyes of the law.

He felt his pocket and took out a chequebook. Everyone's attention shifted to him as soon as they saw the chequebook.

Jonas took a pen from the desk next to him and wrote something on the chequebook. Then he tore it out and extended it towards Ethan.

"I don't know where you've been, but you've clearly had a hard life. Why don't you take this money and get yourself an apartment to stay in, numerous changes of clothes and food. It should be enough to feed you until you find something doing. Which, if you're interested, I can help you secure a position at my family's company."

Written boldly in blue ink was a hefty sum of $1,000,000!

It was a lot even for a rich heir like Jonas. He was merely putting on a facade acting like the hefty sum wasn't all he had. But anything to embarrass Ethan and be in the spotlight.

"Mr. Kendrick, you are too generous!" Lewis immediately said, his eyes glowing fiercely with greediness as he stared at the cheque. "I'm sure he'd be fine with $300,000. Besides, the William family is always ready to help him if he ever needs help. You shouldn't bother giving him any money."

"No, it's fine. As your future brother-in-law, I insist. I'm also hoping he can take the money as compensation for signing the divorce document that'd be served to him. That way, the engagement agreement I'd have with Chloe will be legal." Jonas vaguely explained, leaving it to Lewis to figure out what he was trying to say.

Without Ethan signing the divorce agreement, the Kendricks won't be in-laws with the Williams.

It took Lewis a few seconds to grasp what he was trying to say.

"You should hurry and take the money before Mr. Kendrick changes his mind because an opportunity like this will never present itself again."

Ethan stared at the cheque for a long time, but didn't reach out to take it. Instead, he looked away from it.

Chloe didn't know when she exhaled in relief.

"Even if you don't take the money you'll still divorce Chloe and you'll be without a penny. So take it now that I'm asking nicely." Jonas raised a brow, the calm look in his eyes disappearing.

"I do not want to divorce and he clearly doesn't want to divorce either. You should give it a rest, Mr. Kendrick." Chloe stepped forward.

"In other words, I should go ahead and report your husband for physically abusing me to grandfather and the police." Lewis sneered and Chloe choked on her saliva.

Chloe had never seen someone as shameless as Lewis. Sometimes she wondered if it was a mistake that he was born as a man.

"You remember what will happen to your family if grandfather hears of it, don't you?" Lewis hissed. "And what is so hard about divorcing him? He ruined your life. He's the reason you're a disgrace throughout Springdale Ville and the reason your daughter grew up without a father!"

Chloe's eyes flashed immediately. "Don't mention my daughter!"

"Why not? Ethan may be wretched, but he is Honey's father. Or are you so ashamed to tell her who her father is?" Lewis continued, obviously not deterred by the warning in her eyes.

Ethan suddenly reached out and took the cheque in his face.

Lewis laughed out upon seeing this. "Did you see that, Chloe? I bet he's feeling guilty now that he knows he has a daughter. And sincerely, divorcing you and taking the money will make it possible for him to be a good father to his daughter. Don't hold him back."

Chloe and Claire's face distorted in anger realizing what Ethan was about to do. While what he was doing was in Honey's best interest, Chloe didn't think she wanted a weak man to be her father's daughter.

She was getting ready to walk away when Ethan tore apart the cheque from beginning to end with a calm look on his face.

Lewis' jaw almost dropped to the ground seeing this and he couldn't help, but sputter in anger, "How dare you treat Mr. Kendrick's generous gift with such disrespect?!"

Ethan let the torn pieces fall freely to the floor before meeting Lewis' eyes. "You've become louder and you still talk too much."

"H-how dare y-ou!" Lewis pointed a trembling finger at Ethan's nose.

The corners of Chloe's lips stretched into a wide smile seeing how Ethan wasn't taking Lewis seriously. She was wrong. He was no longer the weak husband from six years ago.

Lewis knew he couldn't attack Ethan head on. From all indications, Ethan was now physically strong. And given that he now had him to thank for his broken leg, he didn't want to take the risk again.

So, once again, he turned to Jonas. "Mr. Kendrick, don't take his insult. Teach him a lesson so he won't dare to mess with you in the future!"

Jonas liked to be the center of attraction and since he had the thought Ethan wouldn't dare to lay a finger on him, he raised his shoulders high and frowned deeply.

"I hate it when I try to be nice to people and they take it for granted. How do you intend to compensate for the chequebook you just wasted?"

"If I were you, I'd apologize to Mr. Kendrick right now. I know this is your first time in Springdale after six years, but the Kendrick family isn't one you want to mess with. And Jonas Kendrick here is the heir of the Kendricks." Lewis butted in.

"If you don't apologize to him, he'd ruin not only you but the William family as well. Is that what you want?" Lewis added, shifting his attention to Chloe.

"Say, what will the Kendrick family do when I send their heir back to them battered and half-dead?" Ethan suddenly asked, narrowing his eyes at Jonas..