2024-11-22 16:21:09“What a joke!” Aria sneered after hearing Ethan’s words. There was no way that his words would be true. She thought Ethan was bluffing. After all, why would someone like him be an important guest at a dinner hosted by the powerful Crestwood family?
Just looking at his poor outfit alone, he didn’t even fit in among the city’s elite. How then would he be the important guest to the powerful Crestwood family?
It was obvious that he was blatantly lying to their faces. He was a boastful fraud after all.
It appeared that it wasn’t just Aria who thought the same way, as the crowd joined in and started to insult Ethan.
“Do you really expect us to believe that?” one of the audience uttered, and the rest of the crowd murmured in agreement, with several of them glaring at him with disdainful sneers.
“You have quite the imagination.” Greg, ever eager to humiliate him, remarked with a mocking smirk.
“It’s not too late to back out of this lie you’ve told before you embarrass yourself even more.” Greg added smugly, his words eliciting a round of laughter from the crowd.
“I’m not lying.” Ethan said calmly, not flinching at all. His expression remained as cool as a cucumber as he stood there, unbothered by the taunts directed at him.
Greg was irritated by Ethan’s calm demeanour, but just as he was about to mock him even more, his phone buzzed loudly in his hands. He briefly glanced at the caller ID, and a smug smile appeared on his face.
“Look everyone, my father is calling.” Greg announced, drawing everyone’s attention to him once more.
“Let’s see what my father has to say about this so-called ‘important guest’.” Greg declared.
The crowd leaned in, the tension thick in the air as Greg answered the phone call. He put the call on speaker as he wanted everyone to hear the details of the phone call. Aria, alongside the other guests, listened keenly, anticipating the truth and waiting eagerly for Ethan to be exposed as a liar.
“Hey, Dad.” Greg answered as soon as the phone call connected. “Has the dinner started already?”
There was a brief moment of hesitation on the other end of the phone call, and just when everyone was questioning if his father heard him, the voice of Charles Holden came through.
“The dinner won’t hold anymore, son. It’s been cancelled.” Charles Holden said firmly, his voice curt, but the strain in his voice was poorly hidden.
The words hung in the air like a bombshell, shocking everyone into silence.
Greg blinked in disbelief, his confidence faltering as he processed what his father had just said.
“What? Cancelled? Why?” Greg stammered, trying his best to mask his confusion.
“The important guest cancelled at the last minute, so they decided it was best to postpone the dinner to a later date. It’s nothing to worry about.” Charles replied as he scrambled for an excuse, his tone suddenly casual, as though the change of plans was no big deal to the Holden family.
The colour drained from Greg’s face as he ended the phone call, and the crowd began to murmur again, but this time in confusion. Aria’s gaze flicked toward Ethan, who stood calmly with a stoic expression on his face. He did not appear the least surprised by the content of the phone call, as though he had expected it all along.
The possibility that Ethan had been telling the truth began to worm its way into her mind, and her heart raced wildly at that thought.
Could it be?
Could Ethan Blackwell—this seemingly ordinary man—actually be someone important? Someone her grandfather wanted her to marry? The very idea sent a shiver down her spine.
She glanced around at the others in the crowd and noticed some of them were starting to doubt as well.
“I don’t believe it,” Natalie, Aria’s best friend, cut in harshly. She stood next to Aria with her arms crossed tightly over her chest.
“He’s just guessing. There’s no way he’s actually the reason the dinner was cancelled. He’s probably just a fraud.” Natalie said harshly. She did not want to believe that the man she disliked so much was someone who was more important than her.
Greg, trying to regain his composure, jumped in to back Natalie’s claim.
“Exactly. It’s pure coincidence. Don’t get your hopes up, Ethan. You should apologise to everyone here for wasting our time.”
Ethan didn’t budge, his expression remaining calm.
“I don’t think I owe anyone an apology,” he said evenly, his voice cutting through the murmurs around him.
“If anything, some of you should think twice before jumping to conclusions.”
Gregory’s face flushed with anger. He couldn’t stand the way Ethan remained so composed, as if nothing could shake him. Desperate to salvage the situation, Gregory turned to the crowd with a grin.
“Well, in that case, I’ll make sure everyone’s evening isn’t ruined. How about I treat all of you to dinner at the Crystal Hotel? I’ll pay for everyone’s meal, except Ethan's, of course!”
The announcement was met with cheers and applause from the crowd. Once again, Greg was back in the spotlight, earning everyone’s admiration. Several people congratulated him, patting him on the back, as though he had just saved the night.
Aria watched as Gregory basked in the praise, but something about the whole situation didn’t sit right with her. Her mind kept drifting back to Ethan, who stood quietly in the background, untroubled by Gregory’s actions.
“Guess you’re not invited to that dinner, Ethan.” Natalie said, her voice dripping with sarcasm as she sidled up to Ethan.
Ethan’s gaze flickered toward her, but before he could respond, another voice cut through the crowd.
“I think I’ll be having dinner with Mr. Ethan,” said a confident, feminine voice.
Everyone immediately turned to see Victoria Lennox, the elegant manager of the prestigious Crystal Hotel, making her way through the crowd of guests, and hushed whispers instantly echoed among the crowd at her words.
Victoria Lennox was known for being extremely selective about who she spent her time with, and she was rarely seen socialising with the guests she hosted. So many rich and wealthy young men had offered to take her out for dinner, but she always turned them down without fail.
“What?!” Greg exclaimed as his jaw dropped, a bewildered expression on his face. He had once asked Victoria Lennox out to dinner, and she rejected him instantly! Now, she was offering to take Ethan, who was a nobody, to dinner.
“You heard me.” Victoria continued, a small smile gracing her lips.
“I’ve already invited Mr. Ethan for dinner at the hotel. I trust he’ll accept the offer.”
Aria’s eyes widened, and the crowd around them buzzed with disbelief. Some of the young men muttered to each other, shocked that Victoria would extend such an invitation to someone like Ethan.
Greg, his face red with frustration, turned to Victoria. “You can’t be serious. He’s nobody important!”
Victoria cut him off with a raised hand. “I’m quite serious, Mr. Holden. I don’t take back invitations.”
The crowd fell silent, all eyes now on Ethan. They were eager to know if he would accept Victoria’s offer or not.
Just as Ethan was about to respond to her unexpected offer, his phone rang loudly in his hand.
He brought it out glanced at the screen briefly, furrowing his brows slightly.
Several of the nearby guests craned their necks, catching a glimpse of the name.
Edward Crestwood.
It was the name on the screen.
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Edward Crestwood.The name flashing on the screen made everyone who saw it fall silent in shock, mouths hanging open.But just a few seconds later, the snickers started.“Seriously?Is this guy serious?” Greg scoffed haughtily.“Is that supposed to be a joke? Edward Crestwood? In your wildest dreams!” Another person in the crowd sniggered.The crowd erupted instantly with mocking laughter. They clearly believed that Ethan, being the boastful fraud that he was, had resorted to cheap tricks like creating fake names on his phone to impress people. The idea that the head of the Crestwood family, one of the most powerful men in the city, would call someone as unremarkable as Ethan was too far-fetched for them to entertain.Aria and her friend, Natalie, crossed their arms and stared at Ethan with an amused expression on their faces. They were eagerly waiting for Ethan’s next move. Ethan, on the other hand, did not pay any attention to the crowd or their jeers. He simply answered the phone c
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Meanwhile, the luxury car that picked up Ethan pulled up in front of the magnificent Crestwood Villa. The driver parked neatly and stepped out, opening the door for him. Ethan alighted calmly and started walking towards the imposing manor doors. He could see the anxious expression of the butler standing at the entrance, and it was very clear to him that he had been waiting for his arrival.“Master Ethan, thank you so much for your quick response.” The butler responded, bowing his head respectfully.“It’s nothing.” Ethan replied casually.“Mrs. Crestwood is waiting for you inside. She insisted you see her daughter immediately.” The butler said.“Lead the way.” Ethan ordered calmly.The butler nodded and entered inside the massive villa, with Ethan following him closely. They walked hastily through the elegant hallways, which were filled with expensive artwork and luxurious decor, his haste giving Ethan no time to admire them even if he wanted to.The butler led him to the second floor,
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Jason Crestwood, Edward and Olivia’s son, swaggered into the room with an air of confidence, and behind him was a middle-aged man with a serious expression on his face. The middle-aged man was Professor Davies, a renowned person in the city. He was a brilliant and highly respected medical practitioner and had cured a lot of illnesses of sick people in the city. “Thank God you’re here, Professor Davies!” Olivia exclaimed, her voice filled with relief as she rushed to his side. “Please, you have to save my daughter!” Olivia pleaded, tears welling in her eyes. “Don’t worry. I have already assessed the situation with Jason on my way here. I know exactly what to do. She’ll be better in an hour.” Professor Davies said with a confident smile as he glanced briefly at Vivienne’s sickly figure. Olivia Crestwood let out an audible sigh of relief at Professor Davies’ appearance. She trusted that his skills would definitely be better than Ethan, who didn’t have any reputation whatsoever. Jaso
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Ethan did not flinch at Jason’s attitude. Instead, he focused his attention on Professor Davies.“You’re making a mistake, I’m telling you.” Ethan said coldly.Professor Davies let out a frustrated sigh at Ethan’s stubborn attitude. He was a renowned individual, and wherever he went, people always revered and respected him. He could not stand Ethan’s constant barrage of disagreements with his method.“This is ridiculous.” Professor Davies said. He crossed his arms and sneered at Ethan. The fact that Ethan was still very young and far less experienced than him also made him extremely annoyed.Jason, sensing Professor Davies' frustration, turned to him and pleaded in a soft tone.“Professor Davies, please ignore him! He must be a fraud that had somehow managed to con my father!” Jason said, casting a venomous glance at Ethan.Ethan sneered at Jason’s words.“Me? A fraud?”“Yes. You’re nothing but a con artist!” Jason shot back.“You really think I’m a fraud?” Ethan asked coldly, his pos
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Ethan was about to step out of the Crestwood manor when the butler hurried after him, calling out in a desperate voice.“Master Ethan! Please wait!” The butler's voice was urgent as he drew closer. Ethan, whose hand was already on the door, stopped and turned back to face the butler.“I’m very sorry for what happened earlier, Master Ethan.” The butler, whose name was Harris, apologised to Ethan with a sincere expression on his face.“It’s not your fault.” Ethan replied coolly.“They’ve already chosen who they want to help them, and I’m not the one.” Ethan continued calmly.Harris bowed his head in shame at Ethan’s words. He didn’t like the way Ethan was treated earlier, but there was nothing much he could do.Ethan didn’t say anything else and was about to leave the manor when two guards suddenly rushed up to him.“You! Wait! The Young Master demands your presence! You’ve put the young mistress in danger with your stupid concoctions!” one of the guards yelled at Ethan in a cold voice.
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“What? Why do we have to leave the room?” Jason asked Ethan, his tone harsh.“I just told you now. I don’t want any distractions.” Ethan retorted coldly.Jason crossed his arms, his expression hard.“I don’t trust him! There’s no way I’m leaving this room!” he said stubbornly, narrowing his eyes at Ethan. However, before Jason could object further, the butler, Harris, stepped forward.“Master Jason, it's best we leave Ethan to do his work and wait outside.” Harris said, his tone calm yet firm.Jason took a glance at his sick sister and clenched his jaw tightly, and without another word, he reluctantly left the room. Professor Davies, Harris, and Olivia all stared at Ethan’s confident countenance before leaving the room as well.Outside the door, Jason paced angrily, glaring hard at Harris, the butler.“Who does he think he is, telling me to wait outside?” he spat, his voice low yet seething with frustration. Harris’ eyes remained calm as Jason threw a fit, watching as Jason’s anger co
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“Ethan, how is my daughter?” Edward immediately asked. His voice was tense, his heart beating wildly as he awaited Ethan’s answer. However, before Ethan could respond, Harris, the butler, eagerly stepped forward.“Master Edward! It’s a miracle! Master Ethan has saved her! Lady Vivienne is out of danger!” Harris exclaimed in a joyful tone.Edward Crestwood let out a sigh of relief at Harris’ words, and the tension in his shoulders eased as he processed the good news.“Oh, thank you so much, Master Ethan! Thank you so much!” Edward thanked Ethan profusely, his voice filled with so much gratitude.But as he glanced around the room once more, he suddenly noticed something peculiar, and a look of disbelief appeared on his face.The guards of the Crestwood Manor were standing menacingly around Ethan.“What is this?”“What’s going on here? Why are the guards surrounding him?” Edward asked coldly, his voice low and dangerous.The guards, who were surrounding Ethan with their guns raised, put
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“Vivienne!” Olivia exclaimed after seeing her daughter wake up. She instantly ran to her side and held her closely.“Oh you’re awake!” Olivia exclaimed joyfully. Edward stared at his daughter, who was healed by Ethan, and the anger he felt toward Jason dissipated. He had never felt so relieved in his life.Vivienne stirred slowly, opening her eyes as she felt a wave of energy coursing through her body. For the first time in days, her body was at ease, and she felt no pain. It was like nothing she had experienced before, and the sensation was extremely refreshing. In fact, she had never felt so refreshed in her life.“How are you feeling now, Vivienne?” Edward asked his daughter in an eager tone.“I feel so much better, father.”“In fact, better might be an understatement. I have never felt so much better before in my entire life.” Vivienne answered joyfully as she felt the energy coursing through her.“Who saved my life?” Vivienne asked, and everybody in the room turned their attentio
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Back at the Whitman manor, Aria, Natalie, and Greg made their way to the luxurious sitting room. There, Aria’s parents, Andrew and Eloise Whitman, as well as her grandparents, Henry and Margaret Whitman, were already seated in the sitting room.The reason for their gathering was none other than the pressing issue regarding finding an ally. They were looking to explore other options as they had no faith that they would get an ally anymore.“I think we need to face the reality of the situation.” Margaret Whitman said with a deep sigh, and her eyes flicked between her son, Andrew, and her husband, Henry.“We can’t continue to wait and hope that a big family will change their minds and decide to ally with us.” Margaret added in a somewhat dejected tone.“What are you suggesting, mother?” Eloise asked carefully as she glanced at her mother-in-law warily, as she could sense where the conversation was headed.“I think we should sell our ownership stake in the company. We’ve built it up enoug
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Eastwood Manor, Eastwood Street.While Aria and Natalie were celebrating and rejoicing at the Whitman family being selected as an ally for the Crestwood family, Ethan was at his luxurious apartment working on some important documents.He had been extremely busy for the past 48 hours, as he had to complete several major business deals for his father. Due to the large scale of the business, he hadn’t even had the chance to do anything else. Fortunately, with his work ethic, he had managed to complete everything that he needed to do. He just needed to drop off the documents at their family headquarters in the city, then he would no longer be occupied.As he closed the documents that were on his work desk, he suddenly remembered that the Crestwood family was supposed to release their list of allies today. He didn’t know whether the Crestwood family later chose the Whitman family as their ally.“I can’t believe I forgot.” Ethan muttered as he reached for his phone. He was just about to pla
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For a moment, the world seemed to stand still. It was as though everything had stopped moving, and Aria couldn’t believe her ears. She stared at the phone screen in shock, her mind struggling to process what she had just heard and what was written on the phone screen as well.“We’re number one on the list?” Aria repeated in shock, the tone of her voice incredulous. She was having a hard time believing that what she saw was real. She felt like someone was playing tricks on her eyes.“Yes! The Whitman family is the first name on the list, and your family was awarded a very coveted business contract by the Crestwood family! It’s a very important business contract, and being in charge of this would give your family a lot of edge!” Natalie exclaimed, her eyes wide with disbelief and her tone laced with shock.Aria felt a flood of emotions rush through her body—relief, disbelief, and joy. She couldn’t believe it, and she felt like she was dreaming. She even pinched herself twice, and the sh
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The days went by quickly, and in the blink of an eye, two days had passed since Vivienne’s charity party. Aria hadn’t heard from Ethan in those two days, and while it was surprising to her, she didn’t think too much about it. As a matter of fact, she was quite glad that Ethan had not spoken to her in the past 48 hours. She did not want to have to deal with Ethan.At the moment, Aria and Natalie were in the garden of the Whitman manor and having a conversation regarding an ally for the Whitman family. The morning sun filtered through the trees, casting a soft light on the manicured bushes and blooming flowers, but Aria was far too anxious to appreciate the beauty of nature around her.Aria knew what was at stake. Although the Whitman family could still be considered wealthy, their business wasn’t doing too well anymore, and if they weren’t able to secure an ally, they were on a fast track to falling from grace to grass.“Calm down, Aria. It’s not the end of the world.” Natalie, who had
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Jason remained quiet for a brief moment as he contemplated Ethan’s words, but it didn’t seem like he was going to change his mind. Although Ethan had a mysterious background and identity, this was a different ball game entirely, and moreover, he couldn’t make this decision on his own.“I will think about it seriously and speak to my father about the Whitman family. However, he is out of the city currently for business, and he will be coming back in the next three days. When he is back, I will speak to him, and we will release the list of allies we have decided to work with.” Jason said with a pleading tone. It was as though he was trying to pacify Ethan.Ethan looked at him for a few seconds before ultimately nodding his head in agreement.“Thank you. I look forward to seeing the list.” Ethan said, and exchanged goodbyes with them before turning and walking away, his steps as calm and composed as ever.As Ethan walked away, he was already thinking about his next move. He planned to me
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The curtains on the charity event had been pulled already, and in less than twenty minutes, the grand and luxurious hall of the VIP section where the guests were the elite of the city gradually emptied, leaving in the same flashy way they arrived. The journalists and reporters who were still present continued to take several pictures of them, but the fervour was vastly different from the moment of arrival.Aria, Greg, and Natalie all left together as usual, before parting ways on the route to their various homes. They didn’t even bother to look for Ethan or offer him a lift, choosing to completely ignore him and go about their own activities.Ethan as well didn’t bother with them. If they chose to ignore him, then he would respect their decision. Besides, he would rather they ignored him than them reaching out to him only to insult him again.Meanwhile, inside the luxurious grand hall, Jason and Vivienne Crestwood stood near the polished oak doors of the hall, speaking in low voices a
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The party continued in its lavish atmosphere, and soon enough, the charity auction began mere minutes after Vivienne’s speech. The guests settled down, and the lights in the luxurious hall dimmed as an auctioneer took to the stage.“Good evening everyone. I trust you all are having a pleasant evening!” The auctioneer, a handsome man in his early forties greeted politely as he positioned himself properly on the stage. His voice was rich, commanding the attention of everyone present as he presented the first item that was up for auction—a luxurious painting from a world famous artist.The proceeds from the auction, as Vivienne mentioned earlier, would go toward several charitable causes that needed it.In a gathering with such exclusive people in the city, several high-end and luxurious items were presented, including artworks, jewellry and rare collectibles. These were all items that were highly sought for by the guests present, and they placed their bids on their interested items with
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“What a showoff.” Greg sneered as he watched Ethan walk away from them.“He has nothing and yet he’s acting like that! How dare he lie to us?” Natalie added, her voice dripping with disdain.“Vivienne Crestwood got him the outfit? What a fraud.” Natalie scoffed and muttered under her breath, visibly irritated by the thought.Aria’s eyes flickered with surprise at Ethan’s attitude, but she still remained silent. She didn’t know whether to believe his words or not.“He definitely has some nerve, walking around so righteously when he just stood there and lied to our faces.” Greg uttered angrily as Ethan disappeared into the crowd, clenching his fists as he did so.Aria still remained silent, sporting a small frown on his face as she stared at Ethan disappearing figure. She didn’t know what to make of Ethan’s claim. Since his demeanor was so calm and composed, wasn’t there the possibility that his words could be true?“Let’s just ignore him. He’s no one important anyways. He’ll just end u
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For a moment, the three of them stared at Ethan in silence. The words Aria wanted to say got stuck in her mouth, and her jaw dropped. Natalie widened her eyes as she stared at Ethan, while Greg who was sporting a smug expression saw his expression falter. None of them had expected that response, and they could not believe their ears.“Vivienne? What do you mean Miss. Vivienne?” Natalie asked, her voice filled with disbelief.“Do you mean Vivienne Crestwood?” Aria asked, her voice clearly showing her shock.“Yes.” Ethan replied coolly, giving her a small nod of agreement.“You’re such a liar, Ethan. Why would Vivienne Crestwood get someone like you an outfit?” Greg immediately rebutted, not believing his words for a single second at all.Ethan didn’t respond to Greg’s insult, and opted to remain silent. He had already answered their questions, and whether they believed him or not was left to them, as he had no intention of explaining any further to them. He already expected them not to
