The Underestimated Tycoon

Chapter 2

Aria narrowed her eyes at Ethan, irritation and anger bubbling under her cool exterior. 

“What do you mean by ‘any amount of money’ I need?” Aria asked, her lips curling into a sneer. The very thought of this ordinary-looking boy claiming he could provide for her was laughable. Judging from the plain clothes that were littered on the floor, he didn’t even seem like he could afford to take care of himself.

She strongly disliked people like Ethan, who clearly told and spinned lies about their capabilities to get on her good side. After all, as a top beauty of the prestigious Tussauds University, meeting those kinds of people wasn’t exactly a new occurrence to her.

“I mean it.” Ethan said firmly.

"You must be joking," Aria scoffed, letting out a harsh laugh while glaring at him coldly, regarding him with the same contempt she regarded other nobodies who had tried their luck with her.

“I’m not kidding. I can take care of you.”

She stared at him for a moment, unable to decide if she should pity him for being so delusional or feel irritated that he was wasting her time. 

“Look,” she finally said, shaking her head, “you’re clearly just another guy who thinks he can talk big to impress me. But the powerful people I know? They could make someone like you disappear without a second thought.”

Instead of backing down at her words, Ethan chuckled softly. 

“Is that so? They might want to be my friends once they know who I am.” Ethan replied with an amused smile. It was almost as though he didn’t care about any powerful person she knew at all.

Aria rolled her eyes at his cocky response, and she felt her patience significantly run out at his words. 

“You must be out of your mind. I’m not going to give you a single penny, and don’t even think about using what happened last night against me. It was a mistake, and if you’re smart, you’ll keep your mouth shut about it.”

“Or what?” Ethan said, raising an eyebrow at her subtle threat.

“Or I’ll make sure you regret it. Now get out of my sight. I don’t want to see your face again.” Aria threatened, her voice cold. 

Surprisingly, Ethan didn’t argue with her. He simply watched her for a moment, a thoughtful look crossing his face before he stood, grabbing his own clothes and quietly leaving the room. There was some tension lingering in the air, but Aria didn’t bother to look at him again as he walked out.

The moment Ethan stepped into the hallway, the expression on his face shifted. The lighthearted, almost playful facade he had worn with Aria melted away, replaced by a calm seriousness. 

He entered the lift, pressing the button to the ground floor, his mind racing back to the events of the night before. 

Although he hadn’t mentioned it to Aria, the aphrodisiac that Thomas Langford used was not just any drug. 

It was poison, and the poison Thomas Langford had used was extremely lethal. 

If he hadn’t intervened when he did, Aria would have suffered far worse than a drugged encounter. Sleeping with her hadn’t been his choice; it was the only way to save her life.

Nonetheless, he felt no need to explain that to her. If anything, it would only complicate matters further. 

Ethan already had enough problems of his own to deal with, of which the most important was finding the woman he was truly engaged to; the woman his father had promised him years ago.

The elevator dinged as it arrived on the ground floor, and when the doors slid open, Ethan was met with an unexpected sight. A group of men, all dressed in sharp black suits, stood in a line, waiting for him; and at the very front was a middle-aged man, tall and imposing, who stepped forward and bowed slightly.

“Master Ethan, welcome to Tussauds,” the imposing man said, his voice respectful.

Ethan’s face remained impassive, but there was a trace of recognition in his eyes. 

“Edward Crestwood, I told you to keep a low profile.” Ethan said, both acknowledging and chiding the man.

The middle-aged man, now identified as Edward Crestwood, straightened his posture before glancing around at the other men and motioning for them to disperse. 

“I apologize, Master Ethan. We simply wanted to ensure your safety.”

“I don’t need a parade following me around campus,” Ethan said, his tone firm and cold. 

“Besides, what’s with the plain clothes? Trying to hide my identity now, are we?”

“Your father requested we make sure your time here at university is as discreet as possible. He thought it best to avoid unnecessary attention.” Edward offered a small smile and replied. 

Ethan raised an eyebrow. 

“Discreet? And you brought a whole group of men in black? That doesn’t seem very discreet to me.”

“A temporary measure, I assure you.” Edward chuckled lightly, dismissing the rest of the team with a wave.

As the last of the men left, Edward pulled out a sleek, diamond-encrusted black card from his suit breast pocket and handed it to Ethan. 

“This is your new card, Master Ethan. This card is the first of its kind in the world, offering unlimited usage. There are no restrictions on the location or amount. It also has a twenty-four-hour service for all your needs.”

Ethan glanced at the card but showed little interest, tucking it into his pocket without a second thought. 

“There’s also a self-driving sports car waiting for you in the lot. Like the card, it is the very first of its kind and is filled with phenomenal features.” Edward added, although he could see Ethan wasn’t particularly impressed by the car and any of the features he mentioned.

“I don’t need it,” Ethan replied coldly, his gaze narrowing. “I’m here to keep a low profile, remember?”

“Understood, Master Ethan.” Edward nodded in affirmation. He had also arranged a beautiful villa for Ethan, but from his earlier actions, he was confident that he would instantly reject the offer. Therefore, he did not bother mentioning it to him.

Ethan paused for a moment before sighing in annoyance.

“That’s fine. Just the card will do.”

“Of course, Master Ethan.” Edward said respectfully.

Seeing that Ethan no longer entertained his presence, Edward turned to leave. However, he had barely taken two steps when Ethan’s voice rang out coldly.

“Edward” Ethan called out, his tone icy. “Will you now tell me the real reason why you came all the way here to find me?” Ethan asked coldly, his eyes darkening as he awaited Edward’s answer.