The Underestimated Tycoon

Chapter 4

Aria stormed inside the villa, her heels clacking angrily against the polished marble floor. She had enough of Ethan’s ridiculous lies and smug attitude. However, just as she turned to close the door, her eyes widened when she saw Ethan casually walking inside the villa just behind her.

“Are you insane?! What do you think you are doing right now?!” Aria snapped, her voice laden with irritation and anger.

“Are you going to keep up your stalker activities here?!” Aria asked angrily, glaring at Ethan fiercely.

Ethan stopped walking and stared at Aria with annoyed expression on his face. He always prided himself on being calm, but with the constant barrage of accusations from Aria, even he could not help but lose his patience.

“I’ve told you already, I’m not a stalker, and I’m here to meet someone.” Ethan replied angrily.

“Oh? And who exactly are you here to meet, Ethan?” Aria instantly crossed her arms, glaring at him.

“My fiancée, Aria Whitman.” Ethan replied firmly.

The words hit Aria like a sledgehammer, and her jaw dropped. For a moment, she couldn’t form any words, her mind still reeling from the shock of his words.

“What did you just say?”

“You heard me,” Ethan replied, his voice cold.

“I’m here to see my fiancée, Aria Whitman, who I am engaged to.”

Aria blinked in disbelief, her hands falling to her sides.

“That’s impossible, because I’m Aria Whitman.”

“What?!” Ethan exclaimed. This time around, it was his turn to reel from the shock of her words.

A very uncomfortable and apprehensive silence filled the luxurious hallway as they stared at each other, both barely processing the gravity of what had just been revealed. However, before either of them could speak, a new voice broke the stillness.

“Ah, there you are!” An elderly man, dressed in a fine red suit, entered the room with a warm smile.

“Ethan! You’ve arrived just as expected.”

Aria turned her attention toward the elderly man in shock.

“Grandfather? You know this man?” Aria asked in disbelief.

Henry Whitman, the elderly man, smiled at his granddaughter, then turned his full attention to Ethan.

“Your father told me you’d be here today, so I’m glad to see you’ve found your way in. Welcome, Ethan.”

Ethan gave a polite nod to the elder, his calm demeanour never faltering, despite the amount of shock he was feeling at the moment.

“Thank you, Mr…” Ethan trailed off, as he did not know the name of the elderly man.

“Henry Whitman, but you can call me Henry.” Henry smiled as he extended his hand for a handshake. Ethan accepted his stretched hand and gave him a firm handshake, putting a smile on Henry’s face.

“Well, this is a happy day! I cannot begin to express my joy! After all, the engagement between you and Aria is what you would term a match made in heaven!” Henry clapped his hands together, completely oblivious to the tension in the air.

Aria’s heart sank as her grandfather’s words echoed in her ears, and the gravity of the situation she was in dawned on her.

“Grandfather, wait! There’s been some kind of mistake! There’s no way—”

“No, no, Lily,” Henry interrupted, smiling as though he hadn’t heard her.

“Today’s an important day for both of you. I want you to inform your parents that the engagement is officially happening.”

“Grandfather, you can’t be serious,” Aria protested, panic rising in her chest. “There’s been some kind of mistake. I don’t want to—”

“Aria, this is what’s best for you. For the family.” Henry said, his warm expression hardening slightly.

Aria bit her lip, the irritation and anger she felt towards Ethan rising.

She could see the determination in her grandfather’s eyes, and it was the same stubbornness she had inherited.

What he had told her was not a suggestion; it was a command.

Ethan, on the other hand, remained silent, watching the entire exchange with an unreadable expression. He didn’t want this engagement any more than Aria did, but he couldn’t call off the engagement now. After all, his fiancée, Aria Whitman, was tied to the truth behind his mother’s death.

Aria’s thoughts were spinning rapidly. She absolutely had to find a way out of this. This engagement couldn’t happen! There was no way she was going to be engaged to such a poor person like Ethan!

Henry, ever the gracious host, gently guided Ethan toward the main hall. As they walked, Henry continued to shower Ethan with praise, showing respect to Ethan’s father and expressing his excitement over Ethan joining the family.

Aria followed behind them, her mind desperately racing for a solution. Neither of them wanted this. She could tell that Ethan was only playing along with her grandfather because of some hidden motive.

Just as Henry was about to add another word about the engagement, another voice interrupted the ceremony.

“I object to this engagement!” declared Margaret Whitman, Aria’s grandmother, who entered the room with a look of determination on her aged face.

The atmosphere in the room froze at her sudden appearance, and Henry turned toward his wife, surprised by her sudden entrance and bold statement.

“Margaret, what are you talking about?” Henry Whitman asked in a cold voice, but the reply he got from his wife was not one he expected to hear at all.