2024-11-22 15:37:49Aria 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?” 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.
Previous Chapter
Related Chapters
The Underestimated Tycoon Chapter 5
"Aria will marry Gregory Holden," Margaret declared in a firm voice.The tension in the room became extremely suffocating, and Henry Whitman stood tall, his arms crossed as he stared down at his wife, Margaret, who had just made an outrageous declaration. Her statement that Aria would marry Gregory Holden had shocked everyone in the room, and Henry’s expression instantly turned to one of pure disgust.“Gregory Holden? That hypocrite’s son? You must be out of your mind.” Henry sneered, his voice filled with disdain.Margaret remained unflinching at her husband’s harsh words, her posture stiff and resolute.“Greg is a fine young man, and he works for the powerful Crestwood family. It is surely a connection that will be invaluable to us one day.”Henry shook his head, his patience wearing thin.“The Crestwood family may be powerful, but Greg himself is nothing. His father is a mere lackey who can’t even manage his own affairs, and you want our Aria to be engaged to such a person?”“He’s
The Underestimated Tycoon Chapter 6
Before Ethan could get another word in, Aria walked off and approached a sleek, black Porsche. The car's door opened, and a beautiful girl stepped out. Her designer outfit clung tightly to her slim figure, and every inch of her oozed wealth and privilege. “This is my best friend, Natalie.” Aria said.Ethan extended a polite hand, "Nice to meet you."Natalie didn’t even look at his outstretched hand. Her eyes flicked up and down, taking in his simple clothes with a disgusted sneer.“So, this is the guy?” she asked, her voice dripping with contempt. Ethan withdrew his outstretched hands, but he didn’t comment on it. After all, he had no interest in playing their petty games.“We’re heading to Gregory Holden' party. You should come,” Aria said."Why not?" Ethan shrunk his shoulders.“Come on, it’ll be fun. Besides, Greg is dying to meet you.” Natalie said in a nice tone. But actually she had told Greg earlier. Greg was going to let Ethan know the result of stealing his girl.Everyone
The Underestimated Tycoon Chapter 7
Ethan stepped outside the club vicinity and pulled out his phone after he was in a silent area. He dialled the customer service number embossed on the back of his black unlimited card, and on the very first ring, the phone call connected, and a friendly but professional voice answered immediately. “Welcome to Zenith. How can I assist you?” the voice asked professionally. “I need my membership registered for tonight’s event at a club called Oasis,” Ethan said, his tone firm but calm. The process took less than a minute. With a level of efficiency only the most elite memberships could offer, the operator confirmed his registration. Ethan pocketed the card, knowing full well that the only reason he could easily become an exclusive member at Oasis was because of the card. It had been mentioned by Edward Crestwood that only a handful of individuals worldwide had the privilege of becoming members with this card. It was a mark of wealth, power, and connections that most people could only
The Underestimated Tycoon Chapter 8
"Are you crazy? How dare you set your sights on that car?" Aria interrupted. "Exactly, is that car even something a person like you deserves to drive?" Natalie chimed in. "If you have the ability to win, then it's yours," Greg said with a smile.The limited edition Lamborghini was regarded as a family heirloom in the Holden family. However, Greg was so confident of his victory in this fight that he bet it without any hesitation. “Big mistake, man.” Ethan sneered.Greg stood in the center of the arena, a smug grin plastered across his face. He glanced over at Ethan and asked in a mocking tone.“Is this your first time fighting?”“Yes.” Ethan replied curtly.Greg’s grin widened as he cracked his knuckles, stepping into the center of the ring. There was no way that Ethan, a complete rookie fighter, was going to emerge victorious over him.“This is his first time fighting? He must have a death wish!” one of the people in audience muttered.“A death wish is too mild! By the time Greg i
The Underestimated Tycoon Chapter 9
As Ethan stepped out of the combat room, the crowd that had gathered in the underground fight club was buzzing with shock and disbelief. "He's cheating!" someone shouted from the back, followed by murmurs of agreement."Of course he won, look at that suit! No wonder he managed to pull off those moves. He didn’t beat Greg fairly!" another voice joined in.Ethan ignored the accusations, his expression impassive, but Victoria, standing beside him, stepped forward and glared at the crowd.“Mr. Ethan did not choose the excellent equipment I provided. His skills are what decided the fight.”The crowd erupted in laughter at her words.“Yeah, right. Do you expect us to believe some random guy just walked in and beat the Gregory Holden?” One of the onlookers sneered.Aria, who had been watching from the front row suddenly stood and sauntered over with a smirk on her face.“Greg will have his revenge soon enough,” she said in a mocking tone.“This win means nothing. You cheated, Ethan. Everyon
The Underestimated Tycoon Chapter 10
“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.” Gre
The Underestimated Tycoon Chapter 11
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, and within seconds, the ridiculing began.“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 Eth
The Underestimated Tycoon Chapter 12
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,
Latest Chapter
Chapter 49
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
Chapter 48
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
Chapter 47
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
Chapter 46
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
Chapter 45
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
Chapter 44
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
Chapter 43
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
Chapter 42
“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
Chapter 41
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
