2024-11-22 16:14:10As 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. Everyone knows it.”
Ethan met Aria’s gaze with a steady calm, refusing to rise to her baiting words.
“If you think he cheated, we can schedule a rematch.” Victoria said, her voice laced with authority.
The crowd murmured in approval, and Greg, still rubbing his bruised ego, stepped forward. He looked Ethan up and down, his eyes narrowing.
“There’s no need for that. Let him enjoy the win while he can.” Greg spat furiously, though his tone carried a hint of hesitation.
Aria, standing at Greg’s side, shot Ethan a condescending smile.
“Greg is clearly the better fighter. You just got lucky.”
“It’s obvious you have no shame, resorting to cheating just to win a fight!” Aria sneered at Ethan, her disgust for him fully evident in her tone.
Victoria frowned at Aria’s harsh words and wanted to retort, but she remembered Ethan’s order about keeping his identity secret, so she couldn’t help but back down.
The crowd, already sceptical of Ethan, now viewed him with even more disdain at Aria’s words.
Several people started shouting, urging Ethan to take off the gear and fight again.
Greg, however, raised a hand to silence them. His eyes flickered with a mix of pride and insecurity as he addressed the crowd.
“I’d love to put him back in his place, but I’ve got somewhere to be.” he said, his voice carrying a false bravado.
Aria’s face lit up at his words.
“Greg has an important engagement tonight, which is dinner with the prestigious Crestwood family.” she chimed in, her voice filled with pride.
The mention of the Crestwood family sent murmurs through the crowd. Being invited to a dinner with them was a symbol of status and influence, and it only added to Greg’s perceived superiority.
“You’re backing out?” Ethan asked, his voice low but challenging.
Greg clenched his jaw in anger, but he forced a smirk to appear on his face.
“Backing out? Of course not. Unlike you, I have real responsibilities. I don’t need to fight a second-rate fighter twice to prove anything.” Greg snorted.
In truth, he was genuinely afraid of fighting Ethan as he might lose to him again. Unlike the rest of the crowd, he was aware that Ethan had fought him with nothing but his skills. He wasn’t sure he would win even if they fought ten times.
He turned to leave, but Ethan’s voice stopped him in his tracks.
“Greg, don’t forget to leave the keys to the Lamborghini.” he remarked casually.
The crowd fell silent, with all eyes now on Greg, who looked visibly irritated.
“I’ll get you the keys later. I’ve got more important things to handle.” he snapped.
Aria, ever loyal to Greg, stepped in defensively.
“Greg doesn’t owe you anything. He’ll deal with you when he’s ready.”
Greg, his smirk widening, turned toward Aria with a glint of mischief in his eyes.
"Aria, why don't you join me for dinner at the Crestwoods tonight? A very special guest will be there. It would be an honour to have you by my side." Greg asked with a gentlemanly smile.
Ethan, standing a few feet away, narrowed his eyes. He knew Greg’s invitation was more or less about impressing Aria and spitting in his face.
Aria, flipping her hair back, smiled warmly at Greg, completely ignoring Ethan. "I'd love to, Greg. It sounds like an incredible evening."
"Perfect," Greg replied smugly, and then shot Ethan a mocking glance.
Ethan said nothing, his face calm and unreadable, but as Greg basked in his moment of glory, Ethan's voice sliced through the air.
"I wouldn’t be too excited if I were you. After all, that dinner might not happen as you expect."
Greg raised an eyebrow. "And why is that?"
Ethan took a step forward, his posture radiating quiet confidence.
"Because the special guest of honour won’t be there."
Greg let out a mocking laugh, the crowd around them following suit.
"And how would you know that? Who could be more important than the Crestwood' guest?"
Ethan locked eyes with Greg, and then dropped a bombshell on him.
"That’s because I am the important guest."
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“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
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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
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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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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
