A Divorce She Regrets

CHAPTER 10

Six more men surrounded Ethan, pulling knives and machetes, their fingers trembling. Ethan tilted his head slightly, his cold gaze sweeping across them like a blade. He started to circle slowly—like a lion, calm, unhurried, choosing which gazelle to slaughter first.

One thug, his nerves snapping, lunged with a machete.

Ethan didn’t step back; he stepped in. He caught the man’s lead arm, snapped the elbow upward with a sickening CRUNCH, and used the momentum to drive his knee into the man's chest.

 The guard’s ribs imploded, and he was hurled backward, vomiting blood before he hit the ground.

Another swung a crowbar—Ethan caught it midair with one hand. The sheer strength of his grip forced the man to his knees. Ethan yanked him forward, meeting his face with a rising elbow that disintegrated his jaw.

It wasn't a fight; it was a harvest.

Marcus felt a cold sweat run down his back.

“Richard… maybe we should—” he began, his voice suddenly unsure.

But he never finished.

Because Ethan turned.

And looked straight at him.

The temperature in the room seemed to drop instantly.

Marcus’s heart skipped a beat.

Instinctively, he stepped back.

Vivian grabbed his arm desperately, trying to hide behind him.

“Marcus… stop him… do something!” she whispered, panic creeping into her voice.

But Marcus didn’t move.

For the first time in his life, the arrogant young heir looked completely out of his depth.

Vivian’s mind spun wildly.

This couldn’t be real.

Three years ago, Ethan had been nothing.

A useless man everyone laughed at.

A man she had thrown away without hesitation.

So how—

How had he become this terrifying?

By the time the air settled, only Ethan stood upright. His shirt was streaked with blood—none of it his own.

Through the red mist of the carnage, Richard stood frozen. “Impossible…”

His face had gone pale. Sweat beaded on his forehead.

"What… what are you?" he whispered.

Ethan didn’t answer.

His gaze was cold as winter.

He began walking toward them.

Each step echoed across the silent hall.

Marcus’s throat went dry.

For a terrifying moment, he genuinely thought Ethan was coming for him.

He instinctively pushed Vivian slightly forward, as if using her body as a shield.

Vivian’s eyes widened in disbelief—but fear kept her silent.

Just then—

The doors at the far end of the hall burst open.

  

A man ran in, his face pale, his voice shaking.

"Helicopters!" he shouted. "Dozens of helicopters just landed outside! All of them have the Sterling Global logo!”

The hall erupted.Gasps. Shouts. Excited whispers spreading like wildfire.

"Helicopters?"

"Sterling Global?"

"How many did he say?"

A woman near the bar clutched her companion's arm. "Did you hear that? Dozens of helicopters!"

"All with the company logo," someone else added, their voice filled with awe.

The guests who had been backing toward the exits stopped. Their fear transformed into something else. Excitement. Curiosity.

They turned to look at Richard Langley.

He stood near the cage, his face still pale from watching his bodyguards get dismantled. But now, confusion flickered across his features.

Helicopters?

He had not called for any helicopters.

He did not have the authority to command that many aircraft. Those helicopters belonged to Sterling Global's executive fleet. They only responded to direct orders from the highest levels of the company.

Why would they send them here?

But before Richard could voice his confusion, the guests began to speak for him.

"Mr. Langley must have called for reinforcements!" one man said loudly.

"Of course!" a woman agreed. "He has that kind of power. He is a senior executive!"

"I heard he has direct access to the CEO," another guest whispered. "He must have contacted her when this criminal showed up."

The murmurs grew louder. More confident.

Richard's mind raced. He had not made any calls. But if Claire had sent helicopters here… perhaps she had heard about the disturbance somehow? Perhaps she was coming to support him?

It made sense. He was a veteran of Sterling Global. He had served the company for years. Of course the CEO would respect him. Of course she would come to his aid if he was being threatened.

His confidence began to return.

Marcus grinned. Relief flooded his face. "You hear that, you bastard? You are finished now! Mr. Langley's people are here!"

Vivian laughed, her voice shrill with renewed arrogance. "I told you! I told you that you should have left when you had the chance!" She pointed at Ethan, her expression triumphant. "Now you are going to pay for every stupid thing you have done tonight!"

The crowd's energy shifted completely. Fear turned to excitement. 

"Mr. Langley is amazing!"

"To summon so many helicopters at once!"

"That criminal is done for!"

Richard straightened his jacket. He smoothed down his tie. His smug smile returned, wider than before.

He stepped forward, his chest puffed out, basking in the crowd's admiration.

"Yes," he said loudly, his voice carrying across the hall. "They are here for me."

The guests erupted in applause. Some even clapped. 

Richard turned his gaze back to Ethan. His arrogance had fully returned now. He looked at Ethan the way someone might look at a bug.

“I gave you a chance to slink away,” he sneered, arms crossing over his chest. “But you’re too stupid to know when to quit. Now learn your place.”

He leaned in, voice dripping with contempt. “Kneel. Slap yourself —hard. Beg for my forgiveness. Do it, and maybe I’ll let my men break just your legs instead of ending you.”

The crowd joined in, their voices rising.

"Kneel!"

"Apologize!"

"You brought this on yourself!"

Ethan stood perfectly still. Not a muscle twitched.

“Kneel?” he sneered, his voice cold, “I kneel to no one—least of all to a pest like you.”

Richard’s face turned crimson. Arrogance curdled into raw, unbridled rage—this nobody dared to mock him? In front of everyone?

“You insolent piece of trash!” he roared, veins bulging in his neck.

“My people have already arrived. You and your sister are finished!"

Ethan only glanced toward the ceiling for a moment.

Then he looked back at Richard.

A faint smile appeared at the corner of his mouth.

“Your people?” he said softly.

There was something almost amused in his voice.

Richard’s expression darkened.

“Yes. Mine.”

Ethan gave a small nod.

“Good.”

His eyes turned cold again.

“Then let’s wait.”

Before anyone could react—

Bang!

The double doors slammed open.

A woman walked in, every step seemed to suck the air from the room.

 The guests stumbled back instinctively, and even Richard’s men froze mid-step.

Claire. The CEO of Sterling Group.

 A name that ruled boardrooms, markets, and entire industries.

The guests began whispering excitedly.

“OMG! It's Claire!"

“The CEO came personally for Mr. Langley!”

“That guy is finished!”

Richard’s grin stretched wide.“Claire! You arrived just in time.” He called proudly.  

 Claire said nothing. Her gaze swept the room—then froze.

There, in the center of the hall, stood Ethan. His clothes were dark with blood, and beside him, his sister looked broken, her injuries plain to see.

Claire’s heart skipped a beat as a cold shiver jolted down her spine. What are these suicidal fools doing?!

“This trash disrupted my event and assaulted my people.” Richard strode toward her, jabbing a finger toward Ethan. “I was just about to have him removed.”

Claire’s head snapped toward Richard. Her face was pale, her eyes vibrating with a murderous intensity.

Then—

Smack!

The sound of the slap echoed like a gunshot.

The force of it sent Richard spinning, his head snapping back as he collapsed onto the marble floor. The room fell into a deafening, suffocating silence.

Richard clutched his bleeding jaw, looking up in sheer, pathetic confusion.

“C-Claire? What—”

“You. are. fucking. terminated.”