Buried in shame. Rising in power

CHAPTER ONE — THE SON-IN-LAW WHO SHOULD HAVE REMAINED ORDINARY

The city lights flickered beneath a storm-heavy sky, as if the heavens themselves were warning that something was about to shatter.

Ethan Vale stood at the entrance of the grand Hartman Estate, clutching the small cake box he had spent the last of his savings on. Rain drizzled, soaking the thin fabric of his worn jacket. Today was his wife’s family’s business anniversary—a night he dreaded every year.

Inside, laughter, clinking glasses, and arrogant voices echoed through the marble halls.

As soon as he stepped into the brightly lit banquet hall, the noise dipped, then rose again—sharper, mocking.

“There he is!”

Cousin Martin’s voice cut through the air. “Our very own charity case has arrived.”

The guests chuckled. Ethan lowered his gaze, fingers tightening around the cake box.

Mia Hartman—his wife—stood near the stage, elegant as always in a navy dress. Her brows creased with a soft, helpless sympathy as she saw him. “Ethan… you didn’t have to come.”

He tried to smile, but it didn’t reach his eyes. “It’s your family’s night.”

Before she could answer, her mother approached—the woman who reminded him every day that he was a disgrace to their wealthy bloodline.

“Did you walk here again, Ethan?” Mrs. Hartman sneered. “Or did the bus finally pity you and give you a free ride?”

Ethan kept silent.

Martin snatched the cake box from Ethan’s hand. “What’s this? Another cheap birthday cake from that pathetic bakery you sweep floors in?”

The guests snickered.

“Give it back,” Ethan said quietly.

“Oh?” Martin lifted the cake mockingly. “Does trash have demands now?”

Before Ethan could react, Martin flipped the box, letting the cake crash to the marble floor.

The hall erupted in laughter.

Mia gasped, stepping forward. “Martin! That’s enough!”

Mrs. Hartman folded her arms. “No, Mia. It’s time he learns his place. He has been our son-in-law for three years and still contributes nothing. We feed him. We house him. And in return, he brings us this… embarrassment?”

Ethan swallowed hard.

Every word was a knife.

Every humiliation, a wound.

Not because he couldn’t defend himself.

But because he promised he wouldn’t.

A promise made to someone who was now long gone.

A promise that tonight… would be broken.

Suddenly, the estate gates burst open.

A convoy of black SUVs rolled in, engines growling like beasts. Armed men in black suits stepped out with military precision. Conversations died instantly. Fear rippled across the crowd.

The lead SUV door opened.

A tall, broad-shouldered man stepped out, wearing a charcoal coat and carrying an aura that silenced the air. He walked straight into the hall, eyes sweeping the room.

“Where is Ethan Vale?” His voice was cold steel.

The entire Hartman family stiffened.

Mrs. Hartman, trembling, pointed hesitantly. “H-Here. He’s… right there.”

The man strode forward—then to everyone’s shock—

he dropped to one knee before Ethan.

Gasps erupted.

“Lord Vale,” the man said, head bowed. “We’ve been searching for you for years. The Council has confirmed your survival. Your empire awaits your command.”

Ethan’s breath locked.

He had prayed this day would never come.

Mia’s eyes widened in horror. “Ethan… what is he talking about?”

Mrs. Hartman stuttered. “L-Lord? Empire? There must be some mistake! He’s just a—just a—”

“A janitor?” the kneeling man finished sharply. He lifted his head, eyes blazing. “Madam, the man you insult is the rightful successor of the Vale Dominion—an organization powerful enough to topple governments.”

Shock hit the room like an explosion.

The cake on the floor no longer mattered.

Neither did the insults.

All eyes slowly turned toward Ethan.

The quiet, humiliating, “useless” son-in-law.

Mia took a shaky step backward. “Ethan… who are you?”

His heart clenched at the fear in her voice.

Something inside him broke.

He straightened his shoulders for the first time in three years.

“I tried to live quietly,” Ethan said softly. “For peace. For a promise. For you. But the world has a way of dragging monsters back into the light.”

The armed men bowed in unison.

“Lord Vale! Please—return. The Dominion is collapsing without you. The Elders are dead. Your enemies are rising. We need you.”

Ethan looked at Mia—his wife, the only part of this life he wanted to protect.

“I’m not the man you think I am,” he whispered.

She stepped backward again, tears forming.

“Ethan… what did you hide from me?”

Before he could answer—

A deafening blast shook the estate.

The windows shattered. Guests screamed.

A second convoy—this one marked with a crimson serpent—skidded to a halt outside.

The man beside Ethan cursed. “Damn it… they found you first.”

A masked figure stepped out of the enemy vehicle, aiming directly at Ethan.

His voice thundered:

“ETHAN VALE! YOU CAN’T ESCAPE YOUR BLOODLINE ANY LONGER!”

Ethan’s eyes hardened.

The peaceful life he fought for…

The marriage he tried to protect…

Everything shattered in a single heartbeat.

He stepped forward, the storm raging behind him.

“For three years, I bowed my head,” Ethan said, voice cold as ice. “Tonight… that ends.”

He clenched his fist.

The masked assassin raised his weapon.

Mia screamed his name—

And the estate lights went out.

Darkness swallowed everything.