2025-05-06 05:44:18Ethan walked out of the hotel, he didn’t know why he almost lost his control.
The cold wind cooled him down, he took out his phone and first added Sierra to his blacklist—he didn't want that woman bothering him anymore.
Then, he made another call.
"Elsa, it's me."
The person on the other end was Nova Corporation's CEO, Elsa Logan!
She was someone everyone in the city wanted to curry favor with. Rumor had it that the mysterious owner of Nova Corporation was extremely low-profile, so all company decisions were made by Elsa.
Therefore, anyone who maintained a good relationship with her had no shortage of opportunities to get rich.
However, at this moment, the high and mighty female CEO spoke to Ethan in an extremely respectful tone.
"Boss, is there anything you need me to do?"
Ethan replied casually, "There's a business banquet tomorrow, right? Remove Sierra's company from the guest list. And from now on, don't invite them to any company events again. She's no longer our business partner."
"Our new partner is Morgan Tech. Their CEO is Alice Morgan, you can inform her about this."
Elsa was momentarily stunned. She knew Sierra was the boss's wife, so now...
But as a competent subordinate, she never questioned the boss's private affairs. She respectfully replied, "Understood, boss. Will you be attending tomorrow?"
Ethan thought for a moment and answered, "Yes."
"As a VIP, as usual?" Elsa asked.
Ethan fell silent. In the past, he rarely attended Nova events, and even when he did, it was only as a VIP. But now, perhaps it was time to step into the spotlight.
"Boss?" Elsa called again after a few seconds of silence on the line.
"Just say that the owner of Nova Corporation will be present tomorrow," Ethan said calmly, but to Elsa, this was explosive news.
"Boss… are you planning to reveal your identity?" she asked in shock.
"I haven't made a final decision yet. Announce it this way for now. I'll decide tomorrow," Ethan said and hung up.
Ethan had just gotten into a taxi, planning to rest at a hotel for the night, when he received a call from Alice.
"Ethan!! Was it you who helped me? Just now, Nova's CEO Elsa personally called me and invited me to attend tomorrow's banquet! She said Morgan Tech will be the new business partner!"
Alice was so excited that she completely forgot she was supposed to be pretending to be drunk. She pressed Ethan eagerly, because the only one who could have helped her was him.
Ethan showed a faint smile. Alice was a lively and cheerful girl—her happiness was contagious.
"For Samantha's sake, I'll help you this once," Ethan said with a smile.
"Then can you go to the banquet with me tomorrow? Please!" Alice said.
Ethan had already planned to attend the banquet, so he agreed without hesitation.
Alice was overjoyed. After hanging up the phone, she rolled around on the bed in excitement—she probably wouldn't be able to sleep tonight.
⸻
The next day, at the Nova Corporation banquet venue, Alice arrived early in a dazzling gown, anxiously waiting at the entrance for Ethan.
"Good evening, Alice!"
The sudden voice startled her. She turned around and saw Ethan.
He was dressed in a perfectly tailored suit, looking incredibly handsome. Alice's cheeks turned slightly red.
However, before the two could exchange more than a few words, an annoying voice suddenly interrupted.
"Ethan? You followed me all the way here? I knew you weren't over me yet!"
Ethan frowned and turned around. Sure enough, it was Sierra.
Clinging to her arm was a slick, flashy man—clearly her lover and Nova Corporation's manager, Marcus.
Seeing Sierra, Ethan said with disdain, "Where did this annoying pest come from? Totally ruined my good mood for the day."
"You!" Sierra was furious, but she didn't dare cause a scene here. Instead, she growled under her breath, "Don't tell me you're actually here for Nova's banquet!"
At that moment, Marcus chuckled. "Darling, maybe your trash ex-husband came to apply for a waiter job!"
"You're probably right. Trash like him is only fit for that kind of low-end work," Sierra mocked with a sneer.
Their words infuriated Alice. Displeased, she said coldly, "Why do I hear dogs barking at such an upscale venue?"
"What did you say?!" Sierra snapped angrily. She turned to see who it was—and was shocked to find it was her rival, Alice.
"Well, if it isn't the loser Alice. I heard your family's marrying you off to Carl. Guess you've finally managed to latch onto a rich man! What, now you're trying to seduce someone else here?" Sierra mocked.
She spoke so confidently because for the past few years, she had consistently outperformed Morgan Tech in the business world.
But Alice didn't get angry. Instead, she smiled and gracefully wrapped her arm around Ethan's.
"I'm here with my date," she said calmly. "We're attending Nova Corporation's banquet together."
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Velthra’s wings flared slightly before she caught herself. Ilyss sucked in a sharp breath. “My… guard?” Karpeta repeated, her voice a mix of surprise and curiosity. “Yes,” Ethan said simply. Karpeta’s brow furrowed. “But… why? Why now?” Ethan’s tone remained calm, neutral, as if suggesting nothing more significant than a change in travel formation. “It provides a clear explanation for my presence,” he said. “Authority without exposure. Mobility without scrutiny.” Karpeta glanced at Velthra, then back to Ethan. “So… you’re proposing this as a matter of convenience?” Ethan shook his head slightly. “Not convenience. Strategy. Discretion. And… accountability.” “Accountability?” Karpeta echoed. “Yes,” Ethan replied, meeting her eyes directly. “It places responsibility somewhere acceptable.” She stared at him for a long moment, trying to weigh the meaning behind his words. “So,” she said finally, “you would be publicly associated with me.” “I would,” he confirmed. “And others wo
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If he bowed too deeply, he’d imply subservience. If he didn’t bow at all, he’d signal arrogance. If he mirrored demon customs incorrectly— That’s it. You’re exposed. His body moved before his thoughts caught up. He inclined his head—not deeply, not shallowly—just enough to register respect. At the same time, he placed one hand lightly over his chest and angled his body half a step to the side. It wasn’t intentional. It was muscle memory. Something ingrained from formal events back home. Diplomatic receptions. Meetings where rank existed but wasn’t supposed to dominate the room. A compromise between deference and equality. The reaction was immediate. Karpeta froze mid-breath. Velthra inhaled sharply, wings twitching despite herself. Ilyss’s eyes went wide. “That…” she whispered. “That’s a neutral acknowledgment.” Velthra nodded slowly. “Used only by those whose rank cannot be formally declared.” Silence fell again—different this time. Heavier. Charged. K
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A cold prickle crawled up Ethan’s spine. “You couldn’t confirm it even if you wanted to,” she continued softly. “High-clearance units aren’t permitted to disclose affiliation. Especially not to civilians.” The biggest succubus exhaled slowly. “Oh gods. He’s that kind.” “The quiet ones,” the third said faintly. “The ones whose names don’t exist on record.” Ethan remained silent. Not because he was trying to be dramatic. Because he genuinely had no idea what to say next. Three pairs of eyes were on him now—measuring, recalculating. He could almost feel them trying to slot him into some invisible taxonomy of power and threat. Say too much, and he’d expose the lie. Say too little, and he’d invite suspicion. Say the wrong thing— You’re dead, his brain supplied helpfully. However, in order to maintain his sense of mystery, Ethan did not rush to explain. He let the moment breathe, pretending the pause was intentional while his thoughts scrambled. He searched for something—an
421
Their earlier grins were gone. Not faded—erased. Their eyes were wide now, too wide to be casual. One of them sucked in a sharp breath she clearly hadn’t meant to take. The other’s tail, which had been swaying lazily a moment ago, snapped stiff and curled tightly around her ankle, as if anchoring herself to the ground. Ethan noticed immediately. He turned slightly, brow furrowing. “Why are you all looking at me like that?” No one answered. The silence was strange—thick, uncomfortable. As if everyone had reached the same conclusion at once and was now afraid to say it out loud. Then Karpeta moved. She bowed. Not the quick, half-embarrassed bow she’d given him earlier out of gratitude. A proper one. Measured. Respectful. Precise. “Forgive my ignorance,” she said carefully, her voice lower than before. “I did not recognize you earlier.” Ethan stared at her. “Recognize me as what?” The biggest succubus’s lips parted. She swallowed hard. “Oh,” she murmured. “Oh no.” The
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Karpeta shook her head immediately.“It’s not charity. It’s exchange. You saved my life.”Ethan opened his mouth to object, but she barreled on, wings twitching despite the torn membranes.“Whatever debt you think you don’t want,” she said, jaw tightening, “it already exists. Pretending otherwise doesn’t make it disappear.”Her voice wavered for half a heartbeat—then steadied.“Let me help you with yours.”The biggest succubus let out a quiet, knowing huff. “Told you. Once she decides something—”“She does not bend,” the third finished dryly. “She collides.”Karpeta shot them both a look. “You’re not helping.”“We’re being accurate,” the biggest one said, hands up. “There’s a difference.”Ethan studied Karpeta again.Really studied her this time.The way dirt clung to the edges of her armor. The shallow cuts she hadn’t bothered to treat yet. The wings—torn, uneven, still trembling faintly from strain. And yet she stood straight, shoulders squared, chin level, like pain was simply ano
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“Yes,” she said firmly. “A life-debt. Three, technically.”The other two nodded immediately.“Name it,” the biggest one said. “Gold. Information. Safe passage.”“Contacts,” the third added. “Favors. Blackwater remembers its debts.”Ethan frowned. “I didn’t do this for payment.”“I know,” Karpeta said. “That’s why I’m offering it anyway.”He studied her for a moment—really looked at her now. The damage to her wings. The grime on her face. The way she was holding herself straight despite the tremor still in her hands.“…You shouldn’t throw titles around lightly either,” he said.“I won’t,” she said quickly. “I swear it.”The biggest succubus grinned faintly. “She learns fast when she’s terrified.”Karpeta huffed despite herself, then sobered again. “Whatever you decide, we’ll honor it. If you want nothing from us, we’ll accept that too.”Silence lingered after her words.Ethan looked away again, toward the empty road where the demons had fled, jaw set like he was weighing something unpl
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