“I will take your words lightly, Ethan, but I don’t think it’s right for you to make stupid threats,” Liam said, an ironic smile tugging at the corner of his lips.
Ethan shoved Liam’s hand off his shirt and let out a low chuckle. “I haven’t even started, and you’re already scared. You’ve all been underestimating me for a long time without knowing what my true colors look like.” “We don’t need to know your true colors,” Katherine cut in sharply. “We’ve seen enough. You’re nothing but a dumb and useless thing. Nobody in this family wants you, so get yourself out of our lives, okay?” She turned to Liam with a proud smile. “Liam has helped Ava so much. We’re launching our deal with Murfers Empire all because of him. Do you really think we’ll regret divorcing you when we never benefited anything from you? The only things you brought into this family were disgrace and humiliation. So tell me, why would we ever regret what happened that day?” Ethan’s face hardened, every trace of amusement gone. “That’s all I’ll say for today. You will all regret what happened today. Mark my words.” Ava, who had been silent the entire time, finally let out a soft giggle. She stepped forward gracefully and flicked a cheque card toward him. It hit his chest and slid down, but Ethan didn’t bother to look at it. “That’s a hundred thousand dollars,” Ava said coolly. “It should be enough to take care of you. I believe Liam and I have compensated you to your satisfaction. We don’t even want a ‘thank-you’.” After saying this, Ava turned to leave with the others, but after a few steps, she paused and walked back to him. “Today should be the last day our paths cross,” she said, her voice smooth and distant. “I don’t ever want to see you in or around my life again. You know I now belong to a higher status. I’ll be working with the third biggest empire in Sera—the Murfers Empire. It was nice playing the role of your wife, but I got tired of this marriage five months ago. So… goodbye, Ethan. Goodnight.” She walked away elegantly without looking back. Ethan stood frozen, filled with anger, disbelief and disappointment as he watched Ava enter Liam's car. At that moment , everything began to make sense to Ethan. The reason Ava had stopped asking him for money five months ago, the strange distance in her behavior, the late-night calls she dismissed so casually. She had been with Liam for a long time. And now, she had finally confessed it without shame. Anger churned inside him as he stared at the cheque on the floor. As he looked at the receipt, his anger only increased. He imagined how he would deal with Ava and her family. He was still in this thought he was when a loud sound of an engine pulled him off. A luxurious car sped past him, then slowly reversed and parked right in front of him. Ethan narrowed his eyes, curiosity replacing his anger. As he looked to observe who was driving like that, the car door opened, and Michaela stepped out. Ethan's eyes flattered. Wasn't that the same lady he met earlier at the precinct? She looked radiant and perfectly composed. Even her confidence was in another level. But wait, what is she doing here? “Hello young man! You are already leaving without me?” Ethan was left shocked. Before he could speak, Michaela added. “I must say your pill worked perfectly on me, Ethan. Tell me, how did you prepare such effective medication? Are you perhaps a divine Doctor?” Once again, Ethan tried to reply but she shunned him off with a wave. “Anyways, I'm here for another thing! So, no need to respond!” Saying this, she pulled out a chequebook and flipped it open. “I have a very big reward for you, Ethan Loner.” “Which is?” Ethan asked flatly. She extended the cheque toward him. “Five hundred thousand dollars. A reward for the pill you gave me.” Ethan didn’t even glance at it. “I’m not interested in your money, Mich. I can manage on my own. I only helped you because you needed it.” Michaela studied him for a moment, then calmly slipped the cheque back into her bag. Instead of stepping away, she moved closer to him and shrugged. “You don't want the money? Alright…But I heard everything that happened between you and your wife,” she said quietly. “It’s clear she doesn’t love you. She cheated on you because you’re poor. And I also heard you promise that they would regret their actions.” Ethan’s suspense lingered. “Is that supposed to be a problem?” Michaela shook her head. “No, it's not supposed to be a problem. Instead, it's supposed to be a blessing.” “The first time we met, I mistook you for Stephen King. But right now, I’m speaking to Ethan Loner. And I’m offering you a deal.” Ethan folded his arms and was even more confused. “What kind of deal?” He asked. “I will help you with every resource you need to make your ex-wife regret divorcing you. Be it Power. Influence. Connections. Everything…” She paused for effect. “But in return, you will marry me for seventy-two days. You’ll become my live-in husband and protect me during this period of time.” Ethan blinked, taken aback. “Marry you?” “Yes,” she confirmed without hesitation. “Seventy-two days. After that, we go our separate ways. During those days, you’ll have my full support to rise to the top.” She leaned closer. “So tell me, Ethan… will you accept this offer and turn your humiliation into triumph? Or will you ignore it and continue seeking justice in an asylum?” She stared into his eyes, waiting for a response. At this moment, Ethan’s mind raced! Revenge. Power. Redemption. Was this the opportunity he had been waiting for? Will he accept this proposal or reject it?Latest Chapter
291. Explanation But A Lie
Cynthia found it extremely difficult to believe what Ethan was telling her.Her father had supposedly set him up to look like the person who had shot her mother.At first, Cynthia thought Ethan was only trying to use her own claim against her. She had previously told the police that her father was the one who shot her mother. She had even gotten her father arrested and gone as far as suing him.She thought Ethan was simply trying to take advantage of that fact to clear his own name. That was why she found his story so difficult to believe.Not until he repeated the same thing again.Her father had wanted to set him up.Cynthia shook her head slowly, as though the words were too heavy for her mind to process.“What... what are you saying? How is that even possible?” she asked.“I saw you with the gun. I saw you when it happened, and I saw my mother lying on the floor. It was obvious that the two of you were having an argument, and maybe one thing led to another and you shot her. Perhap
290. Allegations
Ethan's heart skipped a beat immediately. His body tensed as his lips quivered, opening and closing, but no words came out.His eyes flashed with shock as the realization washed over him. What made Cynthia really imagine that Ethan was actually the person who shot Fiona?He had thought that Cynthia had called him over for something far more important, although he didn't know exactly what it was. But what he couldn't understand was Michaela telling him that he was the one who shot Fiona and questioning why he had done that.Ethan shook his head.“From where to where?!” he asked himself. Where was her narrative coming from? He hadn't told Cynthia that he was the one who shot Fiona, neither had he given her any hint that could expose the real shooter. How had she reached the conclusion that he was the shooter?Wait…Ethan's mind quickly flashed back to that night when the shooting had occurred. Cynthia entered the room, but before she came in, Darlington had inserted the gun into Ethan's
289
“It may seem as though you're curious, way more curious about the reason I called you here,” Cynthia started. “But far bigger than your curiosity, you've also been asking yourself one BIG question for the past three days now!” Ethan didn't want to jump to conclusions. His breath caught as he stared at her. “There is one question you've been wanting to ask me all these days, but you don't know how you're going to ask me. Am I right?” Ethan pretended to have no idea what she was talking about. “I don't think I understand what you are talking about, Cynthia!” “I know the truth, Ethan!” Cynthia said without wasting any time. “I know the truth about what actually happened to my mother!” Ethan's lips parted as his heart began beating faster. He didn't even realize when the words slipped out of his mouth. “You know the truth? About... about what happened to your mother?” “What are you talking about?” “The shooter!” Cynthia replied. Ethan's eyes shifted rapidly. “I know the truth
288. The Discussion
Cynthia didn't say anything at first. She simply pointed at the seat opposite her before prompting Ethan.“Why don't you take a seat first, Ethan?”Of course, he would.Ethan didn't waste another second before taking his seat. Anything that would keep the conversation going, he was all for it.Having settled into the chair, Ethan shrugged.“So, here we are! Can I get to hear it already?!”Rather than responding immediately to what Ethan had said, Cynthia tucked a strand of hair behind her ear and heaved a deep sigh.“You see, Ethan, calling you here was something I carefully thought about. And I didn't call you here for just any minor reason!”Ethan remained composed, his eyes fixed on her as she continued.“I called you here because there is something you need to know about this whole case!”Ethan swallowed hard.“There is something I need to know?” he asked.Cynthia nodded.“But what is it?!”Keeping her eyes locked on Ethan, Cynthia continued.“It may seem as though you're curious,
287. The Meet Up
Outside the location Cynthia had sent Ethan to, he stood patiently, his eyes scanning the area as he searched for her.But there was no sign of Cynthia anywhere.His brows furrowed slightly. This was strange.Ethan reached for his phone and checked the message Cynthia had sent him earlier—the one containing the location. He looked at it again and read the name aloud.“SunRise Eateries.”He slowly lifted his head and looked at the building in front of him.The same name was boldly displayed on the sign above the entrance.“SunRise Eateries,” he repeated.So, he wasn't at the wrong location.But if he was in the right place, then why couldn't he find Cynthia?Curiosity gnawed at him.Ethan pulled out his phone again and decided to call her. Perhaps speaking to her directly would help him figure out where exactly she was.He dialed her number, and it didn't take long before she answered.“Hello?” Ethan said.“Ethan, where are you?” Cynthia asked.Ethan ran a hand through his hair before
286. Failed
For a flicker of time, Micheala wanted to disagree. She didn't want to give Ivy the opportunity to ask whatever question she had in mind. She could simply turn down the offer and do what pleased her.But after carefully looking Ivy over from head to toe, Micheala changed her mind.Perhaps it wouldn't hurt to hear what she had to say.She glanced at her father and said, “I’ll just give her some time. Let me hear what she has to say.”“Do you seriously need to hear what she has to say?” the old man asked, his patience clearly wearing thin. “That girl isn't relevant. Let's just get going, okay?”Micheala remained firm.“It’s just a few minutes, Father. I’ll be back in no time.”It was, at least, a partial victory for Ivy. She had managed to get the opportunity she wanted—to speak with Micheala privately.Mr. Murfers turned toward the car and got inside, while Micheala began walking a short distance away from where she had previously been standing.When she and Ivy reached a secluded spo
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