My Darling Ex-Wife Is Unaware I’m Rich

Chapter 6: The Call

Max's wrists chafed against the cold metal of the cuffs, tension thick in the air. Across the lobby, James stood tall, arms crossed, a smug smile on his face. The receptionist hovered nearby, her loyalty to James keeping her rooted in place, uncertainty flickering in her eyes.

Max clenched his fists, a storm brewing inside him. He fought hard, but no one was listening. They had made up their minds, and the walls felt like they were closing in.

“Let me go,” he demanded, his voice steady despite the chaos. “If you take me down to the station, you’ll regret it. My clan won’t stand for this.”

Laughter erupted from James, a cruel sound that echoed in the silence. “Your clan?” he sneered, disbelief dripping from his words. “You really think anyone cares about you or your ‘clan’? Look at you—no one in this city even knows your name.”

The police officers exchanged glances, unsure. James pressed on, mocking Max’s background. “You can only dream of being connected to the biggest empire in this city. You’re nothing.”

The words stung, but Max refused to flinch. They didn’t know him. They didn’t know the power he carried, even if it felt like a whisper.

“One call, that’s all I need,” he said, his voice calm despite the weight of the moment. He looked at the officers flanking him, and they hesitated, exchanging glances.

"What, you’re gonna call your fairy godmother? Please. We both know you’re nobody, Max." Max clenched his jaw.

He’d known people like James his whole life—rich, arrogant, untouchable. The kind that had never seen the other side of the tracks, let alone survived there. But Max wasn’t just another guy from the wrong side anymore.

“Let him make the call,” one officer finally said, shifting uncomfortably. “We can confirm it. If it’s nothing, we move on.”

James scoffed, waving his hand dismissively. “Fine, waste your time. Give the loser his call.”

The officer unclipped Max’s cuff from the post but left the other wrist bound. The atmosphere thickened with anticipation as one officer pulled out a phone and handed it to Max.

He dialed, the sound of ringing filling the air. Time stretched, each second feeling like an eternity. He could hear James’s mocking laughter fading into the background, but it only fueled his resolve.

“Hello?” came a crisp, efficient voice. “Silver Crescent Estate, how may I assist you?”

“This is Max. I need you here at the GrandHall Hotel. Now.”

“Of course, Master Max. We’ll be there immediately.”

Max hung up, adrenaline coursing through him. He could almost taste victory, a bittersweet flavor mingled with doubt.

James leaned closer, a scoff escaping his lips. “You really think anyone is going to come for you? You’re wasting your breath.”

But Max shook his head, a small smile creeping onto his lips. “You have no idea what you’re dealing with. You’ve got ten minutes,” he said quietly, his voice steady. “If they’re not here, you can take me.”

James chuckled, though something in his tone was less certain now. “Alright, ten minutes. Then it’s over.”

The officers shifted uneasily, glancing at each other. Doubt crept in; they could feel it. The atmosphere was charged, thick with unspoken possibilities.

Minutes felt like hours. Max’s heart raced as he imagined Alfred’s arrival, the butler who knew every corner of the clan’s empire. He would bring the weight of their legacy with him, the proof that Max was not just a nobody.

Max could feel the weight of the room’s eyes on him. He turned slowly, meeting James’s mocking gaze head-on. He wouldn’t give him the satisfaction of putting the phone on speaker.

The lobby fell into a tense silence, the ticking of the clock on the wall growing louder with every second.

“You must really be desperate if you think some old butler’s going to save you,” James muttered, pacing the floor. He was trying to keep control of the room, trying to keep everyone on his side. But Max didn’t respond. He didn’t need to.

Eight minutes passed. The receptionist shuffled behind the desk, pretending to be busy. One of the officers cleared his throat, checking his watch. Even James started to look uneasy.

Just as James was about to speak again, the heavy front doors of the hotel swung open. A figure stepped inside, perfectly composed in an immaculate suit. He moved with a quiet authority that made everyone in the room sit up a little straighter.

James blinked, frozen for a moment before shaking his head in disbelief. “What the hell—”