RISE OF THE WORTHLESS SON-IN-LAW

CHAPTER FIVE

Ethan pushed open the glass doors of Crystal Bank, the bright lights inside were blinding compared to the street outside, and everything around him screamed wealth and power.

The floors gleamed like polished mirrors, reflecting the towering marble columns and gold-plated decorations. The air smelled like fresh leather and expensive perfume, making Ethan feel even more out of place.

His worn-out clothes were stained with dirt from his fall, and his scuffed shoes squeaked against the floor.

Around him, men in expensive suits and women dripping in designer jewelry moved about with cold faces, each one of them looking like they belonged there;unlike him.

Ethan barely made it two steps inside when a loud voice rang out from the side.

“Hey! You;stop right there!”

A thick-bodied security guard with a buzz cut stomped toward him, and his narrowed eyes scanned Ethan from head to toe, a sneer curling on his lips. “What do you think you’re doing here? Beggars like you don’t belong in a place like this!”

His voice was loud enough to turn heads, and soon, several customers began to whisper and chuckle as they cast curious glances in Ethan’s direction.

Ethan tightened his grip on the handle of his scooter, trying to remain calm. “I’m here for business,” he said firmly, refusing to let the guard intimidate him.

The security guard barked out a laugh, as though Ethan had told the funniest joke in the world.

“Business?” He took a step closer. “What kind of business could a guy like you possibly have here? You look like you crawled out of the garbage dump. Let me guess, you want a loan to buy new clothes? Or maybe you’re here to beg for spare change?” His mocking tone sent a wave of snickers through the crowd.

Ethan felt his blood boil, but he held back his anger. Wasting time arguing with security wouldn’t change anything. He needed to find out the truth about his account balance.

Without another word, he tried to step past the guard, but a heavy hand slammed onto his chest, stopping him in his tracks.

“I said no!” The guard’s lips curled in disgust. “This is Crystal Bank, not some roadside charity. You don’t belong here, so get out before I throw you out myself!”

Ethan’s patience snapped as he replied. “I told you;I have business here. Now, either let me through, or I’ll find someone who actually knows how to do their job.”

The guard’s face darkened with anger. “You little;” He grabbed Ethan’s shoulder, fingers digging painfully into his skin. “You think you’re some big client? I’ve thrown out better-dressed beggars than you;”

“I don’t have time for this,” Ethan cut him off.

Without waiting for a response, Ethan shoved the guard aside with a hard push, sending him crashing to the ground.

The guard let out a grunt of pain, his face twisting with anger as he scrambled to get back on his feet. “You little punk!” he snarled. “How dare you barge in here and cause trouble?”

The people in the lobby stepped aside as Ethan walked past, their eyes filled with judgment and amusement as they whispered.

“Who does he think he is, coming in here dressed like that?”

“Probably some broke loser trying to cause a scene.”

“He won’t get far;security will throw him out soon enough.”

Ethan ignored them and headed toward the reception desk, where a slim woman with curled hair and a bright red dress stood behind the polished counter.

Her name tag read Tiffany. She barely spared him a glance before turning back to her phone, typing away with her long manicured nails.

Ethan cleared his throat. “Good afternoon, Miss. I need to check my account balance.”

Tiffany didn’t look up. “You’re in the wrong place, buddy,” she said flatly, her voice dripping with scorn. “We don’t handle small changes here. Try the ATM outside.”

“I said, I need to check my account balance,” Ethan repeated, his patience wearing thin.

This time, Tiffany finally lifted her head and gave him a once-over. Her nose crinkled like she had smelled something rotten.

“Are you deaf?” she snapped. “I said, we don’t deal with people like you. If you don’t have at least a million in your account, don’t waste my time.”

Ethan’s jaw clenched as he pulled his VIP card from his pocket and placed it on the counter without a word.

Tiffany’s eyes landed on the card, and for a split second, confusion flashed across her face. But instead of checking it, she snatched the card up and laughed.

“Nice try,” she said mockingly. “Did you print this fake card yourself? You must be really useless if you think this is gonna fool anyone.”

Ethan took a deep breath, fighting to keep his temper in check. “Just scan the card,” he said through gritted teeth.

Tiffany rolled her eyes. “Fine. If it makes you leave faster.” She swiped the card lazily through the scanner, still smirking;until the computer beeped.

Her fingers quivered as she typed in a few commands, her face growing paler with each passing second.

The screen flashed a message in bold red letters: VIP – CEO Level Authorization Required

Tiffany blinked, unable to believe what she was seeing.

There were only a handful of VIP cards like this in the entire country, and the owners were the wealthiest, most powerful people in the world. How could a man who looked like he barely had a dollar to his name be holding one?

The security guard had noticed the change in her expression and stomped closer. “What’s the hold-up?” he demanded, glaring at Ethan like he wanted to drag him out by force.

“I…I need to call the CEO,” Tiffany stammered, her voice shaky.

Ethan crossed his arms, watching their panic with cold satisfaction.

Moments later, the glass doors at the far end of the lobby swung open, and a tall, middle-aged man in a black suit hurried out. His hair was neatly combed, and his eyes widened the moment they landed on the card in Tiffany’s trembling hand.

“Who…who gave you this card?” the man asked breathlessly.

Ethan slid his hands into his pockets and called. “Mr. Davenport.”

Mr. Davenport’s jaw dropped and for a long moment, he just stared at Ethan, as if trying to connect the rough-looking young man before him with the exclusive card he held. Then, to the absolute horror of everyone watching, the CEO dropped to his knees.

“Mr. Cole!” he cried, bowing his head deeply. “I had no idea you would come in person, please forgive me for the disrespect you’ve faced today. Your father’s kindness to my family saved our business years ago. I owe him everything. If I had known it was you, this would never have happened!”

The entire room fell into stunned silence.

Tiffany’s face turned ghostly white, and the security guard’s mouth hung open in disbelief. Customers who had been laughing moments before now stood frozen, their eyes wide.

Mr. Davenport’s face hardened as he turned toward the security guard and Tiffany, his voice cold and sharp.

“Both of you hand over your badges and leave this building immediately,” he ordered without a hint of hesitation.

Tiffany’s mouth fell open in shock. “S-Sir, I didn’t know;”

“I don’t care what you didn’t know!” Mr. Davenport snapped. “You insulted and mistreated a VIP client, someone this bank owes its very existence to! Your behavior is unacceptable, and there is no place for it here. You’re fired. Both of you.”

The security guard clenched his fists, his face red with anger and embarrassment. “I was just doing my job;”

“Your job is to ensure the safety and comfort of every client, not to judge or humiliate them,” Mr. Davenport cut him off sharply. “Get out. Now.”

Without another word, both Tiffany and the guard were forced to remove their badges and walk out under the disapproving eyes of the entire lobby.

Their termination was swift and merciless, just the way Ethan wanted it.

Ethan tilted his head, letting the silence stretch before speaking. “I came here for one thing,” he said coolly. “Check my account balance.”

Mr. Davenport scrambled to his feet, bowing again. “Of course, sir! Right away!”

Minutes later, Ethan stood in front of the terminal as Mr. Davenport printed out his bank statement and handed it to him with both hands.

Ethan’s eyes scanned the paper, and his heart nearly stopped.

$10,000,000,000.00

Ten billion dollars.

Ethan folded the paper calmly and slipped it into his pocket as he thought the game had changed and his in-laws would learn the hard way.