RISE OF THE WORTHLESS SON-IN-LAW

CHAPTER SIX

Ethan transferred some cash to an ordinary bank card, so as not to draw attention to himself or reveal his true identity. He wanted to remain undercover for a while.

He had spent years enduring humiliation and being treated as if he was nothing but a burden in the hands of his in-laws. But all of that was about to change when he finally revealed his identity.

He could already picture it in his mind, the shock and the regret. Especially Racheal. She had always seen him as nothing more than a failure, someone who could never stand at the same level as her. But what would she say when she realized that the man she had been looking down on all these years was the one who held the power to save her family from complete ruin? Ethan felt a surge of satisfaction just thinking about it.

Straightening up, he pushed the bank door open and stepped out. He needed new clothes. He was still wearing the same old, worn-out clothes, and he knew that if he walked into Racheal’s world looking like this, they would never take him seriously. It was time for a change.

He made his way to Royal Prestige Boutique, the biggest and most luxurious clothing store in the city. It was the kind of place where only the rich shopped, a place where a single suit could cost more than what an ordinary worker made in months.

The moment Ethan stepped inside, he felt the eyes of the staff on him, their gazes filled with judgment and contempt. They took one look at his appearance and immediately dismissed him as someone who didn’t belong in their class.

Just as he was about to start browsing, the glass doors swung open again, and Ethan froze when he heard a familiar voice.

“Ugh. What is he doing here?”

Ethan turned, and sure enough, it was Racheal. She had walked in with her old friend, Camille, a woman who had always been full of arrogance, someone who took pleasure in looking down on others.

The moment Camille saw Ethan, her eyes widened in surprise, then quickly filled with disdain. She let out a small laugh, crossing her arms over her chest.

“Racheal,” she said, “I didn’t know they let anyone walk into this boutique now. Is there some kind of charity event going on that I wasn’t aware of?”

Racheal’s face darkened as she glanced at Ethan. She didn’t even bother to hide the disgust in her eyes. “Ignore him,” she said coldly. “He has nothing to do with me.”

Ethan clenched his fists but forced himself to stay calm. He had dealt with this kind of treatment for years. It wasn’t anything new.

Camille, however, wasn’t done. She stepped closer, her gaze sweeping over Ethan’s clothes. “Wait a minute,” she said, feigning shock. “Are you seriously wearing booth-quality clothes? Wow. I never thought I’d see the day when Racheal’s husband had to dress like a beggar. This is honestly embarrassing.”

Ethan kept his expression neutral, but inside, he felt a cold anger simmering beneath the surface.

Racheal’s jaw tightened, and for a brief moment, she hesitated. Then, before she could stop herself, she blurted out, “He’s not my husband.”

The moment the words left her mouth, she didn't regret it. She had already made up her mind to divorce Ethan. What was the point of admitting something like that in front of Camille?

Camille’s eyes widened in amusement before she let out a laugh. “Oh my God,” she said, shaking her head. “So it’s true that you're getting married to Mr. Harlow as a second-hand wife. The rumors were right all along?”

Racheal looked away, too embarrassed to speak.

Camille smirked, her eyes gleaming with mockery. “Well, I guess I should congratulate you,” she said.

Just then, a deep voice interrupted them.

“What’s going on here?”

A burly man strolled over, his round face lighting up with interest the moment he saw Racheal. His small, beady eyes flickered as he openly leered at her.

Camille immediately grabbed his arm affectionately. “Honey! You’re just in time,” she said sweetly. “This is my old friend, Racheal. You remember her, right? She used to be one of the prettiest girls back in school. It’s such a shame, though.” She sighed dramatically. “She ended up with such a useless husband. Can you believe it? Her husband doesn’t even have a job.”

The burly man;Mr. Adrian;grinned, his gaze lingering on Racheal a little too long. “Is that so?” he said, his voice dripping with fake concern. “Well, that’s unfortunate. But you know what? I happen to be hiring. If your husband is struggling, he can come work for me. I’ll even be generous and pay him a little extra since we’re all old classmates.”

Camille laughed, clapping her hands together. “Oh, that’s a great idea!” she said. “Ethan, you should be grateful. My husband is willing to give you a job even though you’re clearly not qualified for anything important.”

Ethan met their gazes with a calm expression. He could see exactly what they were trying to do. They wanted to humiliate him and make him feel worthless.

Racheal, on the other hand, was fuming. She wanted to disappear. She had already been humiliated enough. Why was Ethan just standing there, letting them talk down to him?

“I think we should leave,” Clara said stiffly.

Camille smirked. “Oh, don’t be in such a hurry, Racheal,” she said. “Since we’re all here, why don’t we do a little shopping together? There’s actually a special sale going on right now. Come on, let’s all shop together!”

Racheal froze. She had no money to go shopping. The Shaw family was in serious debt, and every single penny she had was being used to try and keep the company afloat. The thought of spending money on luxury clothes right now was impossible.

Racheal quickly shook her head. “I don’t think that’s necessary,” she said, trying to keep her voice polite. “I wasn’t planning on buying anything today.”

Camille’s smile widened. “Oh, don’t be so shy,” she said, looping her arm around Racheal’s. “We’re all friends, right? Come on, it’ll be fun! Or… are you worried about the Cole?”

Racheal’s face burned with shame.

Ethan, who had been silent all this time, suddenly spoke up. His voice was calm and completely unbothered.

“Actually, that sounds like a great idea,” Ethan said, his gaze steady. “I was just about to buy some new clothes for Racheal.”