RISING FROM THE ASHES : FROM PRISONER TO SHADOW TYRANT

NO MORE SECOND CHANCES

"Arrogant bastard," Jerome cursed, his voice shaking with rage. "Once you step out of this house, you’re worse than a stray."

Ethan didn’t look back.

He heard every word not just from Jerome but from Sally and Hailey as well, but he chose not to let them touch him.

Without a second glance, he walked away.

After a few steps, he turned and climbed the stairs, his thoughts heavy and distant.

All he wanted was to visit his grandfather. "I’m sorry, Grandpa… I can’t endure this anymore. Not even for you."

The only person who has always been kind and affectionate towards him is his grandfather, so he is the only person Ethan wants to see before he permanently leaves the Carvendish family.

One moment of peace, but peace was a luxury long stolen from him.

And then Charlie showed up out of nowhere, he stood halfway down the staircase, leaning against the railing with his arms crossed and a smug grin stretching across his face.

"Well, I thought you'll be on your way to leave the mansion," Charlie sneered. "How come you're still shamelessly standing here?" 

Ethan was silent, and Charlie continued with a venomous tone, "What else can I expect from a shameless person like you? Even after everything that happened three years back you still shamelessly came back, I thought you would die there, but still alive, if I were you, I would rather die out of shame in prison than coming back...." 

Ethan didn’t even flinch, because what Charlie said wasn't a casual thing, he had nearly died, more than once. 

If not for the strange old man who appeared in the darkness, offering water, protection, and a ring, Ethan wouldn’t be standing here at all. 

The Dragon Ring, a power meant to survive. A rare treasure people would kill to possess.

Ethan remembered the moment the man handed him the ring. "You helped me without asking for anything in return, you're the real example of kindness, now take this, when the time comes… you’ll know what you are, and you are the only one who deserves this!" 

The old man didn't just end with giving a ring to him, he taught Ethan many things, which not even many masters could.

A flicker of that memory passed through Ethan’s eyes before he smirked.

"Looks like you're so disappointed after seeing me alive, are you?" He asked Charlie in a calm voice.

Charlie’s expression twisted, Ethan smirked, "Too bad, I'm back alive! I think all your dreams shattered after seeing me being fine, right?" 

Charlie's face darkened, but he quickly recovered, and shrugged his shoulders as if it was nothing, "Don’t get cocky by thinking they must be sad or regretting their behaviour just because of what happened earlier, I’ve got plenty of tricks left and I know how to make them hate you more." 

Then, with sudden force, Charlie stepped backward and screamed, "Brother, no...." 

Thud.

He tumbled down the staircase, rolling and landing with a dramatic groan at the bottom.

The music in the room came to a stunned halt.

"Charlie!" Sally and Jenny screamed together in panic, rushing to his side. 

Guests began whispering, some filming, while others were frozen in shock.

"What's wrong?" 

"How did he end up falling from the stairs?" 

"Is he okay?" 

Charlie clutched his arm and coughed weakly. "I… I just wanted to apologize to my brother so that he can change his decision of leaving home, but I guess he still hasn’t forgiven me." 

He gave a pitiful smile gaining everyone's sympathy. "Please don’t blame him for pushing me, I deserve it for making him unhappy, if this can make him forgive me, I'm okay with getting hurt once again!" 

Ethan remained on the stairs, arms crossed, utterly unimpressed by the ridiculous act of Charlie.

"This guy shouldn't be taking business classes, it's better if they concentrate on giving him acting classes, I'm sure he'll get an Oscar award!" 

Sally’s eyes burned with rage, as she shouted at Ethan, "You monster! How dare you hurt my brother?" 

Jenny’s shock turned into something much worse, her earlier guilt was completely gone and now replaced with fury.

"I trusted you and brought you back," She shouted up at Ethan. "And this is how you repay us? You are an ungrateful beast!" 

"Oh my goodness! Charlie!" 

"Charlie!" 

Hailey and Jerome rushed to the scene, out of fear that Charlie's situation might get worse because of injury, she turned to Sally in urgency. "Take Charlie to the hospital, he must be in pain, I’ll deal with this." 

Nodding her head, with the help of her parents and servants Sally took Charlie along with her.

Once Sally left, Jenny stormed up the stairs, her heels clicking furiously against the marble floor. 

When she reached Ethan, without even hesitation she slapped him hard across the face.

"That’s it. I’m canceling our engagement," she spoke as if it was a final declaration. "For good this time, you and I have nothing to do with each other anymore, I thought you'll change, even after these three years there's no redemption in you, so it's better if we part ways." 

Ethan’s face turned with the blow, but his gaze remained steady as he looked back at her with the same cold and detached eyes.

"That’s what I’ve been saying since I got out of prison, you and I no longer have anything to do with each other! We are done!" 

Jenny froze, and stunned, her lips parted, but no words came out, because even at that moment he didn't admit it's his fault that's making her furious.

The anger in her took charge when words failed to help her, she raised her hand again, but before it could reach him, Ethan caught her wrist mid-air and flung it aside.

"You have no right to raise your hand at me," he said coldly. "That slap earlier? I took it because I was a fool, for loving you, for trusting you all these years, but that was the last slap which killed everything I held for you." 

His voice sharpened.

"From this moment on, just as you said, we’re nothing but strangers, and you’re not even allowed to touch my shadow."

Her heart throbbed with something that felt like guilt, but pride was faster and stronger to bury the guilt.

"Don't think acting hard to please will make me chase after you, if Charlie is even slightly injured," she threatened him, "I’ll act as his legal representative and sue you for assault." 

Ethan’s gaze didn’t waver, he leaned in slightly, his voice dropping low and rough.

"Go ahead," he said. "Not like it’d be your first time."

"You really don’t know how long you could be sentenced for this?" Jenny, infuriated by Ethan's words, snapped at him, rage clouding her judgment.

Ethan simply raised a brow unbothered by her outburst. "As long as you don’t forge evidence again, I won’t spend a single day in jail.... There are surveillance cameras everywhere in this house Jenny, if you're brave enough to check them, the footage will prove I never touched Charlie." 

Jenny gritted her teeth while fuming in anger, "You’ll pay for what you’ve done to Charlie!"

Ethan retorted without any hesitation giving back the same blow. "Then I hope you all pay for what you’ve done to me."

His voice wasn’t raised, but the venom in his tone silenced even the whispers in the background.

Before she could speak, Ethan scoffed, "You better go and look at your injured sweetheart rather than wasting time on me! After all he needs you by his side at times like this and who knows you might even get a call..." 

Just as he finished, Jenny's phone rang, it was none other than Sally, as soon as Jenny answered the call, "Hello!" 

"Jenny, Charlie wants you, come fast," Sally's voice is loud enough for both Ethan and Jenny to hear.

Ethan smirked as his words came true, Jenny frowned, "You better pray for him to be safe, if not I'll make sure to keep you in prison for the rest of your life." 

Turning around, Jenny stormed off from there, with every furious step as she headed for the hospital. 

Ethan mumbled coldly. "I should pray never to cross paths with any of you again!”