RISING FROM THE ASHES : FROM PRISONER TO SHADOW TYRANT

THE INVITATION THAT CHANGES EVERYTHING

"Where is that moron?"

Jerome’s furious voice thundered through the mansion the moment he stepped inside, his face dark with humiliation and rage as his sharp eyes scanned the hall as if Ethan’s mere existence had become an insult to his authority.

"Is he comfortably resting somewhere while his younger brother is lying in a hospital bed because of him?" He continued, and his voice filled with undisguised disgust.

Sally, who stood beside him, immediately frowned in irritation as she crossed her arms.

"Why are you even asking about him, Dad?" She said coldly, while her lips curled in contempt. "You should be asking the servants to throw him out because that prison rat doesn't deserve to stay under the same roof as us."

Jerome’s jaw tightened as he turned toward the butler, his voice turning cold and absolute.

"Go and drag that bastard out," he ordered mercilessly, completely forgetting that Ethan was his biological son. "I don’t want him inside my house for even a second longer."

The butler hesitated slightly before lowering his head respectfully.

"Sir… Young Master Ethan has already left," he reported carefully. "After he failed to find the Old Master in his room, he left the mansion on his own."

Jerome’s expression hardened further.

"He left?" He repeated, his tone filled with disbelief and anger.

"Yes, sir," the butler continued, maintaining the same respectful tone. "When one of the maids asked when he would return, Young Master Ethan said… he would never be coming back."

"Good," Jerome said coldly. "At least he has enough shame to crawl out on his own."

For a brief moment, silence spread across the hall.

Then Hailey let out a cold laugh, her eyes filled with nothing but disdain.

"That ungrateful bastard only knows how to say such foolish things," she said dismissively, waving her hand as if Ethan’s words were nothing more than meaningless noise. "Where would he even go? He has nothing. He’ll crawl back sooner or later like he always does, just throwing tantrums to gain our attention."

Sally nodded in agreement, her expression filled with visible relief.

"It’s good that he left on his own, if not I would've personally thrown him out of the house," she said harshly. "I didn’t want to see his disgusting face when I came back home. Just the thought of him standing here makes me sick."

Throughout the entire conversation, Charlie remained seated on the sofa, his arm rested carefully on the armrest, while his face remained pale as if he was still in pain, yet his eyes quietly observed everyone.

Then, as if unable to bear their harshness any longer, he spoke weakly.

"Sister, Mom… Dad… please don’t say such things about Brother," Charlie said softly, his voice filled with fragile kindness. "No matter what happened, he is still part of this family. I don’t want him to feel like he has nowhere to go because of me, let's forget everything and forgive him, after all he lost a lot because of me."

His words sounded selfless, gentle, and pure.

The kind of words that made him look like the only good person in the entire room.

Hailey immediately turned toward him with concern.

"Charlie, you’re too kind for your own good," she said softly, maternal affection evident in her voice. "Even after everything he did to you, you’re still thinking about him, I'm very lucky to be a mother to a son like you."

Charlie lowered his head slightly, hiding the faint satisfaction that flickered deep inside his eyes.

"I just don’t want Brother to hate me even more, I want us to be together like other brothers," he whispered weakly. "Even if I have to leave the house for his happiness.... I don't mind, it's just that I can't live without you, dad and sister!" 

No one noticed the truth behind his performance.

No one except the empty mansion itself.

Inside the Carvendish mansion, the atmosphere had turned completely different from the celebration that had taken place just a few hours ago.

The laughter was gone, even the music was gone.

Only anger, humiliation, and hatred remained in the room.

Sally sat beside Charlie, and her eyes filled with fury.

"This is your house Charlie, you don't need to go anywhere," she cursed through clenched teeth. "This is your family, it's that bastard who forgot his place, you don't have to pay attention to that idiot who hurt you, he lost nothing for you to show pity towards him, I should've broken that hand which he used to push you..." 

Jenny stood nearby, her face remained cold and dark, her mind replaying the scene again and again, her anger growing stronger each time.

Jerome stood silently, his expression filled with disappointment and rage.

"That ungrateful animal," he said coldly. "We should have never let him back into this house.... He lived like a criminal for three years… It seems he has truly become one."

Charlie lowered his head weakly.

"Please… don’t say that about brother," he said softly, his voice trembling as if he was trying to defend Ethan despite his injuries. "Maybe… maybe he didn’t mean it.... It must have happened accidentally, brother is a good person, he'll never hurt me, if not because of him being angry with me." 

His words only made Sally more furious.

"You’re still protecting him after everything he did to you?" She snapped. "He pushed you down the stairs! Yet you're saying who is a good person, how can you think of such a cruel person in a good way, Charlie?" 

Charlie shook his head slowly.

"I don’t know… maybe he was just angry… maybe he hates me… He must be thinking, I'm stealing everything from him, either you and our parents, or sister Jenny, whatever, he must be upset that I'm loved by everyone." 

His voice broke slightly.

That single sentence was enough to make everyone’s hatred toward Ethan deepen further.

Jenny clenched her fists.

"I was a fool," she said coldly. "I should have never brought him back." 

Hailey gently checked the bandage on Charlie's face, "I regret ever giving birth to that monster, we don't love him, because he deserves it!"

At that moment, Sally suddenly stood up.

Her eyes turned sharp, and she ordered coldly. "Call the servants, right now." 

The butler stepped forward immediately.

"Yes, Miss Sally."

"Search the entire house," she said without any hesitation. "Check every room, every locker, every drawer...." 

The butler looked confused. "Miss?" 

Sally’s lips curled in disgust.

"That prison rat stayed here after we left, who knows what he might have stolen before leaving." 

Her words were filled with complete contempt.

After a second of hesitation, the butler nodded his head, "Yes, Miss." 

Within minutes, the servants spread across the mansion, opening rooms, checking drawers, searching through every corner.

Jenny remained silent, Jerome said nothing, even Hailey didn't question Sally's orders.

None of them stopped Sally.

Because in their hearts, they already believed Ethan was capable of it.

Suddenly, hurried footsteps echoed in the hall.

One of the maids rushed in their direction with a pale face, "Miss Sally…" 

Sally turned towards her immediately. "What is it?" 

The maid hesitated and finally blurted out.

"We found something…" 

"What?" 

The maid swallowed nervously while showing the diamond necklace to Sally. "Your diamond necklace." 

Sally’s eyes widened in shock after finding the necklace for which she has been searching for so long, since it's an expensive and precious one given to her by her fiance, "Where?" 

The maid lowered her head, as if she was thinking whether to say it or not, however bringing up all the courage, she said it aloud, "In… Young Master Charlie’s room." 

Silence filled the hall.

Everyone froze for a second, Charlie’s head lifted slowly.

His heart skipped violently when he saw the necklace in the maid’s hands.

He had hidden it there himself, planning to sell it quietly to repay the gambling debt he had accumulated in secret.

For a brief moment, panic surged inside him, but soon, that panic faded, because Ethan would take the blame.

Just like always.

Sally immediately stood up with a furious face. "That’s impossible, how dare you frame my brother?" 

The maid trembled, "I didn't frame the young master, my lady, we just found it inside his drawer... That's it." 

Charlie decided to twist the truth just like always, he calmly stood up from the couch with painful eyes, "How can it be in my room?" 

His voice trembled.

"By any chance, did brother do it to frame me?" 

Jenny’s eyes widened, Charlie’s fingers tightened around his shirt. "I… I never touched it… I..."  

His voice broke, and his eyes slowly turned red. "I never wanted anything that belonged to him…" 

His words struck directly into their hearts, Sally’s face twisted with fury.

"That rogue! 

Jenny’s expression darkened completely.

"I knew it," she whispered coldly. "He wanted to ruin Charlie, he must've done it to frame Charlie, so that everyone will forget about the immoral act he did earlier.... What a malicious person!" 

Jerome’s face hardened. "That scoundrel is unfit for the Carvendish surname!" 

Charlie lowered his head weakly. "I never wanted any of this…" 

His shoulders trembled slightly.

"I just wanted him to accept me as his brother….. looks like that'll never happen." 

Jenny’s heart tightened, Sally’s hatred grew deeper, Jerome’s anger reached its peak.

At that moment, the butler walked in a rush, "Master." 

Jerome turned towards him in irritation, "What is it?" 

The butler stepped forward respectfully and handed him a golden envelope. "This just arrived at our mansion." 

Jerome frowned slightly as he took it.

The Caspian family crest shone brilliantly under the light, everyone looked surprised even Jenny as she doesn't remember sending invitations from her side.

Looking at the sender's name, Sally's eyes widened in shock, "Scarlett? The black rose of the Caspian family?" 

"My aunt?" Jenny frowned slightly hearing the name she envied and despised the most.

Jerome opened the envelope slowly, his eyes scanned the contents.

Then…

A proud and satisfied smile appeared on his face as he said calmly. "As expected!"

Jenny looked at him with a confused face, "What is it?" 

Jerome lifted his head. "The head of the Caspian family has invited us to their banquet tomorrow." 

Charlie’s eyes widened slightly.

Jerome’s gaze turned toward him. "They are preparing to strengthen their relationship with us." 

His voice carried absolute certainty. "Especially with you, Charlie." 

Charlie’s fingers tightened slowly in excitement, Jenny’s heart began to race.

None of them realized that by tomorrow…. Everything they believed would be shattered beyond repair.

Jerome looked at Charlie proudly and said, "Tomorrow… the entire world will see who truly deserves to stand beside the Caspian family!"