Slept With An "Ex-convict Nobody" - A Hidden Trillionaire!

Chapter 15: Another chance with Enzogrande

“I’ll not stand here and allow this man humiliate the apprentice,” the family doctor intervened as his eyes swept across the gathered relatives. “Whether you like it or not, this apprentice is your only bridge to the Grand Physician. If you offend him because of this one time lucky pauper, then you can forget any chance of the Grand Physician ever coming to save the patriarch.”

The room grew still. The weight of the warning settled heavily on every face. No one dared speak against it because they needed the Grand Physician to perfect whatever it was that Ethan had done to their Grandfather.

“You don’t need him to reach the Grand Physician. I can do that myself. If you’ll only listen, I can make it happen.” Ethan said.

The family’s heads turned toward him in unison, but instead of gratitude, what reflected in their eyes was hostility—thinly veiled disgust.

Leif let out a sharp, bitter laugh. “You? Do you even hear yourself, Ethan? You—a man with no name, no status, no place in this family, daring to claim you can summon the Grand Physician? What kind of ridiculous fantasy is that?”

Others chimed in, their voices overlapping with derision.

“He’s only trying to make a fool out of the apprentice!”

“Exactly. Can’t you see? He’s looking for attention.”

“Shameless!”

Ethan didn’t flinch. Instead, he remained silent. His words of truth had once again been twisted into lies by their prejudice.

Meanwhile, the apprentice, who only moments ago had been pale with dread at the prospect of being exposed, now stood straighter. Relief washed over his face, and his trembling lips curved into the faintest smile. The fear that had gripped him was quickly replaced with triumph.

“Very wise decision,” the apprentice said, struggling to keep his voice from shaking as he masked his relief with arrogance. “You see, unlike some… imposters, I truly have the Grand Physician’s trust. Now that we understand each other, I will personally ensure you are granted an audience.”

The Robbins family nodded quickly, too eager to secure their only chance of saving the patriarch. Not a single person glanced at Ethan, nor gave his words a second thought.

Ethan’s fists clenched at his side, though his face remained composed. He had offered them the truth, and yet they spat it back at him. Still, he did not lash out. He merely watched as the apprentice excused himself, his hurried steps betraying his eagerness to escape before his flimsy facade could crumble.

The apprentice promised, almost smugly, “Prepare yourselves. I will return with word from the Grand Physician soon.” And with that, he vanished through the door.

Grandfather Robbins’ condition became stabilized after some tense minutes. When his eyes finally opened, they brimmed with a strange clarity. He lifted a trembling hand and gestured toward Ethan.

“It was you,” he rasped, his voice hoarse but firm. “You… saved me.”

The hall fell into stunned silence. Dozens of eyes turned toward Ethan, who stood quietly at Emma’s side. For the first time, the Grand Patriarch’s voice carried recognition and respect for the man everyone else had ridiculed.

Before he slumped, he had witnessed the whole drama of the Robbins’ family ridiculing Ethan and Emma, but now that he was back from a near death experience, and it was Ethan that had saved his life, his decision regarding Ethan and Emma’s marriage was about to take a new turn.

“From this day onward,” Grandfather Robbins declared, his tone steady despite his weakness, “Ethan is part of this family. Emma, your marriage is no longer in question. It is official. Soon, we will hold the wedding proper.”

The announcement struck Emma like a lightning bolt. Her lips parted in shock, her chest tightening. How was she going to explain to her grandfather that she was thinking of annulling this impulsive marriage that had tied her life to Ethan’s? 

She was not expecting a wedding to happen not when Anthony had assured her that the marriage could be annulled in the next thirty days provided it was not consummated but with her grandfather’s blessing spoken aloud, in front of everyone, that chance was gone.

“Grandfather, I—” she tried to protest, her voice trembling.

But the old man’s stern gaze silenced her instantly. The others burst into laughter, mocking her.

“So much for finding a way out,” Aunt Rose chuckled.

“Emma, it seems you’re stuck with him forever,” Chloe, another of Emma’s cousin who walked in just when Ethan revived Grandfather Robbins sneered.

Chloe had always despised Emma because of the single fact that Emma was naturally superior to her in everything. And the fact that she was engaged to Titus Fisher—a man who was from a more prominent family than Ethan as she had judged based on the situation she had met, ceased the opportunity to rub the situation on Emma.

Everyone had believed that Emma would get engaged to a man who would be richer than Titus Fisher, but from what she had witnessed, that was never going to happen again—ever again!

“At best,” Leif added with a cold smirk, “your husband knows a single medical trick. That’s his peak. Beyond that, he’s nothing but a pauper you’ll be chained to.”

Emma lowered her head, her face burning with humiliation. No matter how she tried to speak, her words lodged in her throat. Ethan stood firm beside her, neither smug nor flustered as thoug the cruel remarks from her aunt and cousins didn’t mean anything to him.

Grandfather Robbins, however, waved his hand, unwilling to waste strength on their ridicule. His sharp eyes scanned the room before landing on Leif.

“Enough,” he said gravely. “This family has wasted too much time bickering while opportunities pass us by. The world is changing—and so must we.” He coughed lightly, then continued, his voice regaining force.

“You’ve all heard the news about Enzogrande Corporation.”

The mere mention of the name drew murmurs across the hall. The Enzogrande Corporation the very colossal power in the business world, which just got a new CEO that no one knew and to which families like the Robbins were no little more than ants before them. 

“Enzogrande…” Aunt Rose muttered bitterly. “We will never be able to get that deal with them as long as Emma is the one saddled with the responsibility.”

Emma’s face flushed with embarrassment. The Enzogrande deal is the reason she is in the mess she now found herself with Ethan, and yet, her aunt and other members of the family thinks she’s not putting her weight into it.

Was it her fault that the Robbins’ family name was weak and small before them?

“Of course we won’t! We’re too small, too weak,” Emma sighed.

“Still,” Grandfather said, his eyes flashing with resolve, “this new change within the corporation might be our chance. Even if they’ve disregarded us before, we cannot ignore them now. We must prepare, and we must try again.”