2026-09-04 16:16:00The following morning, at precisely ten o'clock, the main executive boardroom at the Pierce Group Headquarters was already noisy.
The room was packed with directors, extended family members, and high-net-worth investors. Everyone was desperately trying to flatter the family matriarch, Old Mrs. Pierce, who controlled 51% of the company's shares.
Old Mrs. Pierce sat at the head of the conference table, holding her pedigree toy poodle. When she lowered it to the floor, she noticed a smudge of grease on the premium presentation stage.
The old woman frowned in disgust. "Where is that useless live-in janitor? This is why I said that before he goes out for his stupid delivery job, he should make sure there's not a single stain, especially in the family conference room. Get Ethan over here right now with a rag to scrub this stage before our lovely corporate partners arrive."
For the past three years, acting as an unpaid, humiliated custodian during major corporate events like this had been Ethan's designated job to save the family money.
Chloe's brother, Richard, scanned the crowded boardroom and smirked. "Well, it appears our houseboy decided to skip his duties today."
Old Mrs. Pierce slammed her large cane against the table furiously. "What insolence! On the single most important morning for our company, a lowly servant dares to stage a boycott? Chloe, what is the meaning of this?!"
Chloe walked out from the crowd, her eyes suddenly turning red as she forced out fake tears. She instantly fell to her knees in front of her grandmother.
"Grandma... please don't be angry with me. Ethan didn't come today because... because he demanded a divorce! He has been assaulting me terribly behind closed doors and threatening to rape me!"
"What?! A divorce?! And he dares lay his hands on my granddaughter? Who gave that beggar permission to even utter that word?" Old Mrs. Pierce gasped in shock.
Chloe wiped away her fake tears, playing the ultimate victim. "Yes! I didn't want to ruin this corporate gala, but Ethan has been raping me, assaulting me, and bringing his equally worthless fellow delivery worker into our bed to sleep with her too! He uses his delivery job as a cover to cheat on me. When I confronted him about his infidelity last night, he flew into a rage, packed his bags, and walked out on me!"
The entire executive suite erupted into a frenzy of rage.
Chloe's mother, Victoria, exploded instantly in front of the investors. "That wretched thing! For three years, we gave him a roof over his head, and he rewards our kindness by cheating on my beautiful daughter?! He is lower than a stray dog!"
Chloe secretly smirked. By framing Ethan as a cheating villain first, no one would ever believe him if he tried to expose her affair or the stolen kidney.
Chloe's cousin said mockingly, "Chloe, you're the top beauty in the city. How could you lose to some cheap side chick? You never let him touch you for three years, so he had to force himself on you and sleep with another woman!"
Victoria snapped at him, "Shut up, Oliver! My daughter is pure and high-status. Keeping her body chaste from a penniless courier was the smartest thing she did! That way, she can easily marry a real billionaire like Julian Montgomery once we kick this trash out!"
"Enough arguing!" Old Mrs. Pierce said. "Even if Chloe kept her distance, a worthless live-in son-in-law has no right to humiliate our family name! Get that beast to come here right now. I will use our strict company protocols to ruin his legal standing before we throw him onto the streets!"
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CHAPTER 38 : A Sister
"Uncle.""Ethan," a warm voice replied. "How are you, my boy?""I am doing well. How about you?""Oh, I am fine, fine. I am an old man. I only worry about you." Thomas laughed softly. "I have heard so much about you lately. Your name is everywhere."In reality, Thomas was no old man, he was in his middle middle age. "Is it?""Everywhere, your name is in the newspapers, business circles. They say you have been busy, and I can see that too."Ethan chuckled. "Just a little.""A little?" Thomas said. "Ethan, I know you. I don't believe that. That is what worries me." “Thomas's voice grew gentle. "You have only just finished your three-year family test. You have barely had time to rest, and now you are running Vanguard Apex, one of the biggest companies in the world.""It is a lot," Ethan admitted."It is too much. I do not want you to push yourself too hard.""I am not.""You are, my boy. I can hear it in your voice." Thomas sighed. "You are tired, I think you should let the local manag
CHAPTER 37 : The Arrival
A private jet touched down at the city's main airport just after noon. It rolled slowly across the runway and stopped near a quiet terminal reserved for high-profile guests. The engines powered down as the stairs unfolded.A convoy of luxury vehicles was already waiting on the tarmac. Black Rolls-Royces. Dark SUVs. A few men in sharp suits stood beside the cars with their hands folded in front of them.The cabin door opened.Dan was the first to step out, a leather folder under his arm. He glanced around, checked the area, and nodded to the men below.Then Gavin Steele appeared at the top of the stairs.He wore a fitted designer coat over a crisp shirt. His elegant hat sat slightly tilted on his head. A neat line of beard ran along his jaw. A thin cigar was already between his fingers.He paused at the top and looked out over the airport. The city stretched in the distance, gray and glittering."So this is it, huh" he muttered"Yes, sir," Dan replied "Welcome."Gavin smirked. He walke
CHAPTER 36 : Played.
Ethan couldn't believe his ears, this was done so smartly. He didn't need a soothsayer to know that this was not done by the Pierce family, of course they were not smart enough to pull something like this off.And also, they stood to gain nothing from this, if they were the ones behind it, they would have never refunded the three hundred million dollars, not at a time where they could do a lot with such an amount of money. "And now the money has been returned.""Yes."Ethan's eyes narrowed. "Who returned it?""That's what I'm trying to establish."He walked back to his desk and picked up the acquisition agreement.The contract contained the expected clauses covering payment, delivery, ownership, and the transfer of the relevant documents. On paper, the deal looked legitimate. The corporate entities involved had been registered, the payment had passed through the appropriate channels, and the documents had appeared valid.Someone had taken considerable care to make the transaction lo
CHAPTER 35 : The Missing Blueprint
Ethan Sterling sat behind his desk in his executive office at Vanguard Apex headquarters, reviewing a financial report on his laptop.Several documents lay on the desk beside him. One contained the latest figures from the company's logistics division, while another showed the performance of its recent investments.Ethan worked through them slowly. He checked the numbers, made a few notes, and moved to the next report.Sarah was already in the office, seated across from him with her laptop and iPad. She had been reviewing some transaction records for several minutes, but she had barely said a word.Ethan noticed her expression.Sarah was usually quick with information. She rarely hesitated when presenting a report, and she was good at separating facts from assumptions. But this time, she looked confused.Ethan had noticed this confusion in her eyes, but decided to not say a word for now. Sarah checked something on her iPad, compared it with the records on her laptop, and then checked
CHAPTER 34 : Breaking News
"They are afraid, Chloe. Nobody wants to risk their relationship with Vanguard Apex. If a firm is seen working with the Pierce family, they might lose their financing, and contracts. Their banks might call them."Chloe's jaw tightened."So we are poison now, Is that what you are saying mother?. " "We are a liability, that is how they see us now, a risk. Something to avoid.""Even small firms?""Even small firms."Chloe stared at the floor. She had known it, she had felt it every time a door closed in her face. But hearing her mother say it out loud made it worse.They were not just poor, they were untouchable, the whole business world had turned its back on them."Your grandmother is not giving up," Victoria said. "But I can see it wearing on her. She does not sleep, she hardly eats. She keeps saying the family name will rise again."After a moment, Victoria turned to her daughter."Chloe, have you heard from Julian?"Chloe's face hardened at once."No.""Not at all?" Victoria could
CHAPTER 33 : Nothing Left
The sound of phone ringing could be heard in the dark. Chloe groaned. She rolled over in bed and reached for it with a heavy hand. Her eyes were swollen, her head ached. She had barely slept properly in days.She picked up the phone without looking at the screen."Hello?""Chloe," a voice came, "It's me. I am outside your door."Chloe frowned. She sat up slowly and checked the screen."Mom? What time is it?""I am sorry. I know it is late. Please open the door."Chloe let out a tired breath. She pushed the blanket aside and stood up. The floor was cold, she walked across the small bedroom, through the narrow living room, and unlocked the front door.She had left her old flashy house. The one where she and Ethan once lived and rented this one as she was no longer able to pay the rent which unfortunately was due a few days back. Victoria stood on the step. Her hair was messy, she wore a plain coat over a faded dress, her face was pale, for a moment, Chloe barely recognized her mother
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