The Lost God Heir

Old Friends; Old Enemies

Ethan shook his head, contrary to what Aiden had thought.

"But..." He tried to urge.

But Ethan wanted otherwise. He had always wished for revenge, no doubt, to make those that humiliated him pay for their acts.

But after this much revelation and clashing thoughts in his head, he only needed to rest and clear out his mind to think straight.

If this life of trouble mixed with power was worth it. And on the scale of things, if what he had been told was true, then Lila and Damien were nothing but small fries.

"As long as they stay off my path, I won't have to have any dealings with them!" Ethan ended abruptly, his words edged with authority.

*******

Ethan stood by the narrow window of his small apartment, looking out at the restless city below. Neon lights flickered. Car horns echoed. The world kept moving like nothing had happened.

But everything inside him had changed.

Three days had passed since the humiliation. Since the beating. Since the truth about his father and the inheritance had been dropped on his life like a thunderbolt.

And he was still processing everything.

Mr. Alden stood a few steps behind him, calm, patient, always watching. The old man had the look of someone who had survived too many storms to be shaken by any new one.

“They are restless,” Alden said quietly. “The people connected to Cole-linked industries. They want to see you.”

Ethan’s jaw tightened.

“This is your first test if you want to see your father... Prince Ethan!"

Ethan's jaws tightened with the weight of responsibility pressing down on his shoulders.

"Send me the address!" He noted.

---

The Hilton Grand that night glowed like a palace of light.

Luxury cars lined the entrance. Men in tailored suits and women in glittering gowns moved in and out like they owned the world. Laughter floated through the air. Cameras flashed. Valets ran back and forth.

Inside the ballroom, the atmosphere was loud and heated.

At the center of one of the high tables stood Damien

He was dressed in an expensive black suit. A crystal glass rested between his fingers. He was surrounded by rich young men—sons of directors, inheritors of companies, heirs of money that never ran dry all clutching to him because of what he had to offer 

And beside him stood Lena.

Her arm was wrapped loosely around his, kissing him and serving him like some high God.

Damien laughed loudly. “You see that table over there? That’s a first-tier contractor. And that one—he works directly with Cole-linked suppliers.”

His friends whistled in admiration.

One of them grinned. “Damn, Damien. You really climbed fast.”

Damien smirked. “That’s what happens when you stop wasting time with trash.”

Someone laughed. “You mean Ethan?”

The name fell like a stone into water.

Damien’s smile widened. “That dog? Please. That thing is probably carrying boxes somewhere right now trying to survive another day and get the lonely scraps of his life together."

The group burst into laughter.

Lena smiled, giving a slutty and a seductive vibe.

"I would choose you over that bag of trash over and over again." She affirmed.

"Of course you will. Everyone will!" Damien's chest was puffed with pride and arrogance.

Damien lifted his glass higher. “You know what’s even better? My internal source told me something big.”

Everyone leaned in.

“The real VIPs of Cole-linked businesses are meeting tonight. All under this same roof.”

The table erupted in gasps.

“Are you serious?”

“That’s huge!”

Damien’s eyes gleamed. “Of course I’m serious. I might even get to meet a few.”

One of his friends slapped the table. “Connections like that and you’ll be untouchable!”

Damien chuckled. “I already am.”

Another laughed. “Imagine if that loser Ethan were here and heard this.”

Damien scoffed. “He’d probably kneel and beg to be my delivery boy.”

More laughter exploded.

None of them noticed the quiet figure entering the hotel through the side doors with a shimmer of authority.

Ethan walked in alone.

No escort.

No luxury entrance.

Just a simple dark suit, clean but modest with no brand crested on it.

His steps were steady. His face was calm. But every step inside that building felt heavier than the last.

He did not come for revenge.

He did not come for confrontation.

He only came because the meeting concerned his future.

That was all.

The lobby lights were blinding. The smell of expensive perfume filled the air. People brushed past him without a second glance.

To them, he was invisible.

He moved through the hall, heading toward the scheduled meeting room.

Then laughter drifted from the ballroom.

A voice followed.

A voice he would never forget.

Damien's

Ethan’s steps slowed and his chest tightened with rage.

He told himself to keep walking.

That name meant nothing to him anymore.

He took two more steps.

Three.

He was almost past the open corridor when—

“Ethan?”

The single word cut through the noise like a blade.

Everything seemed to freeze.

The laughter lowered.

The music softened.

Ethan stopped and turned around slowly 

Lena stood at the edge of the ballroom, staring at him as if she had seen a ghost.

Her eyes were wide and for a split second, neither of them moved.

Lena recovered first.

She stepped forward slowly, heels tapping against the marble floor. Every step pulled more attention toward them. Conversations died. Drinks were lowered. Heads turned.

She stopped a few feet in front of Ethan, her lips curved into a forced, sharp, cruel smile.

Her voice rang clearly through the ballroom, loud enough for everyone to hear the mockery.

“What is a beggar like you doing here? Did you miss your way? I could direct you to the nearest trash collection site."

A few quiet laughs followed.

Then she added louder,

“Wait, don't tell me you followed us all the way to a five-star hotel now?”