The Night My Wife Left, I Made $500 Trillion From Crypto

Ethan's Landlord

The landlord stumbled backward, his umbrella slipping from his hand and falling into a puddle. His hand rose to his reddening cheek, his eyes wide with pure shock and anger.

"What the hell did you do that for?!" Henderson shouted.

"Because I'm leaving your house tonight," Ethan said, his voice as cold as steel.

He leaned in, his gaze piercing the older man's eyes. "You slapped me without even knowing if I had the money or not. You thought I was still that same broke loser you've been bothering for months. You could have asked nicely, but instead, you hit me."

Henderson sputtered, his face flushing to an ugly shade of purple. "But you’ve owed me for months! You were late on your payments! I had every right to—"

"Yes, you absolutely had every right to ask for your money," Ethan interrupted, his voice rising. "But you have no right to lay your hands on me."

The landlord stiffened as he realized this was not the same man he had been pestering for months before. Ethan had changed, and that change frightened him.

After calling out his landlord's nonsense, Ethan faced the building. "Come tomorrow, this apartment will be empty. I won't be renewing my lease, and you won't get another penny from me. Go find some new tenants to annoy."

Henderson's mouth opened, but no words came out. He just stood there, soaking wet and utterly defeated, rubbing his cheek where Ethan had struck him.

Ethan turned away, his heart pounding with an unusual excitement. He had just paid off $100,000 as if it were mere pocket change, and then slapped his landlord.

He was halfway to the entrance when the roar of a powerful engine broke through the rain. Headlights swept across the street with a blinding glare, and Ethan turned to see a sleek white Ferrari pulling up to the curb.

The driver's door opened, and a figure stepped out. Even through the darkness and rain, Ethan recognized the expensive white Brioni suit, the confident stride, and the smug smile.

Damian Rhodes.

* * * *

Just looking at him made Ethan feel the heat of his blood rising.

Before Ethan could ask what he was doing here, Damian walked around the car and opened the passenger door. Lois took Damian's hand, and he kissed her knuckles as if she were royalty while she stepped out of the car.

By now, she was dressed in a fur coat, probably purchased shortly after the reunion ended. She looked at Ethan like he was a complete stranger to her.

Ethan remained still, his crutches digging into the wet pavement. All he could see was his wife and best friend standing side by side, hand in hand, as if they had been a couple for years.

"What are you two doing back here?" Ethan demanded, keeping his voice steady.

Damian smiled, that same cold, calculating smile from the reunion. "Relax, old friend. Lois just wanted to grab a few of her valuables, and then we'd be on our way."

Lois's eyes swept across the scene before her. Her gaze landed on Mr. Henderson, who was still standing in the rain.

With a dramatic sigh, she rolled her eyes.

"Let me guess," she said, her voice thick with condescension. "You're here to ask about the rent again, aren't you, landlord?"

Henderson glanced between Lois, Damian, and Ethan, his expression clouded with confusion. But he was too soaked and humiliated to even care. He grabbed his umbrella and shuffled away into the night, disappearing into the darkness.

Lois watched him go, then turned her attention to Ethan. She walked toward him, her eyes locked on his.

"You know, I could have asked Damian to help you with the rent," she said, her tone almost pitying. "But knowing how proud you are, I knew it would be a waste of time. You'd rather drown in debt than accept help from anyone."

Ethan clenched his fists so tightly his nails dug into his palms. The rain continued to pour over him, but he barely noticed. "I hope you're happy, Lois."

She gave a stiff smile. "Yes, Ethan. I am happy. And I don't regret my decision for a second."

Without saying another word, she brushed past him and entered the apartment building. The door swung closed behind her, leaving Ethan standing in the rain alongside Damian.

Ethan watched her leave, then shifted his gaze to Damian. The billionaire stood with his arms crossed, leaning against the hood of his Ferrari, a smug grin spread across his face.

"You really should have accepted my offer, Ethan," Damian said, shaking his head with a mocking smile. "Now you'll end up broke and homeless. Lois made the correct choice. Don't hate her for that."

Ethan felt a smile creeping up at the corners of his mouth. It wasn't a smile of joy. It was something darker, born from the fires of humiliation.

"Actually," Ethan said with a steady voice, "I should thank you, Damian."

Damian’s arrogant smile dropped from his face. He pushed off from the car, his brow drawn into a frown. "What?"

"You opened my eyes," Ethan continued, his smile spreading. "You showed me the type of woman I called my wife. She doesn't deserve who I am. And she certainly doesn't deserve who I'll become."

The look on Damian's face moved from confusion to contempt. He burst into a harsh laugh.

"You're talking rubbish. You'll never amount to anything, Ethan. You'll always be poor and pathetic," he hissed, his voice dropping to a venomous whisper. "I hope you suffer. I hope you rot in this miserable existence while I live the life you were supposed to have."

Ethan chuckled softly. "Mark my words, Damian: you will regret ever betraying me. It won't be long. You will lose everything and become poor like me. And when that day comes, I'll be there to watch you fall."

Something snapped in Damian's eyes. With a furious roar, he lunged forward and slapped Ethan across the face.

SMACK !

Before Ethan could process the slap, Damain grabbed him by the collar of his soaked shirt and shook him violently.

"I'll never be like you!" Damian shouted, spittle flying from his lips. "Not in a million years! While you're here struggling with your pathetic crypto, I'll be sleeping with your wife and giving her everything you could never afford!"

With a final, vicious shove, Damian pushed Ethan backward. This was the second time Ethan had been slapped tonight, yet he showed no reaction.

"I'll remember that, Damian," he muttered under his breath. "That's a promise."

At that moment, the apartment door swung open. Lois stepped out, rolling a small suitcase behind her.

"What happened?" she demanded sharply. "Were you two fighting?"

Damian's face brightened with a smile. He smoothed down his suit and shook his head. "No, not at all. We were just bidding each other farewell."

Lois walked past Ethan without a second glance, rolling her suitcase toward the Ferrari. Damian opened the passenger door for her with a flourish.

"Get me out of here," Lois said, her voice flat.

Damian nodded, shooting one last look at Ethan. His lips curled into a triumphant sneer before he slid into the driver's seat.

The Ferrari's engine roared to life, and the car pulled away, tires screeching against the wet asphalt as it disappeared around the corner.