Chapter three

Joe chuckled at his reaction. It was priceless, but that wasn't what he was expecting from such a man.

"C'mon, it belongs to you, take it," Joe urged on. "Listen, I have a lot to tell you, about your origin. If you're down to know, then let's head to the gazebo for some snack and story time."

Ethan was still dazed, he knew how much money a golden card could contain, and if he had even the least of it, then he could be termed as even wealthier than his wife's family. His wife's family, well, ex wife now. She did sign the divorce papers before even handing it to him. He smirked gently.

"Alright, Mr Greg, let's head on to the gazebo, you have a lot of explaining to do," Ethan agreed. Joe led him towards the gazebo and then ordered his servants to serve Ethan a proper meal. Ethan had initially refused, but by the time the meal arrived, he realized how hungry he was.

"Start eating, I'll explain while you eat," Joe said gently. Ethan at this point didn't want to care if this was his last supper. At least he would die a satisfied man, having money and eating something healthy, for the first time in his life. Hence, he dug in, trying to eat fast but without being too obvious. After all, those guards had called him “young master”. He still had to comport himself.

"Ethan Parker, that's your real name. You're the only child, or should I say surviving child of the Parker family. Your father was a wealthy business man, he was very hardworking, as your mom also was, and he built a legacy which no one in LA could defeat."

"Many people did not like this. Not at all, some of them started to point fingers at your father, involving him in scandals to try and ruin his reputation, or to destroy his business, but it just could not work. Your father was a careful man, and he loved his wife so much, so there was literally no means to cause a separation or anything of the sort."

Ethan felt his appetite close up at the story of his background. Having had an amnesia, he could not remember anything from his past, so hearing it now caused an excitement sort of. He pushed the plate of unfinished food away, sipped the chilled water, and focused on Joe with all his might. 

"Go on sir, I'm listening," he urged when he noticed that Joe didn't seem to want to continue. "I'm full of eating, I want this knowledge now."

Joe chuckled. "Alright, well, your father, although was so very careful, was careless about one thing, his children. You and your very little sister. People never knew this, but your mother had a daughter, who was born prematurely. She had been in the incubator for months and the day your parents went to get her, they took you with them."

"Usually, they don't even take you out, you had nannies who stayed with you. Your father knew that his life was at risk so he never even let you attend a regular school, he employed teachers who taught you at home."

"He wanted everything to be perfect for you. The day I got to find out about your little sister was when I heard of the accident. People believe it was a plane crash that killed them, but it wasn't."

"I got a call that day, from an unknown number. It was your father and his voice was so shaky, I remember how scared he sounded over the phone. He told me to take all the documents of ownership of everything he has, and keep it safe with me, then he texted me an encrypted message of the place they were heading to, so that I could come over there and pick you and your sister up."

"He said, when they grow up, let them know that we had to sacrifice ourselves for them. Don't let them suffer, hand them what I've worked for."

Ethan was already getting teary at thus point and he could only stare sadly at the table as Joe explained further.

"I was skeptical about it, but I decided to obey. Thanks to the fact that your father openly said about me that I was like a son he never had, so I was always granted permission into his company without any restrictions. I drove down there that night, gathered all the documents and even the ones for his house, as I was about leaving the company, I got a call from the same number."

"You all had been involved in an accident and had been rushed to the clinic. Particularly, you. Your mother and the baby suffered the most hit and died on the spot. Your father died in the ambulance, but you were in coma. I had to get to the scene of the accident first, that's where I saw the documents of your sister's birth and everything about her health."

"Your parents were such lovely people."

"Why didn't you come to me then?" Ethan asked. "I remember waking up in an unfamiliar place, not knowing anything but my name as Ethan, then I was taken to an orphanage."

"The moment your father died, his company was attacked by bandits. They all wanted to steal the documents of ownership and claim the company. I knew that they would come for my life if I handed it to them, so I decided to sell it."

"I sold your father's successful company, his mansions, his cars, everything he had. Then I opened a secret account in your name, and transferred all the money there. The process was a long one, it took me over two years to complete it. But by the time I was done, I went to check on you in the hospital, and they said you were gone already."

"Gone?" Ethan repeated.

Joe nodded. "Exactly, I cried, thinking you had died. But it didn't make me spend your father's money. I just hoped that somewhere, someone would show up as his son or relative, whom I could trust to rebuild his legacy."

"But no one showed up, over the years. I instructed my team to keep on searching, not until they found you, when you took your mother-in-law to the mall, the other day."

"They returned and informed me, I was extremely pleased. I told them to watch out for you, and bring you to me as soon as possible. But then it was as though you had disappeared. We searched and searched and were unable to find you."

"Not until now. So Ethan, that gold card contains approximately seven hundred and thirty eight billion dollars. That's your father's worth. Do well to use it well. If you need me, I'll be here. If you don't, I'll still be here for whenever you ever need to know anything else."

Ethan frowned. "But, why did you do all these for my father? Y'all aren't related. It's rare to find such good people."

Joe smiled. "Your father, like I said, was a good man. I used to be a thief, and I stole from him. When he found me, a few months after, he didn't arrest me. Rather, he gave me a job in his company. He found out I was a Greg and asked me why I was stealing."

"My family didn't exactly care about me because I was an illegitimate child. Your father asked me what company I'd like to start, and told me to draw all the plans within a week, make budgets and show him."

"I hurried to do all of those in five days and he saw I was serious. He funded the building, but lent me money to start up. He told me that if I couldn't pay up after two years then he wouldn't see me as serious."

"A year and half later, I paid him back, he brought me closer and started teaching me the way of business. Two months after this, the accident happened."

Ethan swallowed. "All of these is so hard to digest. One more question, you said my father seemed aware that he was going to die. Was it then not an accident?"

Joe went quiet after hearing Ethan's question. He knew that there was a chance that Ethan's parents were murdered but since the case was closed as an accident, he didn't want to raise it again.

"Everyone believes they died in a plane crash," Joe stated. "The only people who know that it's a car accident are the medicals and myself."

"Who called the ambulance?" Ethan asked. "They don't just appear in places like that, do they?"

Joe scowled gently. "When I envisaged our meeting, I didn't think it would turn to an investigation. Ethan, maybe you should just focus on rebuilding your father's legacy first. Then we can talk about how they died. You've suffered a lot, I investigated your life for the past years, it's not something worth living, and in certain your parents would turn in their graves."

"But now, it's all changed. You have something to change your life with. Don't waste it on the past, a past you can't even remember. Rather, focus on building a proper legacy, one that your father could not build for you."

"But you can build it for your daughter, Ashley."

Ethan stared at Joe, then he glanced at the card in his hand. "Did you say, seven hundred and thirty eight billion dollars?"

Joe nodded.

Ethan smirked. "That's a whole lot of money. Tell me more about my father's company."

-

Joe put Ethan through in the ways of business, Ethan figured out that he had only wasted his life in the Wilson's mansion. He could easily understand the business deals and everything about running a successful business.

Joe handed him some books which his father had hand written for whenever his son would want to start a company. Reading his father's book made Ethan emotional, but he gave in his all into studying.

He told Joe that he wanted to build a house for himself in the heart of LA. Joe smiled.

"Personally, I don't think you could wait till whenever a house is built. Maybe you can find a house to buy there," Joe suggested.

Ethan reasoned it. "Yes, you're right. Do you know anyone who's a trustworthy house agent? I need an elegant but not so large manor."

"I know just who you could meet. If you're down, let's go," Joe said. "By the way, those men who came to pick you, they're your guards. They were trained by your father and will work for you."

Ethan glanced at them and they all bowed to him. He instantly smiled, he was starting to love the feeling of being respected. "Joe, let's go."

Joe led Ethan to the heart of LA and he introduced him to a man who owned a successful housing agency. Ethan only wanted to buy a house, but Joe had better plans.

"Mr Henry, my friend here is a wealthy prince and wants to invest in businesses," Joe stated. Ethan was a little shocked but he masked his expression. "Ethan, meet Mr Henry."

Ethan shook hands with the man and Henry led them into his house. Henry explained to Ethan what deals they had at hand and Joe did the bargaining. Once it was settled, Henry called his lawyer as did Joe, and the contract was prepared, and all three of them signed it.

Joe introduced his lawyer to Ethan and Ethan decided to use the same lawyer with Joe. Henry gave Ethan a house like he wanted, it came as a part payment of the profits of his investment.

"Ethan, now you've learned how things go," Joe started. "I trust that you can make proper investments now, wise ones too. Don't waste the money, son. Speaking of which, what would you do to your family?"

Ethan smiled. "I will get my wife back, I'm sure she still loves me-"

"Loves you?" Joe repeated, shocked. "The same woman who instigated her family to beat you up?"

"She wasn't involved," Ethan defended.

"That's what you think, son. Listen, my advise is for you to get your daughter back, build your legacy, and pay them back for all those years of pain."

Ethan scowled, he hadn't thought about it from that angle. Truly, his wife's family had been too wicked to

him, how could he suddenly forget? He remembered all the days of pain and a sudden anger enveloped him. His eyes became determined and he stared at Joe. "Let's go."