They called me worthless, now the beg.

Chapter 5: Caught in the Act

Daniel Carter had never imagined that Ethan would dare to threaten him over a little money. Even after leaving Ethan’s place, the warning about showing up at his workplace with a megaphone kept ringing in his ears, leaving him so humiliated that he could barely look his fiancée in the eye.

When he returned home, his girlfriend immediately noticed his foul mood. She put down her phone and studied his face, wondering what Ethan had said to make him look so defeated.

“What happened? Did Ethan refuse to give you the money again?” she asked.

Daniel dropped onto the sofa and loosened his collar, his jaw tightening as he remembered Ethan’s mocking expression. “That ungrateful bastard has changed completely. He actually threatened to show up at my workplace and embarrass me in front of everyone, including my fiancée. He thinks he can do whatever he wants just because he has money left by his parents.”

His girlfriend’s expression darkened, but instead of telling him to let it go, she leaned forward with a calculating look.

“And you’re just going to let him treat you like that?” she asked. “Your own cousin has money sitting around, yet he refuses to help you pay for your wedding. What kind of family does that?”

Daniel rubbed his forehead, his frustration growing with every word. “I’ve already asked him several times, but he won’t listen. If I keep going back, he’ll only find another way to humiliate me.”

“Then stop asking him,” she replied quietly. “If he refuses to lend you the money, take what you need and return it later. By the time he notices, you’ll already have sorted out your wedding expenses.”

Daniel turned to stare at her, momentarily unsure whether she was serious. “Are you telling me to steal from him?”

“Why are you making it sound so terrible?” she countered. “You’re not taking money from a stranger. He’s your cousin, and you only need enough to get your wedding arranged. Besides, do you honestly think your grandparents will allow him to call the police and drag the entire family into a scandal?”

Daniel said nothing, but the suggestion had already taken root in his mind. He knew Ethan would never willingly hand over the money, and the thought of being humiliated at work made him even more desperate to prove that his cousin could not simply treat him like a nobody.

His girlfriend noticed his hesitation and pressed the point. “You keep saying he has become impossible to deal with, but you’re still waiting for him to change his mind. If you want your wedding to happen, you need to stop waiting for his permission.”

After a long silence, Daniel nodded slightly, although his stomach tightened at the thought of being caught. He convinced himself that Ethan would eventually be forced to accept the situation, especially when their relatives reminded him that family matters should be settled privately.

Neither of them knew that the plan they were making would soon place Daniel in a situation from which even his grandparents might not be able to rescue him.

---

That evening, Ethan was occupied with a business negotiation at a private restaurant across town. The room was quiet enough for him to hear the soft clink of glasses and the rustle of documents as his business partners reviewed the terms of their proposed deal.

He listened carefully while one of the men explained the final figures, occasionally asking questions when a detail required clarification. Unlike his relatives, who believed they had a right to dictate how he spent his money, these men understood that every financial decision had consequences and that trust had to be earned.

“The revised terms are acceptable,” Ethan said after reviewing the figures. “Provided the payment schedule remains as agreed, I’m prepared to move forward.”

One of his partners nodded and extended his hand across the table. “Then I believe we have an agreement, Mr. Carter. I look forward to working with you.”

Ethan shook his hand, keeping his expression composed as the others joined them in a toast. The dinner continued with discussions about the next steps, and by the time the meeting ended, the atmosphere had relaxed considerably.

As Ethan left the restaurant, he checked the time on his phone and realized that the evening had gone more smoothly than expected. He had intended to return home later, but the negotiations had concluded early, leaving him with no reason to linger.

He stepped into his car and gave the driver his destination, then settled back as the city lights passed beyond the window. His thoughts briefly returned to the business arrangements he had made, but he soon put them aside. There was no point worrying about tomorrow when the work for today was finished.

He had no idea that someone was already inside his home, helping himself to what did not belong to him.

---

Daniel waited until he was certain Ethan was away before making his move. His girlfriend accompanied him, keeping watch while he slipped into Ethan’s room, his eyes darting toward the doorway at every unfamiliar sound.

The room was quiet, and the sight of Ethan’s belongings made him hesitate for a moment. He had never entered his cousin’s room intending to steal from him before, but the memory of Ethan’s threat quickly hardened his resolve.

“Just hurry up,” his girlfriend whispered from near the door. “We don’t have all night.”

Daniel opened the place where he believed Ethan kept his cash and began gathering the money. When he found bank cards among the belongings, he took those too, reasoning that he might as well secure everything he could before leaving.

His hands moved faster as the amount increased, although he kept glancing toward the entrance. Every sound from outside made his shoulders stiffen, and he had to remind himself that Ethan was still supposed to be at dinner.

Neither of them noticed that Ethan’s grandparents had begun to suspect what was happening.

Margaret Carter had seen Daniel enter Ethan’s home with his girlfriend, and the timing had struck her as strange. When she realized they had not come back out, she grew uneasy, particularly because Daniel had already been arguing with Ethan over money.

Instead of confronting them, she hurried to find George Carter. The two grandparents positioned themselves near the entrance, hoping they could prevent a confrontation if Ethan returned before Daniel left.

“What are we going to do if Ethan comes back?” George muttered, looking toward the door with a troubled expression.

Margaret glanced at him sharply. “Keep your voice down. If he finds out what Daniel is doing, the whole family will be dragged into another mess.”

“But we cannot keep him out forever,” George replied. “What happens when he asks why we’re standing here?”

Margaret had no answer. She could only hope that Daniel would finish quickly and leave before Ethan returned, though the longer they waited, the more difficult it became to hide their uneasiness.

Then the sound of a car pulling up outside made both of them turn.

Ethan had returned.

Margaret’s face tightened, and George straightened abruptly as Ethan approached the entrance. The moment Ethan saw them standing awkwardly outside his door, he slowed down, his eyes moving from one grandparent to the other.

“What are you both doing here?” Ethan asked, looking at them in confusion.

“Nothing,” Margaret answered too quickly. “We were just talking.”

Ethan glanced at George, who avoided his eyes and shifted his weight uneasily. Their behavior was strange enough to make Ethan suspicious, especially when Margaret stepped sideways to prevent him from reaching the door.

“Move aside, Grandma. I need to get inside,” Ethan said.

“Why are you in such a hurry?” Margaret asked, forcing a smile that did not reach her eyes. “You can go in later. Your grandfather and I still have something to discuss with you.”

Ethan stared at her, noticing the tension around her mouth and the way George kept glancing toward the room. Whatever they were trying to hide, they were doing a poor job of it.

“I said I need to get inside,” Ethan repeated, his voice turning cold.

George moved to block the entrance as well, but Ethan had already lost patience. He pushed past them and opened the door, stepping inside before either grandparent could stop him.

The sight that greeted him made him halt.

Daniel stood beside Ethan’s belongings with a bundle of cash in one hand and several bank cards in the other. His girlfriend was beside him, her face pale and her eyes wide as she stared at Ethan in disbelief.

For a brief moment, nobody moved.

Ethan’s gaze dropped to the money and cards, then shifted to Daniel’s face. The truth was so obvious that he did not need to ask what they were doing, and the sudden silence only made the scene more damning.

“What the hell are you doing in my room?” Ethan demanded.

Daniel opened his mouth, but no words came out. His girlfriend took a hurried step backward, while the cash trembled in Daniel’s grasp as he tried to think of an excuse.

Ethan lunged forward and grabbed Daniel by the front of his shirt.

Startled by the sudden movement, Daniel lost his grip, and the cash and stolen bank cards slipped from his hands, scattering across the floor between them.