Zenith's New Master: The Lost Sterling heir Returns

CHAPTER 9

Lily and Damien stood frozen, their faces cycling through shock, disbelief, and dawning panic as Marcus Webb remained bowed before Ethan.

"This is ridiculous," Lily finally managed, her voice shrill and desperate. "He's nobody! He's a warehouse worker—an orphan! There's no way he could possibly have a card like that!"

"She's right," Damien added, though his usual confidence had cracked visibly. "This has to be some kind of mistake. Maybe he stole it, or—or someone gave it to him as a joke—"

Marcus Webb's head snapped up, his eyes blazing with fury as he turned to face them. "You dare question this after what you've witnessed? You dare continue to insult someone carrying the Founder's Access Card?"

"But he's—" Lily started.

"Leave," Marcus said, his voice dropping to something cold and final. "Both of you. Get out of this building immediately."

"You can't throw me out," Damien said, his voice rising with indignation. "I'm a VIP guest! My family has connections throughout this company! You have no right—"

Marcus didn't even look at him. He gestured to the guards. "Escort them out. Now."

"This is outrageous!" Damien's face flushed red with humiliation as guards approached. "Do you know who my father is? Do you know what kind of deal we're finalizing today?"

Marcus turned his back on them entirely, his attention returning to Ethan. "Sir, please, allow me to personally escort you inside."

The guards closed in around Damien and Lily, leaving them no choice but to retreat toward the entrance or face being physically removed.

---

Outside on the steps, Damien's hands shook with rage as he pulled out his phone, scrolling frantically through his contacts.

"I'm calling Father," he snarled. "That manager made the biggest mistake of his career."

The phone rang twice before his father answered. "Damien? Aren't you supposed to be inside already?"

"Father, there's a situation." Damien quickly recounted the events—leaving out certain details, embellishing others, painting himself as the victim of an overreaching middle manager who'd insulted the Cross family's dignity.

There was a long pause on the other end.

"This is today of all days, Damien," his father said, his voice tight with barely controlled frustration. "We cannot afford complications with Zenith Global. Not when we're hours away from finalizing the partnership."

"I know, that's why I need you to—"

"I'll handle it. Stay where you are." The line went dead.

Damien lowered his phone, his jaw clenched. Lily pressed against his arm, her earlier confidence completely shattered.

"Will your father be able to fix this?" she asked quietly.

"Of course he will," Damien snapped. "He has direct connections to Director Hayes. Once he explains what happened, we'll be back inside within minutes."

---

Inside his office on the twentieth floor, Richard Cross was already dialing as he paced behind his desk.

Director Michael Hayes. Senior Vice President of Strategic Partnerships at Zenith Global. The man Richard had spent months cultivating, wining and dining, carefully building a relationship with. The man who'd shepherded the Cross family's proposal through every level of approval.

The man who held their future in his hands.

"Richard," Hayes answered on the second ring. "Shouldn't you and your son be arriving soon?"

"Michael, there's been an incident. My son was just escorted out of the building by a Regional Manager named Marcus Webb. Some kind of misunderstanding at the entrance—Damien was showing proper respect to company protocols when this Webb character overstepped his authority and humiliated him in front of dozens of witnesses."

Hayes made a thoughtful sound. "Marcus Webb. He's usually quite professional. What exactly happened?"

Richard carefully laid out his version—his son doing nothing wrong, a manager on a power trip, the dignity of the Cross family insulted on the very day their partnership was being formalized.

"I see," Hayes said slowly. "That is... unfortunate timing. Let me look into this. I'll send someone to escort your son back inside personally. We can't have our new partners feeling unwelcome."

"I appreciate that, Michael. More than you know."

"Give me ten minutes."

---

Ten minutes later, a young executive in a crisp suit appeared at the entrance where Damien and Lily waited, flanked by security who'd been ordered to ensure they didn't leave the immediate area.

"Mr. Cross? Miss Chen?" The executive bowed slightly. "Director Hayes sends his apologies for the confusion. Please, allow me to escort you inside personally."

Damien's expression shifted instantly from sullen anger to smug satisfaction. "I told you," he muttered to Lily. "My family's connections are deeper than some regional manager's petty authority."

They followed the executive through the entrance—past the same guards who'd tried to remove them, past Marcus Webb who'd disappeared deeper into the building, past the lingering guests who whispered as they passed.

---

Inside Zenith Global's grand conference hall, the atmosphere buzzed with anticipation.

Hundreds of guests had already gathered—executives, business owners, media representatives, all dressed in expensive suits and designer outfits. Conversations filled the air, speculation running rampant about the new chairman's identity and what the ownership transfer would mean for Zenith's future direction.

Ethan stood near the back of the hall, observing quietly. Marcus Webb had offered to escort him to the VIP section, but Ethan had declined. He wanted to watch, to listen, to see how these people behaved when they thought no one important was watching.

"Wait, is that—" A woman's voice cut through a nearby conversation. "Oh my god, that's him."

A small group had noticed Ethan, and recognition was spreading like ripples through their section.

"That's Lily Chen's ex-boyfriend," someone whispered loudly. "The warehouse worker she was with before Damien Cross."

"What's he doing here? Did he sneak in?"

A man in an expensive suit approached with theatrical curiosity, looking Ethan up and down with obvious disdain. "I heard about you. You're the one who got dumped after donating bone marrow, right? That's dedication to being used." He laughed, and others joined in.

"Did he get lost on his way to a job interview?" another added.

"Maybe he's here to serve drinks," a woman suggested, and the small crowd erupted in laughter.

Ethan said nothing. His expression remained calm, almost bored.

At that moment, the main doors opened again.

Damien Cross strode in with Lily on his arm, his confidence completely restored, his earlier humiliation apparently forgotten. The reaction was immediate.

"Damien! There you are!"

"Mr. Cross, congratulations on today!"

People gravitated toward him like moths to flame, eager to associate themselves with the Cross family's rising status.

"Everyone's saying the partnership is essentially finalized," a businessman said, shaking Damien's hand enthusiastically. "Your family is about to move up to second tier. That's extraordinary."

"Just a matter of the chairman's signature," Damien said with practiced humility that fooled no one. "But yes, it's been a long time coming. My father's worked very hard to position us for this opportunity."

"And you'll be managing the Cross side of the partnership?" another asked.

"That's the plan," Damien said, smiling. "Father believes I'm ready for that level of responsibility."

Lily beamed beside him, soaking in the reflected glory, her eyes scanning the crowd—until they landed on Ethan standing quietly in the back.

Her expression hardened. She leaned close to Damien and whispered something.

Damien followed her gaze, and his smile turned cruel.

"Well, well," he said loudly enough for everyone nearby to hear. "It looks like the help showed up after all."

The crowd turned, following his gaze to Ethan.

"Is that really Lily's ex?" someone whispered.

"How did he even get in here?"

Damien raised his voice further. "Security in this building really has gone downhill if they're letting just anyone wander in off the street."

Laughter rippled through the gathered guests.

Ethan met Damien's eyes across the room and smiled slightly.