Chapter 10: Bonds Over Drinks
The night air was cool as Leo, Emma, Ethan, and Rebecca arrived at a bar that screamed luxury. The dim lighting, plush leather seats, and soft jazz in the background gave the place an air of exclusivity. To Leo, who had never stepped foot in such a place before, it was almost intimidating.
Ethan, on the other hand, seemed right at home, guiding the group to a private booth near the corner. "Trust me, you'll love this place," he said with a confident grin. Rebecca stuck close to him, her arm loosely wrapped around his.
As they settled in, Ethan ordered a round of drinks, much to Leo's quiet dismay. Drinking wasn't something he'd done before, but he didn't want to be the odd one out.
The first sip burned, but Leo managed to keep a straight face. By the second glass, he was starting to loosen up. Across the table, Ethan and Rebecca had become visibly more affectionate, leaning into each other, their laughter and whispered words creating a romantic bubble that seemed impenetrable.
Leo glanced at Emma. She sat close to him, her face tinged with a rosy blush. Whether it was the alcohol or the atmosphere, she had inched closer, their shoulders brushing. When she finally looked up at him, her cheeks reddened even further, and she quickly looked away.
Leo cleared his throat, feeling the heat rising to his own face. To break the awkwardness, he turned to Ethan. "You seem to really love Rebecca," he began, his tone casual. "I thought your engagement was arranged."
The question seemed to pierce the romantic haze around Ethan and Rebecca. They both paused, exchanged a glance, and then smiled. Ethan pulled Rebecca onto his lap, wrapping his arms around her waist.
"Yeah, it started as an arrangement," Ethan admitted, his voice soft but steady. "But I love her—right down to my bones."
Rebecca smiled warmly and placed a hand on Ethan's chest, as if to reassure him. But Leo noticed a flicker of something deeper in Ethan's eyes—a shadow of pain.
Ethan took a deep breath, his voice carrying a mix of vulnerability and strength. "You know, I wasn't always this confident guy you see now."
The booth grew quiet, the cheerful buzz of the bar fading into the background.
"My mom died when I was nine," Ethan began, his gaze fixed on the glass in his hand. "The very next day, my father brought his mistress and her son into our house. A son who was my age."
Emma gasped softly, her hand instinctively reaching out to touch Leo's. Rebecca tightened her hold on Ethan, her expression shifting to one of fierce protectiveness.
"My father had been cheating on my mom from the start," Ethan continued, his voice hardening. "He pretended to be the perfect husband until the day she died. Then, he didn't even wait for the funeral to be over before bringing them in. My mom was the wealthier one in their marriage—she owned the company. But she must've known what kind of man my father was because she left everything to me in her will."
Ethan's lips curled into a bitter smile. "Of course, that didn't sit well with my father. He couldn't contest the will, so he did the next best thing: he neglected me. I was just a kid, but to him, I was nothing more than an obstacle. For years, I was alone in that house, surrounded by people who wanted me gone."
Rebecca's eyes glistened with unshed tears as she stroked Ethan's hair. "That's when I met him," she said softly. "Our families had arranged our engagement, and I came over to invite him to a party. What I found was... unforgivable."
Her voice grew cold. "Ethan was being treated like a servant in his own home. It made me furious. My family felt the same way when I told them. From that day on, Ethan had my family's backing."
Ethan chuckled, though there was little humor in it. "Rebecca and her family gave me the strength to fight back. By the time I was thirteen, I'd started taking control of the company. I learned everything I could about business, about politics, about the dirty games my father and his allies played. And I played them better."
His eyes turned steely. "Now, I own the majority of the company. My father? He's just a figurehead. The shareholders are loyal to me, not him. It's only a matter of time before I take over completely."
Rebecca kissed his cheek, her voice soft but firm. "You've earned it, Ethan. Every bit of it."
Ethan's gaze softened as he looked at her. "I wouldn't have made it without you," he admitted. "You kept me sane. Gave me a reason to keep going. If you hadn't been there, I might've ended up thrown out on the streets—or worse."
Leo sipped his drink, carefully mulling over Ethan's words. "So, if you're in control of most of the company, why haven't you completely taken over yet? You're clearly capable."
Ethan's lips curled into a bitter smile. "That's the funny part, Leo. Technically, I own most of the shares, and I have the board on my side. But control doesn't always mean freedom."
Rebecca sighed, her sharp eyes narrowing. "His father still holds an iron grip over the company's finances. While Ethan is the face and the future, the company's accounts are tightly managed by his father. Every major decision Ethan makes has to pass through a Finance Committee stacked with his father's loyalists. He can't pull money freely without facing repercussions. It's his father's last desperate move to cling to power."
Leo frowned, leaning forward. "That's absurd. If you have the shares and the board's support, can't you override him?"
Ethan shook his head. "Not without burning down the company in the process. Most of the board members are with me because I'm stable. If I were to wage an all-out war to strip my father of his remaining influence, it would destabilize the company. Stocks would crash, employees would panic, and competitors would swoop in. My father knows that, and he's banking on it."
Rebecca's voice softened as she added, "Ethan's playing the long game. His father is old and has no real allies outside the company. The moment he's forced to retire, Ethan will have total control. Until then, he has to navigate around these restrictions. all while he also trying to loosen his father's grip on finances one little slip and his father would surely be forced out by him. "
Ethan sighed, running a hand through his hair. "That's why I approached you, Leo. Your resources give you the freedom I don't have right now. I can't just throw money into a new venture without attracting scrutiny. But with a business partner like you, I can create something outside my father's control. Something that doesn't depend on him at all. And ofcource it will help you as well"
Leo nodded thoughtfully, the gears turning in his mind. "So, this isn't just about making money. This is about securing your complete independence from your father."
"Exactly." Ethan's eyes burned with determination. "With you and Rebecca by my side, I can build something that's truly mine. Something no one can take away."
Rebecca smiled faintly and nudged Ethan. "And once we do, I'll make sure you don't waste it all on luxury cars and whiskey."
Leo chuckled, the tension easing slightly. "Alright, Ethan. You've got my attention. Let's see how far we can take this."
Leo leaned back in his seat, processing Ethan's story. He had always seen Ethan as a privileged, carefree guy, but now he understood the depth of his friend's determination. Ethan wasn't just someone who had been handed everything; he was someone who had fought tooth and nail to claim what was rightfully his.
Ethan glanced at Leo and raised his glass. "To friends," he said, his voice lighter now. "To new beginnings. And to partnerships that will take us to new heights."
Leo raised his glass, a small smile playing on his lips. "To that."
As they clinked their glasses together, Leo couldn't help but feel a renewed sense of determination. Ethan's story wasn't just inspiring—it was a reminder of what could be achieved with perseverance and the right people by your side.
And as he glanced at Emma, who was smiling softly beside him, he realized that maybe, he had those people too