Compared to Alex's cruel indifference, Ethan's righteousness was like the warmth of the sun after a bitter winter.
And just like that— Her heart was his. She no longer had any doubts.
Ethan Carter was the real man she should have been with all along.
'This is fate. This is destiny!' She couldn't wait to watch Ethan humiliate Alex in front of everyone. The guests, who had initially dismissed Ethan, began to reconsider.
Walter Lane, who had been cautiously observing, finally spoke up.
"Alex, I think you might be making a mistake." He sighed, shaking his head.
"You don't understand. Ethan Carter's Fortune Skills expertise isn't just some gimmick—" He leaned slightly closer, lowering his voice. "He gave me just a few pointers on my estate's layout, and within twenty-four hours, I made an additional millions of dollars in profit."
A collective gasp spread across the hall.
"Million?! In one day?!"
"If he's that good… doesn't that mean his skills are real?"
"No wonder Walter was so respectful toward him. I thought it was just courtesy, but…"
Even Harold Winters, Rose's father, felt his hands tremble with excitement.
"Million of dollars in a day… if we get his full guidance, how much more could we make?" Harold already began to have a dream.
'A Two Hundred Million? A billion?' If he can help earn Millions of dollars in a day, even hundreds of millions would be a cheap change.
If Ethan really was as powerful as he seemed, then Alex's Two hundred million wouldn't matter in the slightest.
For the first time that night, since this drama began Harold felt hope again.
….
At that moment, the atmosphere in the party hall shifted dramatically.
Whether it was Harold Winters, Rose, or the countless guests, they all turned their gazes toward Ethan Carter with a strange expression.
It wasn't just admiration anymore. There was a hint of expectation, a lingering question—
"Can he really pull this off?" Ask someone in the guest but particularly to no one but imposing a question.
But Ethan? He didn't care about the looks he was getting. He only had one target—Alex Reid.
In his mind, everything was already set in stone. Alex would beg. He would come crawling back, realizing his mistake. And when that moment came— Ethan would simply walk away, cold and indifferent.
'A man like him doesn't deserve my mercy. I'll make sure he regrets this for the rest of his life!' Thought Ethan Carter with a small smirk, he had already taken half the people in the party to his side as a Hero figure.
Clap. Clap. Clap.
The sudden sound of deliberate applause echoed through the hall. It wasn't rushed. It wasn't polite. It wasn't celebratory. It was mocking.
Cold. Calculated. Ethan froze for a second, his brows furrowing as an uncomfortable feeling crept into his gut.
Something felt off. He turned toward Alex— Only to see the man rising from his seat, a smirk playing on his lips. Alex's gaze was calm. Way too calm.
"Good. Very good." His voice carried a dangerous undertone, but his expression remained unreadable.
"So, you're determined to involve yourself in this mess?" For some reason, Alex's reaction unnerved Ethan. It wasn't the reaction he expected. But he couldn't back down now. He squared his shoulders, forcing himself to maintain his composure.
"Mr. Alex, you misunderstand." His voice remained steady, carrying an air of righteousness.
"I'm not here to stir up trouble." He glanced toward Rose, then turned back to Alex, his tone filled with self-assured morality.
"I simply can't stand by and watch a man of your status bully a defenseless woman." His eyes sharpened.
"The Winters family—I will help them, no matter what." He expected shock. He expected hesitation. Maybe even anger. But Alex? He merely let out a soft exhale, his smirk never faltering.
And then… He turned away, addressing his butler, Mr. Waters, as if Ethan didn't even exist.
"Waters," Alex said casually, waving his hand to his butler. "That document I asked you to prepare—" His tone was calm, yet it was cold throughout the entire room.
"Announce it now." A beat of silence. Then, his butler stepped forward, pulling out a neatly prepared document.
His voice rang through the hall, clear and decisive.
"Following an extensive internal investigation, Reid Industries has discovered that the Winters family, as a corporate supplier, has engaged in no less than thirty separate cases of regulatory violations within the last five years."
"These infractions have resulted in a confirmed financial loss of over one billion dollars for Reid Industries. That is not including the previous statements"
Gasps erupted among the guests.
"One billion?!" Said one of the guests as he spat out some drink just by thinking about the amount.
"They caused that much damage?!" Said in disbelief another guest.
But the butler wasn't finished.
"As we have gathered substantial evidence of these violations, Reid Industries will be officially filing a lawsuit and every other available against the Winters family, demanding full financial compensation for the damages incurred."
He took a breath before delivering the final blow.
"Additionally, Reid Industries will be permanently terminating all business relations with the Winters family, effective immediately." The moment he finished speaking, the entire hall fell into a shocked silence.
As the butler finished reading the 'Announcement', the banquet hall fell into stunned silence.
For a brief moment, no one spoke.
Then… The realization hit. And it hit hard.
"Holy shit… Did he really just announce a complete financial severance, and his way of saying he no longer has any relationship with the Winters family?"
"He's not just cutting ties—he's demanding compensation too?!"
"With this move, the Winters family is completely doomed!"
The murmurs grew louder, turning into a wave of exclamations as the full weight of Alex's actions sank in.
Just moments ago, Harold Winters and his family were still riding the high of hope. Ethan Carter had promised salvation. They had believed they still had a chance.
(A/N: Next Chapter Soon! Some Golden tickets guys!!!)
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