But the creditors? They had no patience for excuses.
"Bullshit!"
"You were so confident earlier—where's all that bravado now?!"
"Didn't you just say you made Walter Lane Millions in a single day?!"
"If you can do that, why not solve this in one day too?!"
Ethan's jaw tightened. He had been completely cornered.
"So after all this, you really were just bluffing?" Harold Winters' voice was filled with disbelief and frustration. He had trusted Ethan. He had placed his family's future in Ethan's hands.
And now? Now it was clear… This so-called 'genius' was nothing more than a con artist.
"I should've known!" Harold clenched his fists, his face darkening. "How could someone so young be as powerful and influential as Alex?!"
Even Rose, who had been utterly captivated by Ethan, felt the sting of disappointment. In her mind, Ethan Carter was supposed to be a miracle worker, her savior, the man who would lift her from despair.
But in the end… He was nothing. Nothing but a fraud. She had traded away Alex's wealth and loyalty for a man who couldn't even back up his own words.
Her nails dug into her palms, her lips pressed tightly together as anger and shame swirled within her.
Even Walter Lane and the other major business figures could no longer hide their disappointment.
They had genuinely believed Ethan was the real deal. Walter, in particular, felt a sting of humiliation. He had sung Ethan's praises, even defended him against Alex… And now, in front of everyone, Ethan had completely crumbled.
"I really thought this kid had potential." Walter sighed, shaking his head. "Turns out he's just another talker." And if Walter had already lost faith in him.
The rest of the business world wasn't far behind. The wave of mockery and doubt swept through the banquet hall like a wildfire.
Ethan's face turned red, his hands clenching at his sides. He wanted to explain. He wanted to tell them—
"Fortune Skills isn't instant! Luck and fortune take time!" He said desperately, but it didn't matter. No one believed him anymore.
Because at the moment when it mattered the most, he had failed. He had nothing to show. And then— His gaze landed on Alex Reid.
The man responsible for his humiliation. And Alex? He sat there, watching him with an infuriating smirk, his eyes filled with amusement. That was it.
Ethan snapped. His rage erupted like a volcano, and he pointed directly at Alex, his voice trembling with anger.
"Alex Reid… you planned this, didn't you?! You set me up!" The party hall fell silent again as Ethan's furious allegations began to echoed.
But Alex… he didn't even bother responding. He just raised an eyebrow, as if watching a child throw a tantrum.
Ethan's teeth gritted so hard they nearly cracked. Fine. If Alex wanted a fight, he would give him one. He turned sharply toward the business elites sitting beside Walter Lane, his eyes burning with defiance.
"Walter, Stane, Marco… all of you!" He called them out by name, making sure every guest in the hall could hear.
"Do you really think I'm lying?" He took a deep breath, then smirked… A forced, desperate smirk.
"I'll give you all one last chance!" He raised a hand, gesturing grandly. "Trust in me, and I will guarantee your fortune! With my Fortune expertise, your businesses will flourish, your futures will be secured!" His voice boomed with confidence, trying to regain control of the situation.
And then… He turned back to Alex, his smirk widening into a full sneer.
"As for you, Alex…" His voice dropped into a venomous whisper, filled with undisguised malice.
"Three months. That's all I need. In three months, I will make sure you lose everything. Your wealth, your power, your company… I will leave you with nothing." His words dripped with venom, his confidence restored through sheer arrogance.
The crowd gasped at his bold declaration.
"Three months to ruin Alex Reid?!"
"Is this guy insane?!"
"Alex's assets are so vast that even if he did nothing for a hundred years, he'd still be richer than everyone here combined!"
"And yet this kid thinks he can destroy him in just three months?!"
The laughter started small, but soon, the entire banquet hall was filled with chuckles and mocking sneers.
Ethan Carter. The so-called Fortune Skills genius. Had just made the most ridiculous statement of his life. The banquet hall remained filled with skepticism.
No matter how boldly Ethan Carter spoke—After his earlier humiliation, most people struggled to take him seriously.
"Is this guy still trying to act like some grandmaster?"
"After all that nonsense, he still dares to run his mouth?"
But despite the doubt, there was something about him. A presence, an aura—a protagonist's momentum.
Even as he stood there, humiliated and exposed, he still carried himself with unwavering confidence. And that alone… Made people hesitate.
They didn't believe him, but they couldn't completely dismiss him either. That was the power of a so-called "chosen one."
Alex simply chuckled. He wasn't the least bit threatened by Ethan's theatrics. Because unlike before… He had a system. He had System rewards and its knowledge too.
Everything Ethan Carter could see… Alex could see as well. But more than that. Everything Ethan couldn't see, Alex could.
It was like comparing a beginner trying to read the stars to a master who had already mapped out the entire cosmos.
If Ethan's Fortune skills understanding was on the first floor… Then Alex was already standing at the ninety-ninth. So now? Now, he would just watch.
Watch as Ethan continues to dig his own grave.
Ethan, still radiating unshakable confidence, suddenly pointed toward a middle-aged businessman seated among the elite.
"Mr. Stane!" The man, Stane, a well-known gaming tycoon, raised a brow.
Ethan smirked. "You made your fortune in gaming. At your peak, you even became one of China's richest men. But after that, your success… stagnated. Every game you've published since then has been a complete failure." He said and then proceeded to ask him another question.
"Tell me, do you know why?"
A wave of murmurs rippled through the hall.
Even Stane himself looked puzzled. He folded his arms, his expression unreadable.
"And what exactly are you trying to say?" As Ethan smirked knowingly, Alex couldn't help but chuckle.
(A/N: Next Chapter Soon! Some Golden tickets guys!!!)
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