Julian’s heart dropped into his stomach, but his pride refused to let him accept the truth. “This has to be a mistake! He’s a nobody!” Julian shouted, his voice cracking as he followed Ethan and the chauffeur down the grand hallway toward the administration building.
Ethan didn’t say a word. He pushed open the heavy wooden doors of the top-floor conference room. Inside sat the university’s dean, along with the city’s top corporate investors—including Julian’s own father, Mr. Vance.
“Father?” Julian gasped, barging into the room. “What is going on here? Why is this bum following you?”
Before Julian could finish his sentence, Mr. Vance slammed his hand on the marble table, standing up with a look of utter terror. “Julian! Shut your mouth and bow your head right now!”
“But Dad—”
“That ‘bum’ is Ethan Sterling!” Mr. Vance’s voice trembled. “His family just bought out 51% of our holding firm. If he signs this contract, our family company goes bankrupt by midnight!”
The room fell dead silent. Julian felt the room spinning. The guy whose books he had just kicked across the floor, the guy he had called a pauper every single day, was now holding his entire family’s financial survival in his hands.
Ethan slowly walked to the head of the table. He picked up the fountain pen, hovered it over the signature line, and turned his gaze toward Julian.
“Your father’s company owes a massive debt, Julian,” Ethan said softly, his tone completely unbothered. “I can sign this paper and save your family… or I can walk out this door and let you experience what being ‘poor’ actually feels like.”
Julian fell to his knees, his arrogance completely shattered. But just as Ethan was about to make his decision, a ringtone broke the silence. Ethan looked down at his phone—it was an encrypted message from an unknown sender.
The message read: “Sign the paper and your mother’s truth dies today.”
Ethan froze. His thumb hovered over the screen as his eyes widened in shock.
(To be continued in Episode 3…)
