Chapter 2 - The Mask Falls
Ethan stared into the back of the limousine. The man sitting inside was Arthur Vance—not related to Camila’s family, but Arthur Sterling-Vance, the legendary founder of SV Global, one of the world's largest defense and real estate conglomerates.
And more importantly, Arthur was Ethan’s estranged grandfather.
Ethan slid into the leather interior, dripping rain onto the plush carpet. He didn't care. His mind was still replaying the sight of Camila turning her back on him.
"I told you four years ago, Ethan," Arthur said quietly, sliding a crystal glass of whiskey across the small table. "Stripping yourself of your name and trying to live as a 'normal man' to find true love is a fool's errand. The world doesn't care about your heart. It only cares about your leverage."
Ethan swallowed the whiskey in one burn. "I wanted to know if someone could love me, grandfather. Not the fortune. Not the legacy."
"And now you have your answer," Arthur replied dryly. "The girl tossed you into the street like garbage because her mother wants to sell her off to Marcus Sterling—a boy whose father owes my company three hundred million dollars."
Ethan’s head snapped up. "Marcus?"
"Marcus's family is bankrupt, Ethan. They are pretending to be wealthy to survive, and the Vance family is stupid enough to fall for the facade. Victoria Vance thinks marrying Camila to Marcus will make them royalty. In reality, they are stepping onto a sinking ship."
Arthur tapped his silver cane against the floor. "Your test of humility is over, my boy. You ran away from your duty to prove a point. Now, it is time to take your place as the sole heir of SV Global."
Ethan squeezed the empty glass until his knuckles turned ghost-white. The heartbreak that had crippled him minutes ago was slowly mutating into something dark, sharp, and focused.
"What do you want me to do, Grandfather?" Ethan asked, his voice dead of emotion.
"I want you to take over as CEO starting tomorrow," Arthur smiled grimly. "And your first assignment will be the acquisition of Vance Architecture—the company owned by Victoria’s husband."
"No," Ethan interrupted.
Arthur blinked in surprise. "No?"
"Don't acquire it," Ethan said, looking out the rain-slicked window at the distant city skyline. "Buy every single cent of their debt. Buy their suppliers, buy their land leases, buy their mortgages. Don't destroy them overnight. Give them everything they think they want... and then pull the carpet out from under them when they reach the peak."
Arthur’s sharp eyes twinkled with satisfaction. "Now that... is a true Vance strategy."
Meanwhile, back at the wedding hall, the atmosphere had shifted from scandal to celebration. Victoria had quickly turned the canceled wedding into an impromptu engagement party between Camila and Marcus.
"You made the right choice, sweetheart," Victoria whispered, hugging Camila near the bar. "Look at Marcus. He wears a fifty-thousand-dollar watch. Ethan couldn't even afford a decent suit."
Camila forced a smile, though her heart felt oddly heavy. She glanced toward the closed doors, remembering the look in Ethan’s red eyes right before he was thrown out.
"Is he going to be okay, Mom?" Camila whispered.
May you like
"Who cares?" Victoria sneered, taking a glass of champagne. "He’s a nobody. By next week, you’ll forget he ever existed."
Little did Victoria know, by next week, Ethan's name would be the only thing standing between her family and total ruin.
