The silence inside the St. Jude Grand Ballroom was thicker than the perfume drifting off the white roses.

Three weeks had passed since the catastrophe at the wedding hall.

The media had widely reported the "society drama," turning Ethan into a laughingstock among the local elite gossip rags. Headlines read: “Broke Architect Dumped at the Altar by Socialite!” and “Love Is Broke: The Tale of the Wedding Crasher.”

Victoria Vance sat at the head of the mahogany table in the offices of Vance Architecture, feeling utterly victorious. Next to her was her husband, Richard, and across from them sat Marcus Sterling.

"The merger between our design firm and Marcus’s development group is practically sealed," Victoria declared proudly. "All we need now is the final approval for the Grand Skyline Tower contract from SV Global."

"Don't worry, Victoria," Marcus said smoothly, leaning back with an arrogant smirk. "My father has deep connections with SV Global's executive board. The new CEO taking office today is just a formality. The contract is ours."

Suddenly, the heavy glass doors of the boardroom swung open.

A team of ten lawyers in sharp black suits marched into the room, led by a stern woman in her late forties.

"Are you the executives of Vance Architecture?" the woman asked coldly.

"We are," Richard Vance said, standing up. "And who are you? This is a private meeting."

"I am Sarah Lin, Head of Legal for SV Global," she replied, gesturing behind her. "And this is the new Chief Executive Officer and Chairman of the Board of SV Global."

The room fell dead silent as a young man walked through the doorway.

He was dressed in a tailor-made, Italian silk double-breasted suit, his hair swept back, his posture radiating unyielding authority. Pinned to his lapel was a crest made of platinum and diamonds—the crest of the Sterling-Vance empire.

Victoria dropped her pen. Richard’s jaw hit the floor. Marcus stood up so fast his leather chair fell backward onto the rug.

"E-Ethan?!" Victoria shrieked, her voice reaching a high-pitched squeak. "What is this joke?! How did you get in here? Security!"

"Security works for me, Victoria," Ethan said calmly, stepping to the front of the table. He pulled out the master executive chair and sat down, crossing his legs casually.

"Ethan... what are you doing in a suit like that?" Marcus stuttered, his arrogant bravado evaporating instantly. "Are you playing dress-up? SV Global is an empire. You’re just a low-level worker bee!"

Sarah Lin stepped forward and slammed a thick blue file onto the desk.

"Allow me to clarify," Sarah announced sternly. "This is Ethan Vance-Sterling. Grandson of founder Arthur Vance-Sterling, and the newly appointed 100% owner and CEO of SV Global Corporation."

Victoria felt the air leave her lungs. She gripped the edge of the table, her face turning pale green. "No... no, that's impossible. He’s poor! He was living in a two-bedroom apartment in the slums!"

Ethan slowly looked up, his eyes cold as ice.

"I wanted to live an honest life," Ethan said softly, his voice cutting through the room like a razor. "I wanted to build something from nothing. But you... you measured my worth by the depth of my pockets. So now, let's talk about pockets."

Ethan gestured to Sarah.

"As of eight o'clock this morning," Sarah announced, "SV Global has called in all outstanding loans owed by Sterling Enterprises. Since Sterling Enterprises is defaulted, we have initiated a full asset seizure. Marcus Sterling, your family is officially bankrupt."

Marcus blinked rapidly, sweat pouring down his forehead. "What?! No! Dad said—"

"Your dad lied to you, Marcus," Ethan sneered. "And as for Vance Architecture..." Ethan leaned forward, resting his chin on his hands. "I just bought 51% of your bank debt. Which means... I own your firm, your office building, and the mortgage on your family estate."

Victoria slumped back into her chair, her eyes wide with sheer terror. "Ethan... please... you loved Camila... you wouldn't do this to her family..."