Chapter 3 3

Olivia stayed at the hospital all night. Fearing she might disturb Ethan’s rest, she had set her phone to silent. When she checked it the next morning, she was shocked to find over a dozen missed calls, all from the family and the corporation.

Olivia’s brow furrowed, a sudden sense of foreboding washing over her. She quickly tidied herself up and rushed out of the ward, heading straight to the company.

After a night of rest and the help of expensive medication, Ethan woke up feeling quite well. However, seeing that Olivia had already left, he felt a bit dejected. Just as he finished washing up, he received a call from Arthur, who wanted to meet. Ethan initially didn't want to go, but Arthur insisted it was important, so Ethan eventually agreed.

An hour later, by the city moat.

The previous night’s storm had scattered willow leaves across the ground, and a sense of desolation lingered in the air. Ethan stood with his hands behind his back, facing Arthur.

"Your father began paving the way for you the moment you were born," Arthur began. "Since you are unwilling to return to the family, it is only right that I tell you these things now!"

Arthur pulled a small notebook from his pocket and handed it to Ethan. Ethan swept a disdainful look over it but eventually took it and flipped it open. His expression changed instantly. The notebook contained names of people, detailed down to their home addresses and family members.

What shocked Ethan most was that several names were familiar; they were prominent figures in Royal Port, some even belonging to first-rate families.

"These are the forces your father developed for you in secret. Their power is no small matter; any one of them could cause an earthquake in this city with a single word!" Arthur said. "The time is ripe, and it is time to hand these over to you. Along with these two items!"

Arthur handed Ethan two more things. One was a bank card, entirely black with golden ripples. Ethan recognized it immediately—it was the top-tier Black Gold Card from the Four Continents Bank. There were likely no more than three such cards in all of Royal Port.

Ethan’s heart couldn't help but stir at the sight of the card. The other item was a palm-sized purple-gold medallion. On the front was the character "Hào," and on the back was a lifelike bird. Ethan knew this bird was a Vermillion Bird, the crest of the Vance family. While the crests shared the same design, their colors differed; the purple-gold crest was the ultimate symbol of status, representing the qualified successor to the head of the family.

Among the thousands of members of the Vance family, only a handful possessed the purple-gold crest, and Ethan was now one of them.

"I owe him nothing anymore. I don't need these things!" Ethan said. Anyone else would have gone mad with excitement over the medallion, yet he rejected it.

"Young Master, I think it’s best if you accept them. These forces were developed in your name, and they answer only to you!" Arthur urged. "Do not act on impulse. Strength is the only thing that matters. Don't you want to help your current wife escape her embarrassing position within the family?"

Ethan could tell Arthur was trying to provoke him, but the man had a point. He was currently alone and weak; if he wanted to grow powerful quickly, this was undoubtedly the fastest shortcut.

Seeing the change in Ethan’s expression, Arthur added, "Young Master, this world is vast, hidden with many unknown powers. Without significant strength, forget making the entire Vance family bow to you—you won't even be able to handle minor forces! If not for yourself, think of your mother and your sister!"

Ethan’s face shifted. Arthur’s words had struck a chord. He fell into silence, his deep eyes staring coldly at the river. Arthur stood aside, the only sound being the soft breeze.

Memories of his life flashed through his mind, especially the inhuman treatment he had endured over the past two years. He swore that one day, he would bring his mother back to the Vance family with her head held high, making her proud of him.

"Young Master, beyond every great man, there is one greater. One day, you will understand," Arthur sighed softly.

"Elder Arthur, say no more. I will accept these things," Ethan finally replied.

Arthur’s face lit up with joy, and he let out a sigh of relief. "One more thing. There is an old acquaintance of yours here in Royal Port. It is time for them to seek you out."

With that, Arthur turned and vanished from Ethan’s sight.

Meanwhile, Olivia was overwhelmed with stress at the office. For some unknown reason, counterfeit cosmetics had appeared in one of the company’s stores. A customer had used the fake product, leading to a severe allergic reaction that required hospitalization. The news spread like wildfire, and media outlets swarmed the company gates. Olivia was thrust into the center of the storm.

Her position in the family was already precarious, and with this incident, everyone was waiting to watch her fail. But what gave Olivia the biggest headache was that her grandfather, Yeqi Vance, had found out. He called and gave her a scathing lecture, ordering her to resolve the matter by tomorrow morning at the latest—or face the consequences.

In the midst of her headache, the hospital called to say Ethan had left without completing his discharge papers. Olivia’s pent-up frustration finally exploded.

"Why did you sneak out of the hospital? Do you not value your life?" she shouted into the phone as soon as Ethan picked up.

"My injuries are mostly healed. Just come home; I’ll cook dinner," Ethan replied, unaware of the company crisis, and hung up.

Half an hour later, Ethan returned to the residence with a bag of groceries. "I’m back..."

Lillian, Olivia’s mother, was sitting on the sofa watching TV. Seeing her "useless" son-in-law, her anger flared. "Didn't you run away from the hospital? Why didn't you just die out there? Why come back at all!"

Olivia, sitting nearby, also had a dark expression; she was clearly truly angry.

"I didn't have the money for the hospital fees, so I came back. Besides, my injuries are fine. I’ll go cook now," Ethan said and headed to the kitchen.

"You married a loser; you brought this on yourself," Lillian complained to Olivia. "If he had money, it would be one thing, but look at him—poor and talentless. No wonder the family looks down on us."

"Mom, can you please stop? I’m frustrated enough," Olivia replied.

"Hmph! If you had listened to the family, we’d be living the high life right now, and you wouldn't be struggling at the company!" Lillian stood up and stomped toward her bedroom.

In the kitchen, Ethan heard their conversation and was taken aback. No wonder Olivia looked upset; she must have suffered at work again. He thought to himself, "I really need to find a way to help this nominal wife of mine."

After dinner, Olivia went straight to her bedroom, while her parents relaxed on the sofa. Ethan quickly started cleaning the dishes. Suddenly, Lillian’s phone rang. Seeing the caller ID,

she answered excitedly, "Father... why are you calling so late?"