Chapter 1

CHAPTER 1

Ethan sat, his back pushed against the wall, knees folded as his elbow leaned on them. If anything, he was exhausted, drained, scrawny.

Today is the day.

The day he steps out of here and finally go be with the one he truly desires.. In the early hours of the morning, he had been transferred out of the prison he shared with six others and isolated in this one.

For some reason, his heart thumped frantically against his ribs.

After four years of taking the fall for a crime he didn’t commit, he is finally walking out.

He expected to see Sarah in her wedding dress, ready to finish the vows they started before he was taken away to serve time.

Ethan’s ears soon picked the sounds of approaching footsteps.

“Ethan Wilder?” A gruff voice called out to him

He scrambled to his feet, dusting off his jumpsuit as he walked close to the prison gates.

“Time to go home” the officer pronounced

A small smile spread on Ethan’s face. “Thank you, officer”

Ethan’s handcuffs were relieved off him. He trailed behind the officer afterwards.

“You have a visitor”

Ethan nodded, a beam of pride spreading across his chest. “It’s definitely going to be my wife”

He finally got to see her, Sarah and instead of seeing her in her wedding dress as expected, she sat across from him in an all black suit.

She looked nothing like the bride he expected to see.

His anxiety doubled when he saw how hard her face was set. No cheers, no congratulations, no hugs that he was finally out.

He swore he saw the contempt and disdain that lined her expression as she slowly scrutinized him.

“Sarah” Ethan croaked

She slid a thick manila envelope across the metal table. "Sign them, Ethan."

Ethan blinked, his voice rasping from disuse. "Sarah? What is this? Where’s the dress? I thought we were going straight to the chapel."

"The chapel?" Sarah let out a mirthless laugh that did nothing to make him feel better. "Don’t be pathetic. These are divorce papers. I need you to sign them before the gates even open for you."

"I don't understand," Ethan stammered, his mind racing to find an excuse for her. "Is someone threatening you? Is it your brother’s creditors again? Sarah, tell me who is forcing you to do this."

"No one is forcing me, you idiot," she said icily.

"I’m doing this because I’m a CEO worth fifty million dollars now. I’ve climbed to the top of Boston’s elite. Do you honestly think a woman in my position is going to be tethered to a common convict? That’s like a stain on my reputation. I can not risk it, Ethan”

He felt each words jag on to him like a blow.

He leaned back, the plastic chair creaking. "A stain on your reputation? Sarah, three years ago, your family was drowning. I worked three jobs to keep your father’s business afloat. I gave you everything so you could build that company. I went to prison so you wouldn't have to."

"And that was your choice," she countered, her lip curling in a sneer. "Only fools cling to 'love' and 'loyalty.' Smart people use people to get to higher branches."

She pulled out her phone and flicked through a gallery, turning the screen toward him. It was a photo of her at a gala, draped over the arm of a man in a fine tuxedo.

Ethan recognized the man. It was Julian Vane, the heir to the Vane empire. She looked radiant. They both looked like the power couple and him?

Ethan saw himself in the reflection of the phone screen. Disheveled and dressed in a faded orange jumpsuit.

"Why would I choose a rapist over a man like Julian?" she asked mockingly.

Ethan’s blood turned cold at the accusation. "You know I’m not that! You know I took the blame for your brother so he wouldn't go down for that assault! You begged me on your knees!"

Sarah leaned in close, the mockery still plastered on her face. "Actually, Ethan... we planned it that way. I’d already met Julian back then. I knew I needed you out of the picture, but I needed your money and your sacrifice first. Taking the fall wasn't you being a hero. it was you being a tool” she sighed, shaking her head in mock pity. “It’s over for you, Ethan”

A strange sensation washed over him. His heart beat so frantically against his ribs he thought they would explode.

He thought of the last four years he’s spent in this prison. He thought of the Old Man in the cell he was once in, who had spent months teaching him martial arts, global finance, and what true power really meant.

The Old Man, whose name he never knew, had tried to give him the Phoenix Ring a dozen times, but Ethan had refused, clinging to the dream of a simple life with Sarah.

He realized now that the woman he loved had never existed.

“Sign the papers Ethan! I don’t have all the time in the world. It really is over between us. We are never getting married!” She yelped, her patience wearing thin.

Ethan picked up the pen. With a steady hand, he signed the papers. He didn't look at her as he pushed them back.

"You’re right, Sarah," he said, his voice dropping to a calm note "I was a fool. But you have no idea what you’ve just thrown away. You think Julian Vane is a 'higher branch'? From where I’m standing, you’re both looking very, very small."

Sarah laughed again, loudly, tucking the papers into her bag. "Stop fantasizing, Ethan. Be content with being worthless. Enjoy your freedom… I'm sure the streets will be very welcoming to a man with nothing. Goodbye, Ethan” She turned on her heel and vanished through the doors without a backward glance.

Ethan sat in silence for a long moment. His chest constricting in pain. All the sacrifices he made in the last four years, trying to protect her image, her brother’s reputation then she just had to turn on him this way?

He blinked back tears that threatened to fall.

Ân officer sauntered by, stopping right beside Ethan. “What now? You want to serve more time here? You don’t want to leave yet?”

Ethan stood up and walked towards the exit.

Right at the gate, Sinclair, the prison warden, was waiting. Beside him stood a line of guards, all of them bowing their heads in unison.

"Mr. Wilder," Sinclair said, his voice trembling with genuine fear. "We... we apologize for the lack of respect shown by that woman. We should have intervened."

He stepped forward, holding out an opened suitcase that contained a black gold card and a heavy, ancient looking ring engraved with a rising phoenix.

"The Chairman’s offer still stands, sir," Sinclair whispered. "The card has no limit. The ring... the ring gives you the power you need. Will you refuse us again?"

Ethan’s eyes lingered on the items for a while.

He finally reached out and slid the Phoenix Ring onto his finger. It felt heavy.

"No. I think it’s time I accepted."

**

Ethan sat inside the vehicle which was still outside the station. They were yet to be on the move.

Everything still felt surreal

Why him? How worthy was he that the old man had thought he deserved such?

The woman he loved, the one he had sacrificed so much for did not even bat an eyelid when she got the chance to leave him.

He twisted the black gold card in his fingers. There were only four of its kind and this particular one he had was carrying a balance of two hundred million dollars.

The warden was still with him, watching Ethan’s every move.

“I should see the old man to thank him” Ethan mentioned.

“The chairman is gone, Ethan”

His eyes widened in disbelief, shock settling on his features. “Gone? What do you mean? He was still there before I was taken from the cell this morning”

Sinclair nodded once. “He was bailed the instant you were taken out ând he left these for you. He said the gifts are a closing of a chapter. No visits, no thank-yous. Just live”

Ethan drew in a long breath. He studied the ring for the umpteenth time. He knew what it was… what it meant. This ring was key. It held too much power, too much influence in the coasts.

It commanded a network that could topple a small nation.

“I better make the most of it then”

Sinclair alighted the vehicle, leaving Ethan in care of the rest of the lined up guards.

“See to it that he settles well into his new life” Sinclair gives his order to the guards who in turn, inclined their heads in acknowledgement.

~~~The Boston Penthouse~~~

Sarah sat in front of the mirror, brushing her hair in slow movements. She is clad in a red lingerie, a half empty bottle of wine sat on the surface of the dresser.

Satisfied with the job done on her hair, she turned around, a smile lighting up her face

“Today is such a happy day!” She exclaimed, jumping into the arms of Julian Vance who laid half naked on the bed.

He stroked her hair tenderly. “Yeah baby. It is.”

“I signed the final papers. My ex husband is more like a ghost to me now. He’s probably rotting in that cell, dreaming of a life he’ll never have again”

Julian ran a thumb over her jawline, a smile equally touching his lips. “Good. A woman of your relevance should not be weighed down by a loser like him. He will only be a stain to your reputation”

“I made sure to let him understand that” she said proudly. She sucked in her lower lips. “So my reward?”

Julian smirked in amusement. “You’ll never let it slide, will you” he teased. “Fine. We sign the papers tomorrow and officially welcome you as a new partner of the Vance’s empire”

Sarah beamed yet again, her heart swelling with so much joy at the made decision. This family was big. Bigger than Ethan Wilder’s who is just a useless, convict. Julian is giving her something Ethan would never afford to give her in his life time

Julian rolled her over in a way that his body covered hers. “How about we forget the good for nothing ex husband and focus on us” he murmured, trailing soft kisses on her neck line.

She squirmed underneath his weight, wrapping her arms around to bring him closer. “Yes. I totally agree” she whispered.