Ethan took a shower and dressed in his usual outfit, which looked no better than rags. As he moved closer to the mirror to fix his hair, thoughts of Sophia flooded his mind.
"Where could Sophia be? Why would she run away at a time like this? Isn't her family supposed to be the safest place for her right now? There's something I need to find out because I don't understand why she left when they're in trouble. But I won't judge her—not yet. I don't know what really happened."
Muttering to himself, he turned to the bed and picked up his shabby-looking bag.
Ethan walked down the hallway, his footsteps deliberate, careful not to draw attention. Stepping outside, he flagged down a taxi and got in.
Not far away, Elisabeth was driving toward the hotel when she spotted Ethan entering the cab.
*"Where is he going? There's something off about this guy… acting poor, yet always finding a way to be in the middle of
everything. I need to keep an eye on him."* She muttered to herself and decided to follow the taxi at a safe distance.
Ethan arrived at the Caldwell residence and stepped out of the cab. Elisabeth parked nearby, watching as he walked up to the door and knocked. A moment later, Lila opened it.
"Good… good morning," Ethan greeted with a slightly hesitant voice. "Is Mr. Caldwell—"
Before he could finish his sentence, Lila turned away without responding and headed back upstairs.
Inside, Mr. Caldwell sat on the couch in the living room, just waking from a brief nap. His eyes were red and weary.
"Good morning, sir," Ethan greeted as he approached.
"Ethan. Welcome. Come, sit next to me," Mr. Caldwell said, adjusting his posture to make space.
"How's your health, sir?" Ethan asked as he took a seat.
"I'm better now," Mr. Caldwell replied with a small, tired smile.
Reaching for a file on the table, he handed it to Ethan.
"Take a look at this. I don't know if you'll be able to help me figure something out," he said. "It was submitted to me last night."
Ethan took the file and flipped through the pages. His expression darkened.
"The company's demand rate has dropped significantly," he noted, raising an eyebrow.
"Yes. We've fallen from an 80–90% demand rate to barely 15–20%. I can't understand why. I don't believe James is capable of affecting our numbers this drastically—not so suddenly." Mr. Caldwell's voice was heavy with frustration.
"Was there any change in product quality?" Ethan asked, scanning the documents.
"Not exactly… I only instructed them to manage the materials carefully so we could produce more products and increase revenue," Mr. Caldwell explained.
Ethan closed the file and held it in his lap.
"That's not the right move at this point," he said calmly. "Do you still have enough materials to continue production?"
"Yes, but only for about two weeks. And even that won't generate the kind of money I need. A friend of mine lent me money to purchase equipment, but I had to use it to cover other urgent expenses. I was hoping the company's profits would help me pay for the equipment in time, but with the current demand drop, that's impossible." Mr. Caldwell sighed deeply, rubbing his temples.
Ethan's gaze sharpened.
"Call them. Tell them to stop work for now," he said.
Mr. Caldwell looked at him, confused. "Hmm?"
"Stop production for today," Ethan repeated. "This won't get you the money you need, and if you keep pushing forward like this, you'll just face more losses in the end."
Mr. Caldwell hesitated for a moment before exhaling another sigh.
"Alright… but when will they resume work?" He picked up his phone, feeling like a man who had already lost everything and was merely grasping at one last chance.
"Tomorrow. But we'll start in a new direction," Ethan said confidently.
Still uncertain, Mr. Caldwell dialed the company.
"Hello, stop all work for today. Everyone will resume tomorrow." His tone was firm.
"Sir?" The manager sounded shocked.
"You heard me. I need to correct some things. Follow my instructions."
"…Understood, sir." The assistant manager, currently in charge, responded before the call ended.
Mr. Caldwell turned back to Ethan. "So, what's your plan now?"
Ethan was silent for a moment before answering.
"Tomorrow, we go to the company together. The product quality was already good, but now, we'll make it even better—maybe even the best. That way, we'll attract newer companies looking to grow. We'll offer them products at a discounted rate to gain their trust. Once they see the value, more companies will want to partner with us."
Mr. Caldwell frowned. "But that will take time. I told you, I need money in two weeks. Won't your plan take months, even years, to show results?"
Ethan leaned forward, his voice steady. "How much do you need exactly?"
"At least $2 billion. I've saved half of it, but that's not enough. I was counting on this company's earnings to cover the rest. If I can secure even part of the equipment contract, they'll be able to keep working while I find a way to raise more funds."
Ethan nodded. "Alright, then. I need that $1 billion you've saved."
Mr. Caldwell stiffened. "What? Do you realize I only have two weeks to make this work?" His voice tightened with anxiety, and he coughed.
"Relax. Yes, I know. But this might be the only real chance you have." Ethan's tone remained calm and resolute. "We start tomorrow. No more delays—unless you don't trust me."
Silence filled the room as Mr. Caldwell processed Ethan's words.
Finally, he sighed. "Alright. It's not like I have a choice. I just hope this works."
"It will," Ethan assured him. "Trust the process."
"Okay." Mr. Caldwell nodded.
Unbeknownst to them, Lila was standing on the staircase, listening to every word. Her expression twisted in anger.
"So, my dad has a billion dollars saved, yet when I asked him for money, he insulted me and told me to get a job—just like David. He kept comparing me to Sophia, saying she never asked him for money, that everything he gave her was just a gift. But now, he's trusting that poor guy Ethan with his money? What if this is just a scheme to steal from him?"
Lila clenched her fists, muttering bitterly to herself.
Ethan and Mr. Caldwell agreed to meet the next day and head to the company. Ethan took some documents with him to review.
"Alright, sir. Take care. My regards to Mrs. Caldwell as well," Ethan said with a smile as he prepared to leave.
"Okay, Ethan. Though I haven't seen her since I was discharged from the hospital a few days ago, I'll deliver your message when she returns," Mr. Caldwell replied, trying to maintain a normal tone.
"What? Your wife isn't home? Where did she go?" Ethan asked, surprised. But he quickly realized it was a family matter. If he wanted to ask, he should do so more formally.
"Don't worry, she'll be back," Mr. Caldwell said with a small smile before turning toward his room, leaving Ethan to see himself out.
Ethan, dressed in his usual shabby attire, dusted off his trousers and walked out the door.
From the staircase, Lila, who had been eavesdropping on their conversation, finally stepped down. She opened the door slightly and watched Ethan as he left.
Suddenly, a car pulled up, and Elisabeth called out to Ethan. He spotted her from across the street, his brows furrowing.
"What is this lady doing here?" he wondered as he walked toward her.
Elisabeth stepped out of the car and faced him.
Without a word, Ethan studied her before finally speaking. "Why did you follow me here?" His expression was unreadable.
"I didn't mean…" Elisabeth started but trailed off when she noticed Lila standing outside, arms folded, watching them.
Without warning, Elisabeth stepped closer to Ethan, wrapped her arms around his neck, and before he could react, pulled his head down and kissed him.
For a brief moment, Ethan stood frozen. When she pulled away, he looked at her in confusion.
"What was that for?" he asked, his brows furrowing.
"Come on, let me take you to the hotel," she said smoothly, opening the car door for him.
Still baffled, Ethan hesitated before getting into the car. She picked up the files he was holding, then moved to the driver's seat, a satisfied smile on her lips.
Lila, watching from the doorway, let out a small chuckle before heading back inside.
As Elisabeth drove, Ethan turned to her with a serious expression. "Why would you kiss me like that? What if someone sees us and thinks there's something between us?"
"Oh, come on. You don't have to worry about anything," she said, a teasing grin playing on her lips.
Ethan narrowed his eyes, suspicious. What is she up to? he wondered, though he didn't dwell on it too much.
"Just so you know, we're not dating, and you can't just kiss me like that," he said firmly.
Elisabeth said nothing, keeping her focus on the road, her smile never fading.
"How do I go about this? Should I just use my own money to get everything done and sort this out once and for all?
But if I do that, Mr. Caldwell will suspect something. He'll wonder where I got the funds. And I can't afford to let anyone uncover my true identity—not yet, not while this mission is still underway."
Ethan clenched his fists, deep in thought, weighing his options carefully.