"Forget it…"
After Lucas left, Ethan upgraded the English and billiards skills he had copied to intermediate level. In his estimation, basic-level skills were enough to get by in any field, but intermediate-level skills placed him among the very best. In billiards, he could now face professional players without being outmatched.
It hit him that he had essentially spent the fifty to sixty thousand dollars Lucas had stolen from him to gain two high-value skills—skills Lucas had now completely lost. The thought made Ethan's anger ebb, replaced with a grim satisfaction. Still, when he thought of Grace—or the fake Grace—he felt a pang. She had been his "girlfriend" for over six months, and this betrayal wasn't much different from a painful breakup.
But now, with the ability to copy skills, he wasn't about to wallow in heartbreak.
He slipped on the clothes Lucas had brought and prepared to leave the hospital. Earlier, during the nurse's check-up, he had confirmed that he was in perfect condition.
The nurse spotted him getting dressed. "Hey, you shouldn't get up. You still need to rest."
"Perfect timing," Ethan said. "I'm leaving. I'm fine. No point wasting time and resources staying here."
"Wait a moment—Mrs. Harrison is coming soon. She wants to thank you in person."
"The boy's mother? That's not necessary." Ethan grabbed his phone and moved toward the door.
Before he reached it, the door swung open. A glamorous woman, around twenty-eight or twenty-nine, stepped inside. She was stunning—long hair, striking features, and a poise that radiated confidence. Her white fitted blouse and black pencil skirt accentuated her figure, the image of a successful businesswoman.
"Mrs. Harrison, you came just in time," the nurse said quickly. "He's trying to discharge himself, and I can't convince him to stay."
"You're still recovering. Why are you leaving?" she asked, puzzled.
Before today, Ethan might have looked away shyly under her gaze. But now, knowing what he could do, he met her eyes without flinching. "I'm fine. It was just a minor injury. I just graduated, and I need to get back to work."
"Just graduated?" she repeated. "Then don't worry. I'll give you some money as thanks for saving my son. Stay here and rest. If you lose your job because of this, I can arrange for you to join my company. Ten thousand dollars a month to start."
Ethan shook his head. "No need." He had been raised to earn what he had and never accept something that wasn't his. That hadn't changed.
Mrs. Harrison studied him, then said casually, "One million dollars."
"I said, no need," Ethan replied, his tone firm.
She frowned. "Two million. Enough to buy a house in the city and have money left over."
Ethan turned to walk past her without a word.
Her voice sharpened. "Five million dollars. That's my final offer."
The nurse's eyes went wide—five million was more than many people earned in a lifetime. Even Ethan felt a flicker of temptation. But it passed as quickly as it came.
He turned back to her. "Mrs. Harrison, I saved your son without expecting anything in return. I'm not a beggar, and I don't need charity. Yes, I'm fresh out of college and short on money, but I can earn it myself. If you really feel you must repay me, donate the money to charity."
He walked out, leaving the nurse speechless and Mrs. Harrison frowning in thought.
"This man is interesting," she murmured. "Nurse, get me his file."
Outside, Ethan planned to test his skill-copying ability in a crowded place. Before he could, his dorm mate Gavin called, voice slurred. "Bro, I… I got dumped. Come drink with me at the Three Sisters Restaurant…"
In their dorm, three of them were computer science majors. Only Lucas was from the foreign languages department, placed with them because there was space.
When Ethan arrived, Gavin was already drunk, treating liquor like water. Ethan grabbed the bottle. "Stop. You'll kill yourself."
As he steadied him, Ethan checked—no useful skills. Not even basic programming. Lucas, for all his flaws, really had been talented.
Gavin rambled bitterly about women, money, and reality. Ethan listened, his own thoughts drifting back to Grace. He paid the bill and hauled Gavin outside.
A gust of wind hit, and Gavin doubled over, vomiting. The stench made Ethan cover his nose.
A black Rolls-Royce pulled up. A young woman in shorts and a white T-shirt stepped out, covering her nose as she passed them to enter a convenience store.
Gavin snorted. "A car like that costs millions. Either she's with some rich guy or she sells herself."
Ethan almost argued but knew it was pointless in Gavin's state. He nodded along—until a cold voice spoke from behind.
"Who did you say was for sale?"
Ethan froze and turned. His eyes locked on the woman, and his breath caught.
She looked exactly like Grace from the photos Lucas had used.