Chapter 7 Your Husband Is Here

"Since you won't take the easy way, we'll have to do this the hard way. Alright then, boys, take action! Ms. Smith made it very clear that anyone pretending to be her husband is to be beaten until they can't stand. 150 dollars to each of us for every impostor we take down!" Zemo Quinton shouted, his tone brimming with authority. Upon seeing that Ethan had no intention of backing away, he grew more assertive, almost eager for the fight to begin. The security guards, fired up by the promise of reward, practically buzzed with excitement. They locked their predatory gazes on Ethan as if he were an animal trapped in their sight, ready to pounce at any moment. "Stop this immediately!" A deep, commanding voice sounded just as Zemo and the others prepared to make their move. The sudden interruption caused the men to halt and turn toward the source of the voice. At this moment, an elderly man in his early fifties, full of energy and dressed in a black formal suit, approached briskly. "Mr. Jared!" Zemo saw the man and pointed at Ethan, his voice tinged with frustration. "This guy claims to be Ms. Smith's husband and even tried to force his way inside. We were just stopping him!" Jared Luigey gave a small nod of acknowledgment before directing his sharp gaze at Ethan. With deliberate steps, he approached until he was standing directly in front of him. His piercing eyes scanned Ethan from head to toe as if trying to strip away every layer of pretense with his penetrating scrutiny. At the same time, an invisible pressure radiated from him, a palpable aura of dominance designed to intimidate. But Ethan remained utterly unshaken. His calm demeanor was unyielding, and his lips curved into a faint, almost nonchalant smile. It was as if Jared's powerful presence didn't exist. "You're Ethan Cole?" Jared finally spoke, his tone laced with curiosity and a hint of disbelief. He had expected this young man to flinch under his presence, but the unwavering composure before him was unexpected. "Yes," Ethan replied calmly. "Prove it." Ethan pulled out the marriage contract from his coat pocket. Jared glanced at it briefly, immediately recognizing its authenticity. With a calm but meaningful tone, he addressed Ethan, "Follow me inside. Ms. Smith has been waiting for you for quite some time." As he spoke, he couldn't help but reflect inwardly. If Rebecca finally saw Ethan, there was no doubt she would be beside herself with shock or perhaps disbelief. Outside, the security guards standing beside Zemo exchanged incredulous looks. One of them broke the silence, his voice laced with disbelief," Zemo, this can't be real, can it?" Another guard chimed in, equally dumbfounded. "You don't think he's actually Ms. Smith's husband, do you?" "My goddess…" another guard muttered, clutching his head as though grappling with some cosmic injustice. "How is this even possible?" "It's like the heavens are blind," someone else whispered, a tinge of bitterness in his tone. As they watched Ethan follow Jared into the villa, the security guards by Zemo's side let out heavy sighs. Zemo also sighed deeply, muttering under his breath, "Comparing yourself to others will only drive you crazy." After all, so many wealthy young heirs had chased after Rebecca for years, throwing their status, charm, and riches at her feet. Yet not a single one had succeeded. And now, out of nowhere, this random man had shown up, claiming to be her husband. If this news spread, how many hearts would it shatter? He grumbled inwardly. What's so special about him? How much luck would someone need to accumulate over lifetimes to marry Ms. Smith? His ancestors' graves must be practically smoking with fortune. … Inside the villa, Ethan followed Jared into the expansive main hall. Sitting on a couch was Rebecca. She held a script in her hands, and she seemed absorbed in her reading. Jared approached her and spoke respectfully, "Ms. Smith, he's here." "Who? Who's here?" Rebecca set the script aside and asked. "Your husband. I'm here." After she finished speaking, Ethan, standing nearby, laughed and said. Hearing the voice, she froze momentarily, her mind struggling to connect the dots. She turned her head slowly, her gaze landing on Ethan. Her expression instantly darkened, and it felt as though the world had flipped upside down. "You!" "Ahhh!" Her sharp, frustrated screams echoed throughout the villa. "Mr. Jared!" She called out, her voice quivering with disbelief. "Have you investigated this? Are you certain it's him?" Jared nodded solemnly. "Ms. Smith, he has the marriage contract. It seems legitimate." "No way!" Her hands balled into fists, her body tense as if every nerve was ready to snap. "It has to be fake!" "It's unlikely to be fake," Jared replied, understanding her growing distress. Truthfully, even he found the situation absurd. In his mind, Ethan was worlds apart from the sophisticated and accomplished Rebecca. They were like polar opposites. Seated comfortably on the plush living room couch, Ethan popped another snack into his mouth, chewing leisurely. Once he had swallowed, he wiped his hands on a napkin and looked at her with a carefree grin. "Come on, darling, just accept it. This was all decided by your parents, with the matchmaker sealing the deal. I even proposed to you myself! Who knew you'd actually turn out to be my wife? Fate works in mysterious ways, doesn't it?" "Fate, my *ss!" Her face darkened on the spot. No matter how many scenarios she had imagined, nothing could have prepared her for this. The man her family had chosen as her husband turned out to be none other than Ethan. In her eyes, he was nothing short of a complete scoundrel. This was the same man who had once shamelessly flirted with her and, to make matters worse, had even served time in prison. A man with such a disgraceful history couldn't possibly be up to any good. There was no version of this story where she could accept such an outcome. Ethan simply shrugged with an infuriatingly casual smile. "Well, what can I say? Sometimes, fate just works in mysterious ways. Honestly, though, marrying a handsome guy like me? You could do a lot worse." That was the final straw for her. She nearly exploded on the spot. "Mr. Jared!" she shouted, turning to Jared, who stood quietly nearby. "Get this shameless man out of my sight, right now!" Jared hesitated, his expression conflicted as he stepped forward and bowed slightly. "Ms. Smith," he said softly, "I'm afraid I cannot do that. Old Mr. Smith specifically instructed me to ensure that Mr. Cole remained here, no matter what." I'll call Grandpa myself! If I'm forced to marry this infuriating man, I swear it'll take years off my life!" she shouted wildly. Without waiting for a reply, she grabbed her phone and furiously punched in the number. The moment the call connected, her grievances burst forth like a dam breaking. "Grandpa! I refuse to marry him! He's a terrible person, a scoundrel, and completely shameless! Just the thought of being tied to him makes my blood boil. If I have to marry him, I'll lose decades of my life!" On the other end of the line, her grandfather's voice came through, calm but firm. "Rebecca, calm down. You haven't even spent time with Ethan. How can you be so sure he's a bad person? Besides, this marriage agreement was something I arranged years ago. It's not so simple to just tear it up." Rebecca's frustration boiled over. "No, Grandpa! We can compensate him with money and tear up this marriage agreement. Otherwise, I swear it'll be the end of me!"