As Charles was about to get in his car, Mr. Rider grabbed his shoulder, causing Charles to stop in his step and glance back at him, his brows furrowing together."What is this?!" Mr. Rider asked."What is what? Your son not only committed infidelity with Nina, but he also had the guts to kidnap her. Haha, you know, your family is really daring, allowing your bastard to humiliate mine in such a disrespectful manner." Charles said, eyeing Mr. Rider's hand on his shoulder, and when he noticed his glare, he pulled his hand off Charles.For a moment, Mr. Rider studied his eyes with a straight face and then scoffed, "You young people these days are so indecisive. How can you clutch on to both sisters.."When a glance of fear crossed Charles's eyes, he frowned at him and said, "Remember, my daughter is Savannah, Dana's best friend. I knew a long time ago that you were playing both sisters and said nothing because, well, it's not my business. But now, you are dragging my family reputation in
For the longest Ethan swallowed nervously and then forced himself to stay calm and keep a poker face on. However, the chief didn't seem amused by his calm demeanor, and when Ethan met his gaze, he saw him glaring at him coldly. "Your father wants to speak with you. Let's hope he can talk sense into your head." Then without saying another word, he exited the room.With the door shutting behind him, Ethan let out the breath as his eyebrows knitted together slightly, wondering what his father wanted.A couple of minutes later, the door opened again and Mr. Rider entered the room alone, walking straight towards him and taking a seat on the other side."I have played it your way, and now it's time for you to play it mine," he said and looked at Ethan with an angry scowl. "You have to let the girl go. That's the only way I can make this right and save your own damn life."When Ethan just watched him from the corner of his eyes, Mr. Rider continued talking, “You may think that the Walkers a
The news about Ethan's arrest was all over the news, and Drak along with his gang sat in the living room of Mr. Hester's shop, watching television, and the moment they heard Nina's voice, they all started fighting over the remote to switch it off. But the device kept slipping through their fingers until finally it hit the ground, falling at Nina's feet, and they all looked up at her with this nervous smiles, but her focus was glued to the screen, where she read out the words, 'Ethan Rider got arrested yesterday for not only the charges of assaulting Charles Walker but also kidnapping Nina Simone, the soon-to-be daughter-in-law of the Walker family.""This is all that ass, Charles' fault. Why can't he just stick to Dana and leave me the heck alone." Nina mumbled, tearing up from the frustration she felt."It's reported that the illegitimate son of Mr. Rider spent the night in prison and no bond has been made for him yet-" "I can't do this! It's clear that Charles is doing this to get
When Mr. Hester finally entered the office, he saw a very intimidating man sitting behind the desk and he instantly felt his chest constricting in fear.The moment Chief Rasch raised his gaze and their eyes connected, Mr. Hester felt a rush of nervousness and blurted out, "I am here concerning Ethan Rider's bill."Chief Rasch's face turned into a dark scowl and said, "Sit."When he pointed to the chair, Mr. Hester hesitated, but he did as he was told and sat down quickly.Then Chief Rasch's eyes locked on him again and he asked with deadly intent dripping from every syllable he spat out, "Who are you to the prisoner?""I just want to know how much his bond is and what's the process of billing him out." Mr. Hester said, knowing that he had Nina living with him, and he didn't want to give out too much of his information before they started digging into him too.Suddenly, Chief Rasch dropped his pen and clasped his hands together, and his expression softened. He leaned toward Mr. Hester
"Hey! Rider, get up!" An officer called out from behind the bars, beating his baton against the metal. The sound rang throughout the empty cell, and after sleeping in the station for two days, last night alone in a cell was supposed to be peaceful and quiet. But Ethan's mind was awake the whole time, and his heart felt as restless as his mind did. He couldn't sleep, so instead he just stared at the ceiling. Why was Mr. Hester unable to bill him out had been weighing heavy on Ethan's shoulders all night and even now. "Get up!" The officer shouted. When Ethan remained unmoving, he hit the metal bars again with his baton. "What are you doing?" He growled. "I said get up!"His words fell on deaf ears, and he grew really pissed as he unlocked the door and shoved himself through, matching toward Ethan.Then he grabbed Ethan's shirt collar and lifted him off of the floor, then slammed him back onto the bed. But the only reaction he got was when Ethan asked, "Why did you guys change my c
The van came to a stop in front a white building that looked too clean and isolated for Ethan's comfort the moment he stepped out of the car and into the light. His eyelids squeezed shut as he breathed deeply, feeling the air fill his lungs as he exhaled slowly, before opening his eyes again and adjusting his gaze onto the building before him, as he noticed that it resembled some sort of warehouse... or facility to be more precise. As he walked further inside the large structure with the officers, he couldn't help but notice how quiet it seemed to be, aside from the occasional chirping bird somewhere in the distance and the sound of his own footsteps echoing in the hallway.The guards led him to an elevator, pressing the button a few times, and when the metal doors parted open, he was pushed into the elevator and the officers joined him before one of them punched codes on the panel beside the lift door and the elevator started moving downwards. It was silent for the entire ride do
When Mr. Hester arrived at the front of the police station, he stood outside for the longest, wondering how to break the news to Ethan that he had been to numerous law firms and not a single lawyer was willing to represent him in the case.Mr. Hester stared blankly at the entrance of the precinct and wondered if he should go back home, not wanting to bear the look of disappointment Ethan would have in his eyes.But he needed to find out what to do next, and he couldn't figure that out alone. He needed Ethan's input, so, he pushed aside the fear and headed into the building.When he got into the lobby, he saw a guy behind the desk, instead of the lady he met the other day, and he approached him.When the officer saw him, he smiled faintly at Mr. Hester's greeting and asked, "Hello. Can I help you?"Taking a second to compose himself, Mr. Hester sighed deeply and said, "Uh, yeah... I am here to see Ethan... Ethan Rider."Immediately, the officer's smile slowly disappeared as his face gr
News about Ethan's situation had reached the others, and the next morning, Drak and his men were sitting around the table, frustrated that Ethan had not even taught them a thing and there was a possibility that he could die. "How about we stage a prison break." One of them said while drinking coffee from the steaming mug. As his brows arched, Drak slapped the back of his head and said, "We are just common thugs. Do you think we have the skill for a prison break? Huh!" They grew silence at his words, and Drak was about to speak again when Mr. Hester walked into the room, and they all turned their focus on him with this look of expectation. But the old man joined them at the table with a sigh, and they all just sat wallowing in the awkwardness. "Where is Nina?" Mr. Hester asked them, ignoring the looks. "She hasn't left her room since yesterday," Drak answered. Sadness washed over him and his brows lowered as he said, "That poor girl. I should make some bowl of hot ramen to mak
When Nina slapped Ethan's face, his eyes opened wide, and then he blinked back the sleep, feeling the weight of her hand on his face.Slowly, he lifted her hand off his nose and mouth and rested it on the bed, watching her as she slept peacefully.A smile crept slowly onto his lips, and he stared at her for a moment longer before turning away, and standing up from bed.Silently, he moved across the room, the morning chill making goosebumps rise on his skin. Shirtless, he glanced out of the window, the sight of the sun rising in the distance bringing a sense of calm and purpose. Then with a deep breath, he retrieved his phone and dialed Avan’s number."I need a favor," Ethan said the moment Avan picked up on the second ring.After yawning in his ear, Avan's voice, tinged with a hint of curiosity, responded on the other end, "It's pretty early for favors, brother. What do you need?"For a moment, Ethan hesitated considering his words carefully before he spoke. "I need someone to keep Do
The sleek black Uber came to a smooth stop, its engine purring softly as Drak gracefully emerged from the vehicle. Tracy, her arms crossed tightly over her chest, stood there, her expression a medley of disapproval and impatience. As her eyes fell upon Drak, stepping out with an air of confidence, her features contorted, forming a scowl that threatened to unleash her wrath upon him."You're early!" Tracy's voice rang out, laced with irritation, as she scrutinized him with disapproving eyes.Drak paused before her, his gaze locked with hers, unfazed by the displeasure radiating from her every pore. "You say that like it's a bad thing," he retorted.The muscles on Tracy's face clenched, preparing to release the storm of her fury upon him for his audacity. However, her eyes drifted to the bandage wrapped tightly around Drak's head, and a wave of unexpected anxiety washed over her. In that moment, she couldn't help but take a deep breath, her anger shortly diffused."The only job I could
Darting his eyes to the right, Ethan noticed three guys, coming towards them with menacing intentions etched on their faces. They moved with purpose, their strides purposeful and confident. With a quick flick of his gaze to the left, he saw another four dudes, equally as intimidating, closing in on them. The air grew thick with tension as their aggressive energy filled the bar, suffocating the peace that had previously lingered in the place.Turning away from the bartender, Ethan locked his gaze straight ahead, assessing the remaining six men, who were inching closer with every passing second. At that moment, Ethan's adrenaline surged through his veins, heightening his senses and sharpening his focus. His training had taught him to remain calm in the face of danger, to assess the situation, and to plan his next move. With a steely determination, he locked his gaze straight ahead, refusing to show any sign of fear or vulnerability.The remaining six men closed in, their footsteps ech
There was this hesitant look in Tracy's eyes as she gazed at Drak, his bloodstained face and hand, and the blood dripping from his hair. Her gaze shifted from his face to his shoulder and then settled on the bottle beside him. "You swear on your mother's life that if I get you this job, you wouldn't report this incident and pretend like I never knew you?" She asked, her eyes boring into his.Stunned for a second, Drak nodded, his heart racing with hope. "I swear," he said, his voice barely above a whisper.Tracy sighed, her eyes softening. "Fine. I'll see what I can do. But you better not mess this up, or I'll make sure you regret it.""I promise," Drak said.With a sigh, she reached into her bag. "Wait for my call tomorrow, and get yourself fixed before showing your face." She let out, and then took out her hand, tossing a few bucks on the floor. "Use that."Looking at the floor and the money scattered about, Drak's eyes darkened, but he didn't dare raise his head as he fought to c
Ethan's heart raced as he took one last glance at Nina. He knew he had to leave her out of all of these things because of her safety, but the thought of keeping things from her made his chest ache. With a heavy sigh, he stepped out of the room and closed the door behind him, the sound echoing through the empty hallway.Drak stood in front of him, his expression unreadable. They stood in silence for a moment, the weight of their mission heavy on their shoulders. Finally, Ethan broke the silence."What about London Hale?" he asked, his voice barely above a whisper.Drak's eyes flickered with a hint of amusement. "Ah, yes, Hale. The last time we spoke, you needed a way into his facility, and information on the bone marrow he stole from you..."The name alone sent shivers down Ethan’s spine. The last time they crossed paths, he had barely escaped with his life.He then nodded, his mind racing with memories of the painful procedure he had endured at Hale's hands.Drak's eyes flickered with
The moment Mr. Rider walked into the dining room, it grew silent, no one daring to look up. He dragged out a chair and sat down heavily. His eyes immediately fell upon his Savannah, and she felt his gaze on her, but she didn't dare look up from the plate of food in front of her. "Savannah, I need all your car keys and your credit cards, and you should stay away from public eyes for the time being." Mr. Rider said with this unsettling calmness. Anger bubbled inside Savannah as she heard him address her like a child, and she tried not to lash out, saying, "Seriously! You are grounding me! Father, I am not a kid anymore. You can't-" "You live under my roof and earn from my money, you abide by the rules." Mr. Rider interrupted his voice hard. The rest of the family looked up at him, but before they could utter a word, he added, "If anyone thinks that I am being unfair, you can join her in her punishment." A pin drop could make a loud sound once those words left his lips, and for a
Holding her eyes captive in his calm gaze, Ethan watched her, his lips slightly twitching and yet no words leaving them, causing Madam Rider to command, “Answer me!” Not a spark of fear showed in Ethan's eyes, and Madam Rider knew he wasn't the same... he wasn't the boy who showed up at their mansion desperate for a job, the boy that trembled at the sound of her voice, that took the insults, the abuse, and he definitely wasn't just a bastard and a servant... Something had changed about his aura, how he carried himself, the confidence that he held in her presence, and the way he looked, and talked. How his eyes were clear and steady, his face expressionless, his tone indifferent. It was so unlike the Ethan she knew... "How?" Ethan finally said. "What?" Madam Rider replied. Lowering his eyelids slightly, he held his silence, causing a look of frustration to flicker in her eyes. "Explain to me how I could make all of this happen," Ethan said, an expression finally showing on his
10:00The party had grown even more lively, classical music still playing in the background, and everyone was enjoying themselves without a care in the world.There were so many familiar faces there that Ethan remembered from his and Nina’s wedding ceremony, and the way they were side-eyeing them now and whispering took him back to that day, and he clutched his fist tightly.10:10The ballroom suddenly grew this immediate tense energy as more guests started entering the hall one after the other, catching the attention of the others.It was a bunch of guys, young, and handsome, all walking into the room, and Nina stared after them, wondering who they were because she had been in the elite circle in the past, for a long while, and none of these faces, she could recognize.But her confusion soon faded when she stared up at Ethan, and saw the way he looked at these men with such a strange glint in his eyes.“Who are they?” Nina asked, not understanding why he was staring, but knowing that
As he stared at Ethan, Mr. Rider felt cornered, knowing that denying him would only lead to an explanation and more questions, and he didn't want to ruin the perfect image he had portrayed to the Hallow. He needed his reputation to stay faultless, and Ethan had the power to ruin so much. "Son, Nina, you guys are finally back. Two years have treated you two well, it seems." Mr. Rider said as he smiled weakly. "How about we catch up more tomorrow? As you can see, it's your sister's engagement ceremony, and tonight, it should be all about her and her fiance. Won't you agree?" It was clear what Mr. Rider was doing with his words, and Ethan could read the threat that lingered in his stares. "Of course, tonight is all about my beautiful sister. She is the true star of the show." Ethan answered, smiling at him as he saw the slight twitch in his eye. As the waiter was passing by him, he reached into the tray, grabbed a glass of champagne, and took a sip, ignoring the way Mr. Rider tried