Chapter 1: The Cold Sylvia Johnson_1

"Babe, hurry up! My husband's going to be back soon!"

Inside the luxurious villa, Ethan Smith stood at the bedroom door, overhearing the anxious voice from inside.

That voice was unmistakably familiar to him; it belonged to his wife, Sylvia Johnson.

"He's a useless loser. So what if he comes back? Even if he sees us, he'll just have to swallow it!" A gruff male voice rang out, piercing Ethan's ears.

Ethan stood frozen at the door, his entire body trembling uncontrollably.

*Rage was boiling up within him, threatening to rob him of his sanity.*

With a loud "bang,"

his bloodshot eyes flashed as he kicked the door wide open!

Inside the room, there they were—a man and a woman, alone together, disheveled and half-dressed.

Seeing Sylvia's submissive pose on the bed made Ethan seethe with rage; his tears betrayed him, trailing freely down his cheeks.

"Sylvia! Why would you do this to me?" Ethan's gaze was wrought with pain; his teeth clenched as he stared her down with unrelenting fury.

A flicker of panic flashed in Sylvia's eyes, but it quickly evaporated.

It was replaced with a chilling look of indifference.

"Well, since you caught us, there's no point in hiding anymore," Sylvia sneered.

"Why? Why would you treat me this way? Three years. I've spent three years in your Johnson family, living like less than a dog! If you told me to squat, I wouldn't dare to stand. And yet—and yet you would still betray me!"

Ethan's voice nearly broke into a scream as he roared this accusation, his face drenched in tears.

Sylvia let out a cold laugh and said, "Someone like you—an absolute nobody—how could any woman ever love that?"

Then, she shifted her gaze to the muscular man by her side.

"Do you know who he is? Gary Brown, of the Brown family! Truth be told, we've been together in secret for a long time now. If it weren't for Grandpa insisting we stay married, I would've kicked you out ages ago!" Sylvia's eyes gleamed with disdain as she smirked.

Gary snorted and chimed in, "Quit wasting time telling this loser anything. There's no way he can comprehend the Brown family, let alone The Taylor Family of the Capital City."

Ethan's face twisted into a bitter smile.

*Although he didn't know much about business, he was at least aware of the Taylor family from the Capital City.*

*Recently, all of River City's media had been buzzing about them. It would've been hard for him not to know.*

Looking at Sylvia's stunning yet utterly cold face, Ethan couldn't help but let out quiet sobs.

"For three years, I've served you—I've served you like a dog. Even dogs develop feelings after a while..." Ethan choked, sobbing uncontrollably.

Sylvia sneered, "You? You're worse than a dog."

Gary broke into mocking laughter, "Idiot, if you know what's good for you, just pretend you didn't see anything today. The three of us can still live together happily, and you can even keep serving your goddess like you've been doing."

"But if you don't know what's good for you, pack up your things and get out." Gary's demeanor was lofty and commanding, as though he were the master of the house.

*Ethan felt a crushing sense of powerlessness.*

*When Sylvia's grandfather, Bill Johnson—obsessed with divination at the time—insisted Ethan would bring good fortune to the family, Ethan had been taken in as a live-in son-in-law.*

*For three years, Ethan endured humiliation. Apart from Bill Johnson, no one in the Johnson family ever respected him.*

*This only deepened his insecurity, driving him to placate the family incessantly, terrified of offending anyone.*

*But in the end, all his efforts had led to this bitter reality.*

*"I really am a worthless fool," Ethan muttered to himself with self-deprecation.*

"Three years of this. Maybe it's time I grew a spine, don't you think?" Ethan fixed his gaze on the shameless couple in front of him. His eyes suddenly took on a sinister gleam.

"What, are you mad now?" Gary noticed the look in Ethan's eyes but remained utterly unfazed, his expression brimming with mockery.

Ethan's glare didn't waver. Seizing his resolve, he clenched his fists and gritted his teeth. "You piece of garbage—I'm coming for you!"

With that, Ethan lunged at Gary with all his might!

But a man like Ethan, frail and utterly lacking in physical strength, was no match at all.

Before even landing a blow, Gary effortlessly sent Ethan sprawling onto the ground with one swift kick.

The searing pain in his abdomen made standing up almost impossible for Ethan.

"Damn it, how dare a useless piece of scum like you swing at me?" Gary roared in anger.

He stormed toward Ethan, pummeling and kicking him relentlessly.

*This pushed Ethan to the brink of despair.*

He lay motionless on the cold floor, taking blow after blow without resistance.

*"What a pathetic existence I lead," Ethan mused bitterly, cradling his head.*

*"I can't even avenge myself—is living even worth it for me?" Ethan's eyes began to glaze over with hopelessness.*

The unrelenting assault left his mouth smeared with blood.

"Enough, enough. Beating up this loser is beneath you," Sylvia cooed, pulling Gary away sweetly.

Gary spat on Ethan's face for good measure and pointed to the door. "Get out of here now, or I'll kill you!"

Ethan struggled to rise from the ground, dragging himself step by step toward the exit.

*Hatred burned in his heart—for this vile pair of adulterers. But more than anything, he loathed his own weakness, his failure to exact justice.*

*Ethan refused to leave in such utter humiliation. Not without a fight.*

"Sylvia, you'll regret this," Ethan turned to say coldly.

Gary pointed at him, erupting in curses, "Get the hell out right now, hear me?"

Wiping the blood from his lips, Ethan staggered out of the Johnson family home.

As he reached the entrance, he ran into his mother-in-law, Brenda Johnson, who had just arrived.

Brenda's eyes briefly scanned the Mercedes parked outside, and an immediate understanding seemed to dawn within her.

"Mom..." Ethan called out weakly, his voice tinged with wounded pride.

Brenda's expression mirrored the others—cold and detached.

Annoyed, she waved him off. "If you know everything now, then do the smart thing and leave peacefully! Let me tell you, everyone in the Johnson family agrees it's time for you to be kicked out!"

Despair gripped Ethan even tighter upon hearing this.

"Does Grandpa agree to this too?" Ethan asked, unwilling to give up just yet.

Brenda sneered, "He doesn't have a choice this time! The Brown family already finalized their cooperation with The Taylor Family of the Capital City. If we manage to hitch ourselves to their wagon, the Johnson family may even get a taste of that success!"

"This involves the future of the entire clan. Do you honestly think some old man can go against it?" Brenda's voice dripped with contempt.

"And as for his talk about good luck? Clearly just outdated superstitions," Brenda scoffed.

Ethan didn't say another word.

*The cold indifference of everyone in the Johnson family shattered his spirit.*

He wiped his lips clean, striding out of their home with large, determined steps.

The pain coursing through his body, combined with the heartbreak tearing at his soul, was agony he could no longer endure.

At last, he collapsed onto the street in exhaustion.

Just then,

a Maybach with Capital City plates came to a smooth halt before Ethan.

The car window rolled down slowly, revealing a long-haired, elegantly poised girl scrutinizing Ethan's limp figure with a frown.

"So he's the fiancé Grandpa chose for me?" The girl blinked her wide eyes, carefully studying Ethan.

Seeing his sorry state, her expression soured into visible distaste.

"Miss, could there be... some mistake? Didn't the old master say he wouldn't be an ordinary man?" A man dressed as a bodyguard questioned, furrowing his brows.

Emily Taylor didn't reply. Instead, she waved her hand and said, "Bring him into the car."

"Yes, miss." A few bodyguards swiftly stepped out and hauled Ethan into the vehicle.

Gazing at the pitiful man before her, Emily's brows furrowed even deeper.

"Does Grandpa really mean for me to marry this kind of loser?" Emily sighed, her mind drifting to the solemn words her grandfather had left her before passing:

"Emily, we Taylor family owe him a great debt! If not for Ethan's father, we would never have achieved what we have today!"

"Ethan's father left behind a token for him. I promised to hand it over once Ethan turned thirty."

"Mr. Smith was a man of extraordinary power, and I trust his son will be the same. Emily, you must treat Ethan well."

*Grandpa's repeated reminders echoed through Emily's thoughts, her exquisite face breaking into a faint, resigned smile.*

"If he turns out to be someone with potential, then I'll honor Grandpa's wishes." Emily muttered internally.

"But... if he's truly a waste, then I can't bring myself to comply." Emily sighed heavily.

She began tracing her fingers along a piece of jade-green pendant—the very keepsake her grandfather had entrusted for Ethan.

With deliberate care, Emily slipped the pendant around Ethan's neck before coldly turning away.

"The token has been passed on; the Taylor family has fulfilled its agreement." Emily thought to herself.

But she failed to notice that, as the bloodstained pendant brushed against Ethan, a soft glow emanated from it before rapidly merging into his body.