Crown of Fortune

Chapter 3 You're Terminated

"Money? Who the hell said I couldn't get it?" Alaric glared icily at Elandor.

Elandor froze mid-step, his face hardening like stone.

Then—under the man's stunned gaze—Alaric hurled the plastic bag directly at Elandor and Jade's feet.

CRACK!

The bag burst open, vomiting ten thick stacks of crimson bills across the floor—a bloody flood of cash that made both their pupils dilate.

Elandor's left eye twitched violently. His lips trembled as his manicured fingers curled into white-knuckled fists.

Jade's breath hitched, her delicate features cycling through shock, confusion, then cold fury as she stared at the money.

Where did this bastard get 100,000 yuan?

If he had it all along, why make me endure this humiliating charade?

Playing nice with another man while our daughter lies sick—does he think this is easy for me?

"This covers everything I owe you." Alaric's voice could have flash-frozen hell. "Take it and never come back."

Elandor didn't immediately reach for the cash. To a man who drove Lamborghinis, this was beggar's change.

"Impressive fundraising, Alaric," he sneered, cheeks flushing with barely concealed irritation. "Do enlighten us—which fool would lend a failure like you six figures?"

He'd lingered specifically to witness Alaric's disgrace, to hammer home how inferior Jade's husband was.

Now every prepared insult turned to ash in his mouth, choking him like swallowed glass.

"Not your concern," Alaric shot back, deliberately avoiding Jade's eyes.

"That's enough!" Jade surged to her feet, manicured nails digging into her palms. "Elandor has bailed us out countless times. How dare you—"

"Did I ask for his charity?" Alaric's voice dropped to a dangerous rumble. "We both know why he's really here. Or are you pretending otherwise?"

Jade recoiled as if struck. Of course she understood—Elandor's sudden interest in Aria's medical bills wasn't altruistic.

"Explain yourself." Her whisper could have flayed skin. "Now."

Alaric inhaled sharply through his nose. Lately, every conversation with Jade felt like walking through a minefield.

After three heartbeats of loaded silence, Elandor collected the money with exaggerated care. "Charming as ever," he spat before shouldering past Alaric, the door slamming hard enough to rattle the IV bags.

Jade's furious glare could have melted steel. "Elandor! Wait—" She rushed after him, heels clicking like gunshots.

The sudden quiet was deafening.

Alaric collapsed into the chair beside Aria's hospital bed, the antiseptic hospital smell burning his nostrils. His calloused fingers brushed a stray curl from their daughter's feverish forehead as monitors beeped a steady rhythm.

I'm sorry, little star.

"Aria, has it been hard being Daddy's little girl? Well starting today, you're my princess."

Alaric gently stroked his daughter's forehead, his eyes full of love.

Jade stormed back in, her voice like ice. "Where'd you get that money?"

Without looking up, Alaric muttered, "I borrowed it."

"From who?"

"Graham."

Jade visibly relaxed, having feared he'd gone to loan sharks. "You can't keep mooching off him like this. Give the money back right away - I heard he's getting married soon."

"I know. I'll pay him back when I can," Alaric finally met her gaze.

God, she was gorgeous, those slightly furrowed brows only adding to her appeal.

If only she knew.

The man she'd written off as a failure could now make or break fortunes with a word.

Jade's face turned to stone as she glanced at their sleeping daughter. "Alaric, you scraped together the cash this time - but what about next? Will we need to beg every time Aria gets hospitalized?"

She remembered the ambitious man she'd fallen for.

But since his business collapsed, he'd become more and more of a loser.

Alaric snapped, "I know what I'm doing."

After thirty tense seconds, Jade said coldly, "If not for yourself, do it for Aria. My father's birthday is this week. Come apologize to my parents."

Alaric clenched his fists but stayed silent.

His silence made Jade slam her foot down. Grabbing her purse, she hissed, "Stay worthless forever!" before storming out.

Watching her leave, Alaric exhaled sharply.

Life without money or status was a complete f*****g joke.

Father-in-law?

Like that bastard would ever give him the time of day.

That afternoon, something came up, so Alaric left Aria with the nurses.

Jade had returned to her busy office hours earlier.

Revving his delivery scooter, Alaric checked the app and took off.

An order from the InterContinental Hotels & Resorts.

Only rich folks stayed there.

Suite 8808.

Alaric knocked. "Delivery for 8808."

The door swung open to reveal a smoking hot woman in a belly-baring top, rose tattoo curling around her thigh, hair tumbling over bare shoulders, makeup flawless.

"Here's your order—"

Alaric flashed a smile as he handed over the takeout, when his words suddenly died in his throat—"Sa...Sabrina?"

"Alaric?"

The woman before him was Graham's girlfriend, Sabrina. Her face flashed with shock, then hardened with anger.

"Sweetheart, ready yet? I'm getting impatient—oh, you brought the bunny ears? Heh..."

A lecherous middle-aged voice drifted from inside.

Sabrina shot Alaric a glare, snatched the food, and slammed the door in his face.

Alaric gaped like a fool, frozen until the truth hit him.

Damn it!

Sabrina was cheating on Graham?!

Should he tell him?

Thirty minutes later in the lobby, Sabrina sat across from Alaric, now wearing a black trench coat and heels. She pulled three hundred-dollar bills from her wallet and slapped them on the table.

"Here."

Alaric scoffed. "This your idea of hush money?"

Her brows knitted as she added two more bills and slammed them down. "Five hundred. More than you make in two days."

Alaric shot up, fists clenched, his voice raw with fury. "Sabrina, how could you?! Graham's breaking his back for you—your wedding's this year!"

"So?" She took a drag before flicking ash dismissively. "Who said I'm marrying him? Worry about yourself, Alaric. Always begging Graham for handouts—pathetic."

"Have some dignity. No wonder your wife left you. Worthless."

She rose, folding her arms and looking down her nose at him. "Keep quiet about this, or I'll have your legs broken."

With that, she strutted over to the pudgy middle-aged creep waiting nearby and left arm-in-arm.

Alaric's fists clenched until his knuckles turned white as he pocketed the cash and stormed out.

He had to warn Graham.

His phone rang—Ohani, his boss.

"Alaric, what the hell?! A dozen complaints in half an hour—did you get lost on the moon?! Finish your damn route and get your ass back here—you're fired!"

Ohani was raging. A dozen complaints in thirty minutes? Unbelievable!

Did this loser want to get fired?!

"Logan, don't you f*****g yell at me! I quit! You're fired!"

"What the hell? Alaric, you dumbass—"

Alaric slammed the phone down, his blood boiling.

Since when did some small-time manager think he could shout at him? In the past, he'd tolerated it—life had forced his hand. But now? Now was different. He'd unwillingly inherited a fortune, becoming the heir to the world's largest conglomerate. Who the hell thought they could yell at him?

Alaric immediately dialed Gideon. "Gideon, I want to buy back my company. Can it be done?"

"Young Master, that company was yours to begin with," Gideon replied smoothly. "Even though you went bankrupt and transferred ownership, reclaiming it is as simple as your word."

"Good," Alaric said coolly. "I want to be their boss within ten minutes."

Two minutes later, Gideon texted: "It's done, Young Master. You are now the majority owner of Errand Service Company."

Alaric nodded. Gideon worked fast.

Jumping on his e-bike, he sped straight to the company. Logan, just wait till I deal with you.

Errand Service Company had been Alaric's creation, but poor management drove it into bankruptcy, forcing him to sell. Overnight, he'd gone from CEO to delivery boy—his former glory replaced by endless mockery.

Inside Errand Service LLC, Logan was fuming, gripping his phone like he wanted to crush it. "That bastard Alaric has a death wish! Who does he think he is, talking to me like that before I even fire him?!"

The dozen employees nearby ducked their heads, afraid to draw his anger.

Just then, the doors swung open. A middle-aged man strode in.

Logan's fury vanished instantly, replaced by a sycophantic grin. "Boss! You should've told me you were coming—I'd have prepared a welcome!"

The big boss, Archer, shot him a glance. "Everyone, prepare yourselves. We're greeting the new owner."

Logan blinked. "New owner?"

"Someone just bought the company for ten million," Archer said.

"Who's the new boss?" Logan asked cautiously. "Should we arrange anything?"

Archer frowned. "I don't know him well. All of you, tread carefully."

With that, dozens of employees followed Archer to the entrance. Logan barked, "Heads up! The new boss is arriving. Impress him, and you might get raises! This affects your paychecks!"

Employees muttered behind his back:

"Small man temporarily in power—all he does is kiss ass."

"What a suck-up."

They'd been fed up with Ohani for ages.

He used to be one of them—just another delivery guy on a scooter.

But this shameless suck-up had weaseled his way into a manager's position.

Just then, a black Bentley rolled up outside the company entrance.

Gideon thought it over and decided to handle this himself—maybe he could fix a few problems for the heir.

If things went well, the young master might even decide to come home.

Ohani stood behind Archer, rubbing his hands eagerly, his face alight. "They're here! Finally!"

This was his big moment—the new boss's arrival meant his chance to impress had arrived.

At that instant, Alaric zipped up on his beat-up scooter, parking it right in front of the Bentley.

The second Ohani spotted him, he saw red. "Alaric, you worthless—move that piece of junk!" he snarled, jabbing a finger at Alaric's chest.