Ethan Wayne's Unbelievable Rise To Power

EP6 - Yen Auction Center

Ethan stepped into the cab, leaning back as the vehicle pulled away from the curb. His mind still buzzed with everything that had happened in the past few days. He had been a delivery guy, struggling to make ends meet, and now he was the heir to the Wayne Consortium, one of the world’s most prosperous business empires. It felt unreal, like a dream he hadn’t quite woken up from.

As the cab neared the mansion, Ethan's phone buzzed again, but he didn't check it. The large estate appeared, and he was briefly impressed by how big and impressive it looked. The gates opened, and the cab drove through, stopping at the front door. Ethan paid the driver, got out, and walked up the steps.

To his surprise, Gideon and his grandmother were standing at the entrance, clearly waiting for him. His grandmother, had her arms crossed over her chest, her face creased with disapproval. The moment she saw Ethan, she called out, "Son!"

Ethan paused, confused by her tone. He walked up to them, but before he could ask what was wrong, she spoke again with a sharp voice. "How could you leave the house and take a cab?"

Ethan blinked, genuinely confused. "A cab? What’s wrong with taking a cab?"

Her expression hardened. "Everything is wrong with that! You’re the owner of the second most prosperous business group in the world—the Wayne Consortium! And you’re walking around, taking cabs? What about your image?"

Ethan couldn’t help but find her anger amusing, though he tried not to show it. "Grandma, I used to ride bikes and deliver things to people. A cab is a step up from that."

"That was then!" she snapped. "You’re not a delivery guy anymore. You need to start acting like the head of the Wayne Consortium. You have to embrace your wealth and status. You can't just behave like some ordinary person."

Ethan sighed, running a hand through his hair. "Alright, alright. I’ll get myself a car soon. Don’t worry."

At that, his grandmother’s demeanor softened slightly. She stepped forward and hugged him tightly. "Thank you, son. It’s just… you need to understand who you are now, the power you have, what you control!"

Ethan nodded, though feeling a little overwhelmed. He had never been one to care about appearances or status. To him, a cab was just transportation. But now, everything seemed to come with expectations he hadn’t anticipated.

As they pulled apart, his grandmother gave him a thoughtful look. "There’s someone you need to meet tonight."

Ethan raised an eyebrow. "Meet? Who?"

"A man with a business proposal for WST. He’s scheduled a meeting at 6:30 this evening."

"WST?" Ethan repeated, frowning. "What’s that?"

His grandmother’s eyes widened slightly in surprise. "You didn’t go through the documents you signed yesterday, did you?"

Ethan gave her a sheepish smile. "Uh, not exactly. I just... signed them."

She sighed deeply. "WST is one of the many businesses under the Wayne Consortium’s umbrella. You’re going to need to familiarize yourself with them, Ethan. Tonight, you’ll listen to the man’s proposal and decide if it’s worth investing in."

Ethan’s stomach churned with anxiety. "But I don’t know anything about business yet. I don’t even know what a good proposal looks like. What if I make the wrong decision?"

His grandmother’s expression softened with understanding. "That’s why I’ve put Gideon here to help you. He’ll guide you through the process and help you learn how to manage the affairs of the business. You won’t be alone in this."

Ethan glanced at Gideon, who nodded reassuringly. Despite the reassurance, Ethan still felt overwhelmed. Everything had happened so quickly. Just a few days ago, he was a college dropout delivering packages to pay rent, and now he was expected to make decisions that could impact one of the world’s largest business conglomerates.

"Amazing... It all still feels like a dream," he muttered, more to himself than anyone else.

His grandmother gave him a sympathetic smile. "I know it’s a lot to take in, but you’ll get used to it. You were meant for this, Ethan. Trust me."

Ethan wasn’t so sure, but he nodded anyway, pushing aside his doubts for the moment and letting the joy that comes with being filthy rich take over. "Alright," he said, taking a deep breath. "I’ll rest for a bit and get ready for the meeting."

His grandmother smiled warmly. "Good. You’ve got two hours before the meeting starts at 6:30. It’s at the Yen Auction Center."

Ethan’s eyes lit up with recognition. "I know that place. I delivered something to an office there once."

His grandmother raised an eyebrow. "Well, now you’ll be going as the head of a multi-billion-dollar business, not as a delivery boy."

Ethan chuckled, though the weight of her words settled over him like a heavy cloak. He nodded and started toward his room, trying to shake off the lingering disbelief. He needed to focus, to prepare himself for this new reality. Two hours wasn’t much time, but it would have to be enough.

- - - - - -

Daniel’s expensive black car pulled up to the entrance of the grand Yen Auction Center, a well-known venue in the city for selling luxury items and rare treasures.

As the car came to a stop, Daniel stepped out first and went around to Samantha’s side to open her door. He kissed her hand and helped her out of the car. They linked arms and walked confidently toward the large hall where the auction would take place.

Arriving in the hall, Samantha’s eyes scanned the room, filled with wealthy couples, single high-class women, and a few businessmen.

Suddenly, her focus narrowed on the other women seated near them. A few of them had their eyes on the same item of jewelry she came for, and she rolled her eyes at them, feeling insecure. She turned to Daniel, whispering, “Promise me you’ll get it for me, no matter what. It’s perfect for our wedding. Don’t let any of these ladies snatch it first.”

Daniel smirked confidently, leaning in to kiss her. “Don’t worry, baby. No one in this room is richer than me. That necklace is yours.”

Samantha smiled, feeling reassured. She had always prided herself on her ability to get what she wanted, and tonight would be no exception. After all, she was with Daniel—one of the wealthiest men in town. She leaned back in her seat, her eyes locked on the prize: a stunning, one-of-a-kind necklace displayed under soft lighting at the front of the room.

“This exquisite necklace is the only one of its kind in the world. Crafted with the finest diamonds and designed by a world-renowned jeweler, it’s truly a masterpiece. Bidding will begin shortly,” the auctioneer began, introducing the piece, his voice rising with excitement as he emphasized its rarity.

Samantha could hardly contain her excitement as the auctioneer prepared to start the bidding. But just as the countdown began, her attention was drawn to someone seated at the back of the room.

It was a young woman, sitting quietly, looking entirely out of place among the wealthy attendees. The woman wore simple, worn-out clothes, no jewelry, and appeared nervous as she glanced around the room.

Samantha’s lips curled into a sneer. “What is she doing here?” she muttered to Daniel, who shrugged indifferently.

Unable to hold back, Samantha raised her hand to get the auctioneer’s attention. “Excuse me,” she called out loudly, her voice drawing the attention of the auctioneer and every other person in the room. “What is that girl doing here? She clearly doesn’t belong.”

All eyes turned toward the young woman, who visibly shrank under the weight of the attention. The auctioneer hesitated, unsure of how to handle the situation, but before he could speak, Samantha continued, “This is an event for millionaires, not beggars. She can’t possibly be here to bid.”

The young lady, though clearly embarrassed, lifted her head and spoke quietly but firmly. “I’m here to bid. I don’t hope to cause any problems.”

Samantha, sensing an opportunity to humiliate the girl further, stood up. “Bid?” she scoffed. “Look at yourself. You can’t afford this necklace. Do you even know what it’s worth?” Her voice rose with each sentence, ensuring that the entire room heard her.

The girl’s face flushed with embarrassment, but she still tried to speak with a trembling and timid voice. “I have saved up enough money for the necklace,” she said.

Samantha laughed, a cold, mocking sound. “Enough money? Let’s see then.” Without warning, she snatched the girl’s small purse from her hand and opened it, spilling its contents onto the floor. A single $50 bill fell out.

The room erupted in laughter, the sound echoing through the entire hall. Samantha picked up the bill, waving it in the air. “Fifty dollars?” she said. “You thought you could buy this necklace with fifty dollars? You’re not just poor, you’re also stupid.”

Samantha’s insults made everyone laugh out loud.

The young woman’s eyes filled with tears, and she hung her head. She couldn’t say a word; the humiliation was too much to bear.

Samantha wasn’t finished. “Why don’t you do yourself a favor and leave before you embarrass yourself even more? You don’t belong here with us. Maybe you could clean our shoes instead.”

The room broke into another round of laughter. The young woman’s face reddened even more, and she seemed to shrink into herself, her gaze falling to the floor.

At that moment, the auctioneer, who had been watching the scene unfold in awkward silence, stepped forward. He looked at the young woman apologetically. “Miss, I’m afraid if you don’t have the funds, you’ll need to leave.”

The girl, now visibly shaking, nodded slightly. She bent down to gather her purse, but Samantha wasn’t done yet. She moved closer quickly. “Get out. And next time, don’t even think about stepping foot in a place like this, you dirty thing!” Samantha didn’t even let her gather her things. She pushed her roughly toward the exit. The girl stumbled but caught herself against the doorframe. Samantha didn’t stop there; she rushed toward her and pushed her out completely, causing the girl to fall to the floor outside the hall with a rough shove.

Ethan stopped in his tracks, his heart twisting at the sight.

He had just arrived in the corridor of the Yen Auction Center. He had not come for the auction, but for business purposes. Coincidentally, he saw the young woman being shoved out by Samantha, her red dress soaked with tears from the humiliation she had just endured.

Samantha, still unaware of Ethan’s presence, turned and walked back inside the hall, a satisfied smile on her face. Ethan’s jaw clenched as he watched her. He hadn’t expected to see Samantha here, and certainly not like this. He knew she could be callous, but what he had just witnessed was beyond anything he had imagined.

The young woman sat disoriented on the floor outside the auction center, hugging her knees as she cried harder, her shoulders shaking as she tried to compose herself. Ethan hesitated for a moment, unsure if he should approach, but something about the situation tugged at him. He couldn’t just walk away.

He walked over to her and asked in a gentle voice, “Are you okay?”

She was startled. Keeping her head down, she wiped her eyes quickly, embarrassed to be seen in such a state. “I’m fine,” she mumbled, though it was clear she wasn’t.

Ethan frowned, glancing back at the entrance where Samantha had gone inside. “I saw what happened. That wasn’t right.”

The young woman shook her head, finally raising her head to speak, trying to smile through her tears. Just then, Ethan was taken aback by her beauty. She was beyond beautiful, even though she was dressed in some oversize, worn-out clothes. “It’s okay. I shouldn’t have come. I don’t belong there.”

“That’s not true,” Ethan said firmly. “You have just as much right to be here as anyone else.”

The woman didn’t respond, her gaze dropping back to the ground. Ethan could see how deeply hurt she was, and it made his anger toward Samantha flare up even more.

“I’ll make her regret this,” Ethan said to the beautiful woman, walking past her.