Ethan Wayne's Unbelievable Rise To Power

EP4 - Epic Slap Back

Ethan stepped out of the bank, a small black bag in his hand. It contained the $200,000 he had just withdrawn. As he walked through the gate, he could feel the stares of the bank staff, particularly Iris, who had looked down on him just some moments ago. They couldn’t believe a man dressed like him could be a multimillionaire.

Walking towards the open street, his stomach grumbled, cutting through the silence. That was when he realized he was in such a hurry that he didn’t even eat before leaving the house.

“Guess I’m hungry,” he muttered to himself, raising his gaze to scan the street. Luckily, his eyes landed on a vibrant building with a sign that read S-CLASS FOODIES. A restaurant, he thought, and it looked fancy enough.

Without a second thought, he approached the entrance, his mind already picturing the meal he’d ordered. As he reached the door, he noticed two beautiful ladies standing outside, giggling and taking selfies.

Ethan thought of avoiding the camera, as he didn’t want to appear in a photo being taken by random strangers, so he moved from side to side trying to avoid the camera. But the girls were trying to get a clearer view, so they kept changing the focus, making it difficult for Ethan to avoid the camera.

He shifted to the left. Coincidentally, one of the girls made the first capture, and he appeared in it without even knowing. Right at that moment, the blonde girl turned angrily, her eyes widening in shock.

“Hey! Watch where you’re standing!” she exclaimed, slapping Ethan across the cheek.

Slap!

Ethan staggered back, raising his hand to his face. “What was that for?” he asked, trying to process the sudden aggression. The girls were obviously from really rich homes. They were dressed like ladies from high-class society.

“Are you stupid? We’ve been trying to get the perfect picture, and you just ruined it with your... your filthy clothes!” She glared at him, her eyes moving slowly from Ethan’s head down to his worn out shoes.

“Filthy? That was harsh. I mean... I- I didn’t mean to interrupt. I didn’t purposely put myself in the face of your camera, you turned in my direction because you were looking for a clearer view,” he replied, trying to keep his composure. “I’m just trying to get to the restaurant like everyone else.”

“But you’re not just anyone, are you? Look at you! This place isn’t for people like you. You dress like that and dare to say you are going into the same restaurant we are about to walk into?” the second girl spoke, covering her nose a little, as if to imply Ethan was smelling.

Ethan took a deep breath and nodded. He took time to glance down at himself and check his body. Then he raised his head back up to look at the girls. “I don’t see a dress code posted outside. I’m just hungry,” he said, shrugging off the insult.

He was just about to pretend nothing had happened there, and continue walking inside. But just as he was about to move, the blonde girl spoke again.

“You think you belong here?” She scoffed, her hands on her hips. “Even if some rich guy walked in and appeared in our selfie, he wouldn’t get slapped for photobombing. You just look like a homeless person, dirty and irritating, and that is why I slapped you, and I’ll do that again if you can’t keep your mouth shut when talking to people of our status.”

“Enough!” Ethan said, his voice rising slightly. “I’m just trying to get a meal. I don’t want any problems.” He turned to walk past them, wanting to ignore their insults.

But the second girl grabbed his arm, pulling him back roughly. “Where do you think you’re going? We’re not done with you!” she snapped. “Who gave you the right to just walk away?”

“Let go of me!” Ethan replied, shaking her grip off. “I’m not interested in your drama.”

He continued toward the entrance, refusing to engage them.

When he was inside, the atmosphere shifted; the decor screamed luxury. He found an empty table and sat down, taking a moment to breathe. He saw the restaurant’s menu and grabbed it from the table.

As he scanned the menu, the man at the counter spotted him. He had noticed Ethan walking into the restaurant, but he hadn’t expected him to take a seat. Judging by the way Ethan was dressed, he had concluded he was some kind of cleaner in the restaurant.

“Hey, you!” the man called out, a frown forming on his face. “You can’t sit there,” he added, pointing at Ethan from afar.

Ethan looked up, genuinely confused. “What do you mean?” He still held the menu in his hand, but he was still looking at the man who just told him he couldn’t sit in the restaurant.

“You’re not allowed to sit with the customers,” the man said, stepping closer. “You look like one of the cleaners we hired last week. The manager doesn’t want any cleaners scaring off the customers. The cleaners are served their rations in the backyard. You have to join the others now!”

“If you don’t stand up and go to the backyard right now, I’ll have to get you fired,” he said to Ethan, who was still looking at him in shock and confusion.

Ethan raised an eyebrow, suppressing a laugh. “There must be a mistake somewhere. I’m not one of the cleaners you hired. I’m a customer. I’m here to eat.”

The man shook his head, crossing his arms. “Well, maybe I made a mistake about that. Maybe you are not one of the cleaners. But why blame me for mistaking you for one, when you clearly look like a pig? S-CLASS FOODIES doesn’t serve... pigs. No offense, but if the other customers see you, they’ll think we cater to people from the slums. You need to leave.”

“Pigs?” Ethan said, his patience wearing thin as he thought about the disrespect. He just didn’t feel like changing clothes since he was in such a hurry to get to the bank. But he was just called a pig for stepping into the restaurant with his delivery clothes, when only one of his tailored extravagant suits in his closet could pay the man’s salary for several months.

“Yes, and pigs don’t eat in our restaurants. We don’t serve poor people like you from the slums,” the man repeated. “We need to maintain a certain image. I can’t have people thinking we’re running a charity for the homeless.”

Ethan felt a flush of anger. “You have no idea who I am. Don’t you dare talk to me in that way. Are you going to serve me food or not?”

“Oh, come on! I know who you are. You’re just a poor boy from the slums who think he can even afford table water sold at S-CLASS FOODIES,” the man scoffed. “Now get out before I call security.” He frowned deeply.

Just then, the two beautiful girls from outside entered the restaurant, their laughter echoing in the air. “Did you see that guy?” the blonde exclaimed, pointing at Ethan. “He thought he could actually eat here!”

The other girl giggled, shaking her head as if she felt bad for Ethan. “What a joke! Can you believe he walked in like that? In those rags called clothes?”

Ethan turned to face them. His heart was pounding, but he tried to remain calm. “I’m just trying to enjoy a meal, like any other customer. I didn’t ask for your opinion or to be insulted.”

“Aw, poor baby,” the blonde mocked, placing a hand on her heart as if genuinely feeling for him. “You should really go back to where you belong. This place is for people with style, people who can actually pay for their meal, not some beggar like you.”

Ethan sat there confidently, his fists clenched at his sides. “I’m not going to be treated like trash here,” he said calmly, with a confidence that shocked the man standing in front of his table.

The blonde stepped forward with a sly smile on her lips. “And what will you do about it? Cry?”

“No, I’m going to enjoy my meal,” Ethan replied calmly. “You can laugh and insult me all you want, it doesn’t change who I am.”

The staff member looked between Ethan and the girls, confused. “Listen, I really think you should leave. This isn’t a place for arguments.”

Ethan took a deep breath, grounding himself. “I’m not arguing. I’m standing up for myself. I came here to eat, and I won’t be bullied into leaving. I’ll leave after eating my meal, just like everyone else.”

“If you don’t leave right now, I’ll call the manager,” the man said, his voice filled with anger. “You won’t like what happens next.”

Ethan kept his eyes on the menu, not responding. The blonde girl and her friend were standing a few feet away, smirking and whispering to each other.

“Look at him,” the blonde said, laughing. “Choosing to embarrass himself, all for nothing.”

Ethan ignored them, focusing on the menu. The staff member stepped closer, his voice now low and aggressive. “The manager will throw you out without hesitation. This place isn’t for people like you.”

Just then, the manager rushed out of his office, hearing the noise. “What’s going on here?” he asked, looking concerned.

“This pauper is just sitting here like he belongs,” the staff member said, pointing at Ethan. “He needs to leave.”

Ethan looked up and said, “I just came to eat, like everyone else.”

“Boy, do you know how much a plate of food costs here?” the manager asked, his tone falling as he narrowed his brows.

Before he could say more, Ethan unzipped his bag and tossed it onto the table. The bag hit the surface with a thud, grabbing everyone's attention. Bundles of cash spilled out—$200,000 in neatly stacked bills fell onto the table, making everyone gasp in surprise.

The manager and the staff member stared, frozen in shock. The two girls’ eyes widened as they processed the sight of the money.

“What... what’s going on?” the manager finally stammered, glancing between Ethan and the cash.

Ethan looked directly at the manager and spoke, “With the way you spoke to me, I figured a plate of food here must be worth $200,000.”

The manager’s face paled. “Uh, no, no! A plate is only $1,500,” he replied, his voice shaky. He could barely put his words together to make a meaningful statement as he was still in deep shock about the amount of cash Ethan had dumped on the table like it was nothing.

Ethan said, watching the manager closely. “You should probably tell your staff to treat customers better, then.”

The manager immediately turned to his staff and pushed him forward. “Apologize to him!” he ordered. The staff member hesitated, clearly uncomfortable, but mumbled, “I’m sorry... Sir.”

The two girls, still shocked by the cash, gathered themselves and moved closer to Ethan’s table slowly. “Um, I- I uhh... we are...” she said, not knowing how to start as she felt a bit embarrassed to speak up.

“Can... Can we sit with you?” she asked, her previous confidence evaporated.

Ethan glanced at them and replied calmly, “I’m sorry, but I don’t hang out with gold diggers.”

Their faces flushed with embarrassment. The second girl stammered, “Wait! We... We didn’t mean it. The slap... and the words we used were a bit harsh. We... We were just—”

Ethan interrupted, not making eye contact. “I don’t need your apology.”

They stood there, unsure of what to say, their pride wounded. Ethan turned his attention back to the menu, dismissing them completely as if they were non-existent.