Ethan Wayne's Unbelievable Rise To Power

EP2- Welcome Home, Young Master

Ethan Brooks sat in the backseat of the Mercedes-Maybach, gripping the edges of the leather seat as the car sped down the highway.

He couldn’t help but chuckle to himself, though it was more out of disbelief than humor. He dropped out of the university few years ago because he had no money to sponsor himself after the school withdrew the scholarship they gave him from the orphanage. Since then, he had been through hell in the streets running errands for survival.

"Heir to the Wayne Empire," he muttered, shaking his head. "This has got to be some kind of joke."

Across from him, Gideon, the mysterious old man in the tailored black suit, sat calm and composed.

He didn’t look like someone who would be involved in a prank. His demeanor was serious, almost too serious, as if he’d spent years preparing for this moment.

"Young Master, you don’t believe me, do you?" Gideon asked, glancing at Ethan through the rearview mirror. His voice was low, but there was a confidence to it that made Ethan pause.

Ethan sighed, running a hand through his damp hair. The man did present him with a picture of himself, meaning that he was the one the man had been looking for. But how could he be an heir to an empire?

"I mean, can you blame me? One minute I’m getting my face kicked in by my boss, and the next I’m being told I’m some long-lost heir to a billion-dollar empire." He shook his head again, trying to wrap his head around it. "It just doesn’t make any sense."

Gideon smiled faintly, though his eyes remained serious. "I understand this is overwhelming. But I assure you, everything I’ve told you is the truth."

Ethan folded his arms and leaned back against the seat. "Alright, humor me. How exactly am I supposed to be the heir to this Wayne Empire? And why has no one found me until now?"

Gideon nodded, as if expecting the question. "Your father, Samuel Wayne, was the eldest son of Patricia Wayne, the matriarch of the Wayne Empire. He was supposed to inherit control of the all family business, but… there was a conflict."

Ethan raised an eyebrow, intrigued despite the believe that this was a fake story. "A conflict?"

"Yes. Your father didn’t want to be part of the empire. He hated the idea of living under the shadow of wealth and power. He wanted to live a quiet life, away from the family drama," Gideon explained. "But his younger brother, Victor Wayne, was the complete opposite. Victor craved power. He wanted full control of the Wayne Empire, and he wasn’t afraid to use any means necessary to get it."

"Sounds like a soap opera," Ethan muttered under his breath.

Gideon ignored the comment and continued, "When your father and mother fled the country to raise you away from the toxic environment, Victor saw it as an opportunity. He declared that your father had abandoned the family and made a move to take over the business forcefully."

Ethan’s frown deepened. "So, what happened next?"

"There was an accident," Gideon said, his voice dropping a notch. "A plane crash. Your parents were on board, and they were killed."

Ethan’s heart skipped a beat. He leaned forward, suddenly alert. "A plane crash?"

Now, Ethan paid full attention.

Gideon nodded solemnly. "It was a tragedy. Everyone believed that you had died along with them. But what no one knew was that a family friend, a man who had been loyal to your father, managed to rescue you before anyone else could find out."

Ethan’s mind flashed back to his childhood in the orphanage, the way he’d always felt like something was missing, a part of his life that he couldn’t quite remember. "That’s how I ended up in the orphanage, isn’t it?" he asked quietly. Things were begining to make sense.

"Yes," Gideon confirmed. "The man who saved you wanted to protect you from Victor. He knew that if Victor ever found out you were alive, he would stop at nothing to eliminate you and secure his claim to the empire."

"Even without knowing you were alive, he tried his best. He had always been the blackship of the family. That's why he is in jail as we speak," Gideon said to Ethan.

"Jail?" Ethan asked, curious.

"Yes, your grandmother, his own mother, sent him to jail after forging a lot of fake documents to steal all the family businesses for himself, including what is meant to be yours," Gideon said, and there was silence for a while.

Ethan swallowed hard, the weight of the situation finally starting to sink in.

"And what about my grandmother? Patricia Wayne? Why didn’t she find me sooner?"

Gideon hesitated for a moment before answering. "Patricia believed you were dead. For years, she mourned your loss, thinking that her son and grandson were both gone. But recently, a private investigation was launched after some new information surfaced. It led us to you."

"After knowing about Victor's imprisonment, Gerald, your father's loyal friend reach out to us about you," Gideon explained.

Ethan leaned back in his seat, stunned. His mind filled with questions, but one stood out above the rest.

"So this is all real?"

"You are indeed the heir to the Wayne Empire, Young Master," Gideon replied simply. "Patricia Wayne has been waiting for this moment for decades. She wants to pass on the family legacy to you, not Victor."

Ethan let out a long breath, staring out the window as they drove deeper into the city.

"This is the estate," Gideon said, following Ethan’s gaze. "Your family’s home. Your empire."

Ethan felt a knot tighten in his stomach. This was really happening. A part of him still wanted to believe it was all some elaborate scam, but the other part—well, it couldn’t deny the pull of something deeper.

There was a strange familiarity to all of this, like a long-lost memory slowly resurfacing.

They pulled up to the front of the mansion, and Ethan stared in awe. The place was enormous. It looked like something out of a movie.

The car stopped, and Gideon stepped out, opening the door for Ethan. "Young Master, are you ready?"

Ethan glanced up at the massive estate. "Ready as I’ll ever be, I guess," he muttered, stepping out into the cool evening air.

As they approached the entrance, the front doors swung open, revealing an older woman with silver hair pulled back into an elegant bun. Her eyes were sharp, but there was a softness to her expression, as if she had been waiting for this moment for a very long time.

"Patricia Wayne," Gideon whispered, as if to confirm what Ethan already knew.

The woman—his grandmother—stood there, her eyes locking onto Ethan’s. For a moment, neither of them spoke. Then, slowly, she stepped forward, reaching out a trembling hand.

"Ethan," she whispered, her voice filled with emotion. "My grandson," she cried.

"I never thought I would see you again..."

Ethan stared at her, unsure of what to say. His throat felt tight, and his heart pounded in his chest. "I—" He struggled to find the words.

Tears welled up in Patricia’s eyes as she reached for his hand, turning it over to reveal a small birthmark on his wrist—a mark that had always puzzled Ethan.

"This," she said softly, her fingers brushing over the mark. "It’s the Wayne family mark. You are my grandson. I’ve waited so long for this moment."

She wrapped her hands around Ethan in a tight hug. Ethan couldn't comprehend all of it. It was too much to take in.

Ethan swallowed hard, the reality of the situation crashing down on him. This wasn’t a dream. This wasn’t a scam. It was real.

"I— I don’t know what to say," Ethan admitted, his voice shaky.

Patricia smiled through her tears. "You don’t have to say anything right now. Just know that you’re home. This is where you belong."

Before Ethan could respond, Patricia motioned for him to follow her inside. "Come. I have something for you."

Ethan hesitated for a moment, glancing back at Gideon, who gave him an encouraging nod.

They stepped into the mansion, and the grand foyer took his breath away. The high ceilings, polished marble floors, and the golden chandeliers made him feel like he’d walked into a different world.

Patricia led him to a cozy sitting room adorned with family portraits. She gestured for him to sit on an elegant couch.

"I know this is all very sudden, Ethan," Patricia began, her voice steadying as she took a seat across from him. "But you need to understand the weight of your new reality."

Ethan’s heart raced. "What do you mean?"

Patricia reached into a small leather briefcase at her side, pulling out a stack of documents. "These are all the legal papers regarding your inheritance. This estate, along with several other properties and investments, belong to you now."

"Above all, you are the heir of the Wayne Consortium, the 2nd largest and most successful business group in the world," she said, drying up her tears.

"I- I don't understand all of this," Ethan murmured, disbelief washing over him.

Ethan stared at the papers, his mouth going dry. "Inheritance? You mean… I’m rich?"

Patricia smiled gently. "Very rich. More than you could ever imagine. The Wayne Consortium has a fortune worth billions of dollars. You have access to all of it, the black cards, everything..."

Ethan’s hands trembled as he took the documents from her. He couldn’t believe what he was hearing. All those years of struggling to make ends meet, and now he was being handed a life of luxury and power.

"But that’s not all," Patricia continued, her expression turning serious. "I want to ensure you have everything you need to adjust to this new life. I’m arranging for a substantial amount of money to be transferred to your account—ten million dollars. For a start, you need a new phone and to change your wardrobe, my son."

Ethan’s jaw dropped. "T-Ten million?"

"Yes," she confirmed.

"It will be in your account in 5 minutes. You can use it for whatever you need between now and tomorrow afternoon when your father's black cards and other cards associated with the business accounts will be handed over to you. In those accounts, you'll find unlimited amount of money," she added.

Ethan couldn’t find the words. Ten million dollars was an outrageous amount of money—more than he could ever fathom. "I… I don’t know what to say."

"You don’t have to say anything,"

Patricia reassured him. "Just sign these documents, and you’ll officially become the heir of the Wayne Empire."

Ethan’s heart raced at the thought. This was everything he’d ever wanted, and yet it felt surreal. He couldn’t shake the feeling of disbelief.

He glanced at the papers, then back at Patricia, who was watching him intently. Taking a deep breath, he picked up the pen and signed his name. With each stroke, he felt the weight of his new identity settle over him.

As he finished signing, Patricia beamed. "Welcome to the family, Ethan."

Just then, his phone beeped...

He had just received a message from Samantha.

MESSAGE: I'm going to be getting married to your boss in 3 days! Thank you for introducing me to him. He's filthy rich and so amazing. Bye!!