When Ethan walked through the front door of the Lin villa, the air was thick with the smell of burnt toast and desperation. He placed the groceries on the counter, but nobody thanked him.
"You're late!" Elaine snapped, not even looking up from her phone. "The floor in the foyer needs polishing again. We might have a very important guest today."
"What guest, Mother-in-law?" Ethan asked, beginning to put the vegetables away.
"A representative from Crimson Dragon," Oliver said, swaggering into the kitchen. He looked significantly more cheerful than he had the night before. "I spent all morning on the phone with my connections. It turns out the 'audit' last night was just a standard procedure. A high-level executive called me an hour ago. They want to meet at the Emerald Club to finalize the warehouse deed."
Ethan paused, a bell pepper in his hand. An executive called Oliver? He hadn't ordered anyone to call the Lin family.
"Did they give a name?" Ethan asked.
"What do you care about names?" Oliver sneered. "They asked for the 'Head of the Lin Family' and 'Ms. Rachel Lin.' They want to make sure the gift is going to the right people."
Rachel walked into the room. She was dressed in her best business suit, but her face was pale. She looked at Ethan, then at her brother. "Oliver, are you sure this is real? After the Zhao Feng disaster, I don't want to get our hopes up."
"It's real, Rachel! They sent a digital invite with the official Crimson Dragon seal," Oliver insisted, waving his phone. "But they were very specific—it's a private meeting. No outsiders. No 'servants'."
"I'm coming with you," Wesley Lin declared, grabbing his coat. "If we're signing for a two-hundred-million-dollar asset, the whole family board needs to be there."
"The Emerald Club is across town, and Dad's car is in the shop," Rachel noted, looking at her watch. "Oliver, you've been drinking since breakfast to celebrate. You can't drive."
The room went quiet. All eyes turned to Ethan.
"Fine," Elaine sighed, waving her hand dismissively at Ethan. "You. Stop what you're doing. Go wash the old sedan. You're driving Rachel and Wesley to the club. But listen to me carefully: you stay in the car. You do not come inside. You do not talk to anyone. If the executives see a 'loser' like you with us, they might change their minds about the gift."
Ethan nodded. "I'll get the car ready."
As Ethan walked to the garage, he pulled out his secure phone. He sent a quick message to Lu Chen.
Who is calling the Lin family claiming to be from Crimson Dragon?
The reply came back almost instantly:
It's a trap, Young Master. Marcus (Lu Feng) found out the audit was triggered. He couldn't find you, so he hired a local actor to pretend to be an executive. He wants to lure the Lin family into a 'Contract' that actually transfers their existing company shares to him. He's trying to swallow the Lin Group whole to flush you out.
Ethan's grip tightened on the steering wheel of the old sedan. Marcus was moving faster than expected. He wasn't just looking for Ethan; he was trying to destroy the only thing Rachel had left.
The drive to the Emerald Club was filled with Oliver and Wesley arguing about how they would spend the first million in profits. Rachel sat in the back seat, staring out the window. Every time she caught Ethan's eye in the rearview mirror, he seemed different—calmer, more focused.
When they arrived at the gilded entrance of the club, the valets looked at the battered Lin family sedan with clear judgment.
"Stay here," Wesley commanded Ethan as he stepped out. "If we're not out in two hours, wait longer. Don't you dare leave."
Ethan watched them walk into the building. As soon as the doors closed behind them, he stepped out of the car. He didn't head for the entrance. He walked toward a black SUV parked in the shadows of the parking garage.
The door opened. Lu Chen was inside, along with two men in suits Ethan didn't recognize.
"Young Master," Lu Chen bowed. "The actor is in Room 402. He has the fake contracts ready. Your wife is about to sign away the Lin Group's entire legacy."
"And the man behind the actor?" Ethan asked.
"Marcus is watching via a hidden camera from his hotel," Lu Chen replied. "He wants to see the moment Rachel Lin loses everything."
Ethan took off his cheap jacket, revealing a crisp white shirt beneath. He adjusted his cuffs, his eyes turning cold. "Marcus wants a show? Let's give him one. But he's going to find out that when you try to trap a dragon, you're the one who ends up in the cage."
Ethan turned to the two men in the back of the SUV. "Are you the real auditors from the Land Bureau I called earlier?"
"Yes, Mr. Lu," one of them replied respectfully. "We have the warrant for 'Identity Fraud' ready."
"Good," Ethan said. "Follow me. It's time to show the Lin family who the 'real' executive is."