Chapter 9: Power Of Wealth

Lily stepped into the daycare, her bag slung over one shoulder and a look of determination on her face. She scanned the room for her brother. Sitting in the corner, Lilro had his legs crossed, a tissue draped dramatically over his forehead, and an exaggerated pout on his face."Lilro…" she said in a suspicious tone, kneeling to his level. "What are you doing?"Lilro groaned dramatically, flopping his head to one side. "I'm sick. I can't stay here anymore, Lily. My head hurts, my throat hurts, everything hurts." He coughed for effect, glancing at her to see if she was buying it.Her brow furrowed, and she pressed her palm lightly against his forehead. "You don't even feel warm.""I'm burning up! You don't get it—this place is awful!" he said, dropping the act as soon as they left the daycare. As they walked toward the gate, Lilro was back to his usual self, rambling nonstop. "The food here is trash. Do you know what they gave us for lunch today? Mystery mush. And don't even get me started on the so-called toys. The blocks are all broken, and there's a kid who just stares at me the whole time—""Enough!" Lily snapped, stopping mid-step and turning to face him. Her voice cracked, frustration clearly bubbling over. "This isn't something to joke about, Lilro! Do you know how worried I was when I heard you were 'sick'? Do you think this is funny?"Lilro froze, startled by her tone. For once, he didn't have a clever retort. His shoulders slumped. "I… I'm sorry, Lily. I didn't mean to make you upset."Lily sighed, her anger cooling as she looked at her little brother's remorseful expression. "Just… don't do it again, okay?"As the tension ebbed, Lilro turned his attention to someone standing a little ways away. His eyes narrowed. "What's he doing here?"Lily turned to see Ethan, looking awkward as he shifted his weight from one foot to the other."Why is this weirdo here?" Lilro asked bluntly, crossing his arms and glaring at Ethan.Ethan scratched the back of his head, avoiding Lilro's accusing gaze. "Uh… I just wanted to check if everything was okay. You know, make sure you were alright."Lily sighed, reaching into her bag. She pulled out her wallet and handed Ethan some cash. "Here. For the taxi."Ethan's eyes widened, and he immediately shook his head. "No, no, I don't need it. The daycare's near my house anyway."Lilro shot him a skeptical look. "Liar. It's not even close to here."Lily looked at Ethan, raising an eyebrow. "You live near here? I didn't know that."Ethan cleared his throat, visibly uncomfortable. "Uh… yeah. Totally. Anyway, it's getting late. You two should head home."As they walked back, Ethan tried to strike up a conversation with Lily, but Lilro kept inserting himself, glaring daggers at Ethan the whole time. By the time they reached Lily's apartment, Ethan bid them a quick goodbye and hurried off.Once out of sight, he pulled out his phone. "Gregory," he called."Again, sir?" Gregory's amused voice answered. "You've been spending a lot of time around her."Ethan groaned. "Just pick me up, okay?"The weekend rolled around, and Ethan was lounging in bed when his phone buzzed.Jack: "Yo! Wanna grab food? Let's hit up the place where Lily works. Food's great, and, uh... you know. Company's not bad either. 😉"Ethan stared at the text for a moment, debating. Finally, he replied:

Ethan: "Fine. See you there."

They met up at the fast-food joint, Jack practically bouncing with excitement as they stepped inside.A waitress approached to seat them, but it wasn't Lily. As they followed her to their table, Jack kept glancing around."You sure she's working today?" Ethan asked, skeptical.Jack grinned. "Nope. Took a guess. Call it instinct."Ethan shot him a look. "You're ridiculous."Jack shrugged, unbothered.As they settled in, Lily appeared from the kitchen, balancing multiple plates effortlessly. Her hair was pulled back into a ponytail, a few loose strands framing her face. Ethan noticed the way she moved—quick and efficient, in stark contrast to the other waitresses who were chatting idly by the counter.Lily approached the table next to theirs, placing down the orders with a polite smile. She turned slightly, her gaze landing on Ethan and Jack. Her expression shifted to one of mild annoyance."You two," she said with a sigh, walking over. "What do you want?"Jack grinned, practically starry-eyed. "Hi, Lily! Uh, we'll have—"Ethan interrupted, handing Lily the menu. "Just the usual for me.""Same here," Jack added, his eyes never leaving her face.Lily scribbled on her notepad and turned on her heel without another word.Jack leaned back in his chair, a dreamy look on his face. "Man, she's even prettier today."Ethan rolled his eyes. "Get a grip."As they waited for their food, Ethan's attention was drawn to the table next to them. A group of teenagers was whispering and glancing toward the door."Three… two… one!"The group bolted, leaving behind empty plates and no money.The manager at the front desk exploded. "What?! A dine-and-dash?! Again?!" He stormed into the dining area, his face red with anger.Lily came out of the kitchen, oblivious to the commotion, carrying more plates. The idle waitresses were quick to deflect blame."It's Lily's fault," one of them said. "She wasn't watching the floor."Lily froze, her eyes wide. "What? I was in the kitchen!"The manager marched over, pointing a finger at her. "You're responsible for this mess! This is coming out of your paycheck, and you're covering their bill!"Lily's hands trembled as she stared at him, speechless.Jack shot to his feet. "That's not fair! Those other waitresses weren't doing anything! How is this her fault?"The manager ignored him, continuing to berate Lily.Ethan, silent until now, reached into his wallet. Pulling out a crisp $100 bill, he walked over to the manager."Here," he said loudly. "Found this on their table. Guess they didn't run after all."The manager snatched the bill without so much as a thank you, turning back to Lily. "Next time, be more competent."Jack rushed to Lily's side. "Are you okay?"She didn't respond, her mind reeling from the confrontation.Ethan, meanwhile, was seething. "He must not know who he's messing with," he muttered under his breath.Later that evening, as the restaurant sat quiet and empty, the manager lingered behind, counting cash at the front desk. The hum of the fluorescent lights filled the silence, and he muttered to himself, a self-satisfied grin on his face."Lazy staff, useless girl. If I didn't keep this place running, it'd be in the ground," he scoffed, stacking the money into neat piles.The door chimed unexpectedly. He looked up, frowning, as Ethan entered flanked by two towering bodyguards."We're closed," the manager said dismissively, waving them off without even lifting his head fully. "Come back during business hours, like normal people."Ethan took slow, deliberate steps toward him, his polished shoes clicking against the tiled floor. The sound made the manager glance up again, his irritation growing."I said—" The manager stood, squaring his shoulders. "Leave. I don't care who you are. The kitchen's closed, and I'm not wasting my time."Ethan's calm expression didn't waver. "No. You're the one who's leaving."The manager scoffed, stepping out from behind the counter. He jabbed a finger into Ethan's chest, his voice dripping with sarcasm. "Oh, is that right? And who the hell do you think you are, coming in here and giving me orders? This is my restaurant. I run the show here."Ethan's lips curled into a faint, humorless smile. "You really think that?" He glanced at his bodyguards and raised a hand. "Stay out of this."The guards stood motionless, hands clasped in front of them, their intimidating presence unshaken.Ethan pulled his phone from his pocket, dialed a number, and brought it to his ear. "It's me. Do it now."As soon as he ended the call, the manager's phone rang on the desk."What now?" the manager grumbled, snatching up the device."Hello?" he barked into the phone.A voice on the other end exploded with fury, loud enough that Ethan could faintly hear it. "You idiot! Do you have any idea what you've done? You're fired! Get out of there NOW, or I'll have security drag you out myself!"The manager blinked, his bravado crumbling into confusion. "What—why? I don't understand!""You moron! The man you just ticked off bought not just the restaurant but the entire plaza! Do you want me to spell it out for you? Leave before you embarrass yourself further!"The manager's face turned pale, and he slowly lowered the phone, his hand trembling. His eyes darted back to Ethan, whose calm but piercing gaze seemed to tower over him."I… I didn't…" The manager stammered, backing away.Ethan adjusted the cuff of his sleeve with deliberate slowness. "I hope, in your next life, you treat people better. Especially my girl."The manager's jaw dropped, but no words came out. Ethan gave him a final glance, turned on his heel, and strode toward the exit. His bodyguards followed silently, leaving the manager standing there in stunned silence, his entire world turned upside down.Ethan returned home, fatigue finally catching up with him. The mansion was unusually quiet, and Gregory, his ever-reliable butler, was nowhere to be found.He remembered offhandedly that there was a trial for a new maid taking place that evening. Gregory had mentioned it earlier, saying the process would be competitive, as the position came with an enviable salary and benefits.Ethan shrugged off his jacket, setting it on the arm of a nearby chair. The stress of the day ebbed slightly as he made his way to the bathroom for a shower.The hot water cascaded over him, washing away the tension. Afterward, he dressed in a fresh suit—casual by his standards but still tailored to perfection. As he exited his room, he turned a corner and collided with someone."Ah—!"He steadied himself, looking down. His breath caught in his throat as he locked eyes with Lily.She froze, her face a mix of shock and confusion."Lily?" he said, his voice incredulous.Her brows knitted together as she pointed at him. "Ethan?! What… what are you doing here?"Ethan's heart raced. Why is she here? How much does she know?Lily's gaze flickered to his freshly dressed appearance, her confusion deepening.It clicked in Ethan's mind—She doesn't know this is my house."Wait," she said slowly, stepping back slightly. "Isn't this were the job trial is at? And… why are you here?!"Ethan struggled for words, his carefully crafted composure slipping. "Uh… I could ask you the same thing!"Caught up in the moment, Ethan just realize what he said and how ridiculous it sounded, it was a maid trial, and he was a dude...