Chapter 1 – The Fall Before the Rise

Hudson University, New York City

Ethan Cross pedaled his worn-out delivery bike through the crowded streets, weaving between honking cars and impatient pedestrians. Rain drizzled lightly, the streets slick with reflections of neon lights, but he barely noticed. His mind was fixated on one thing—Sophia.

Tonight was supposed to be special. Their one-year anniversary. He had planned it for weeks, sacrificing sleep to take extra delivery shifts just to afford dinner at La Maison Rouge, an upscale restaurant where rich kids like Lucas Aldridge dropped thousands without a second thought.

He glanced at his cracked phone screen. 7:46 PM.

Shit.

Pushing harder, his legs burned, but he ignored the pain. He wasn't going to let being late ruin tonight.

---

La Maison Rouge – 8:15 PM

Ethan burst through the entrance, breathless and drenched in sweat, still wearing his faded delivery uniform. The warm, dim lighting cast elegant shadows across the lavish restaurant. The air smelled of aged wine, expensive steak, and wealth.

Immediately, he felt out of place.

A few well-dressed patrons snickered as he rushed inside, but he didn't care. His eyes locked onto Sophia, seated at a window table in a stunning crimson dress.

But something felt off.

She wasn't smiling.

And across from her sat Lucas Aldridge, lazily swirling a glass of wine, a smirk playing on his lips.

Ethan's stomach dropped.

"What the hell is he doing here?" he asked, trying to steady his voice.

Sophia sighed and gestured for him to sit.

"Ethan… we need to talk."

He hesitated but obeyed, his heart hammering in his chest.

She took a slow breath before speaking. "I think… we should break up."

The words hit like a truck.

Ethan blinked. "What?"

Sophia rolled her eyes, as if tired of the conversation already. "I can't do this anymore. You're always working, always struggling to make ends meet. Look at you—you can't even dress properly for dinner."

Lucas chuckled, leaning back in his chair. "You heard her, Cross. You and Sophia? Different worlds."

Ethan's fists clenched. "So… this is about money?"

Sophia scoffed. "It's about the future. I want more, Ethan. I deserve more."

He stared at her, searching for anything—hesitation, guilt, even sadness. But all he saw was indifference.

Then, as if to hammer the final nail in the coffin, she reached for Lucas' hand.

"You'll find someone at your level," she said with a smirk. "Goodbye, Ethan."

And just like that, she walked away.

Ethan sat there, frozen, as the whispers and murmurs around him grew louder. The weight of humiliation pressed down on him, his hands shaking with anger, heartbreak, and betrayal.

---

Downtown – An Hour Later

Ethan wandered aimlessly through the rain-soaked streets, his mind numb.

He replayed Sophia's words over and over.

"You can't even dress properly for dinner."

"We're from different worlds."

"You'll find someone at your level."

He let out a bitter laugh. At my level, huh?

Kicking a stray can, he walked past a small, dimly lit auction house.

A neon sign blinked:

FINAL CALL: LAST CHANCE TO BID!

Something made him stop.

Inside, a plain-looking painting sat under a soft spotlight. A dull, faded landscape—nothing special.

The auctioneer, an older man with a tired expression, called out, "Alright, folks, last item of the night. Starting bid: one thousand dollars."

Silence.

"Alright, how about a hundred?"

More silence.

Ethan, lost in thought, muttered, "Fifty."

The auctioneer looked up. "Sir, did you say fifty?"

Ethan shrugged. "Yeah."

The man sighed. "Sold… for fifty dollars."

A few people chuckled, whispering about the broke kid wasting money on worthless art.

Ethan didn't care. It was his.

Tucking the painting under his arm, he stepped back into the night, unaware that he had just rewritten his fate.

---

Langford Mansion – The Hidden Observer

In a grand study, high above the city, an elderly man stared at his screen, deep in thought. His sharp eyes lingered on the auction results.

Winner of the Langford Legacy Painting: Ethan Cross.

A slow smile formed on his lips.

"Finally," he murmured. "The heir has been found."

With a quiet exhale, he reached for his phone.

"Prepare the cars. We leave at dawn."

---

To Be Continued…