Ethan’s breath hitched. Cold sweat dripped down the back of his neck as he felt the collective pressure of the room bearing down on him.
“Why… Why is this happening?” Everything was fine before! He had used this same technique before… He had gained praise, admiration, and influence. But now.
Now it has completely backfired. It felt like an unseen force was suppressing him. No, not just suppressing. Crushing him. His gut twisted in alarm, but the more terrifying part was.
He had no idea why. The Fortune Skills he had used should have worked! There was no reason for this to happen.
Unless… His panicked gaze flickered toward Alex Reid. That calm, unbothered expression. That hint of amusement in his eyes. That damn smirk. Ethan’s fingers twitched.
“No way… No way in hell… Could it be…?” A horrifying realization began to take root in his mind.
“Did he interfere with my Fortune Skills?!” But how? No…impossible! Alex was just some Industry heir, not a Fortune Master! Yet. Everything had gone wrong the moment Alex challenged him.
The mocking whispers filled the Party hall, each word a dagger to Ethan Carter’s pride. His face burned red, his jaw clenched so tightly that his teeth might crack.
He could feel it… the loss of control, the unraveling of everything he had built up. The admiring gazes that once surrounded him were gone. Now, all that remained were eyes filled with disappointment, doubt, and even contempt.
Harold Winter, who had previously placed his full trust in Ethan, now looked at him as though he were nothing more than a fraud.
Walter Lane… He looked like he wanted to dig a hole and bury himself, he had personally vouched for Ethan, after all.
But the most gut-wrenching blow? Rose. She had once looked at him with admiration, as if he were a knight in shining armor. Now? Now, her gaze had dimmed, her confidence in him shattered beyond repair.
Ethan felt his breath hitch, his chest tightening.
If it weren’t for his protagonist’s fate and novel plot armor protecting him, he swore he might have spat out a mouthful of blood right then and there.
Just as Alex was enjoying the view and sensation, a System Notification… A crisp, mechanical voice rang in Alex’s mind.
[Ding!]
[Congratulations, Host, for successfully suppressing the protagonist!]
[You have stolen 777 Luck Points from Ethan Carter!]
[Protagonist’s remaining Luck Points: 4922.]
[Due to the successful suppression of the protagonist’s fate, the company’s downfall event has been delayed…]
Alex’s lips curled into a smirk.
‘Not bad, not bad at all.’ Suppressing the so-called ‘Chosen One’, robbing him of his precious protagonist’s fortune, and even delaying his company’s scheduled demise…
‘I must say… A perfect evening.’ Alex thought as he enjoyed the view and the tingling sensation of the moment.
‘I should keep pushing him down whenever I get the chance. Who knows? Maybe I can delay my company’s collapse indefinitely.’ His thoughts flickered with amusement, but he knew—this was far from over.
With a casual wave, Alex turned from his position and then began to go toward the party hall exit.
Just as he reached the grand doors of tge Winters mansion. He suddenly stopped. Then, turning his head slightly, his voice rang out clearly for all to hear.
“Rose.” His tone was calm, but the weight of his words sent a shiver down her spine. “Don’t forget what I told you. If I don’t receive the two hundred millions dollars in my account by this afternoon—”
“I’ll make sure you… that this situation would look like an amusement park compared to the place you will be going to go together with your whole family..” His gaze was ice-cold, indifferent, as if he were merely stating a fact, not making a threat.
And then… he turned to Harold Winter, his expression filled with an almost mocking politeness.
“Mr. Winter, I sincerely wish you good fortune in your future business endeavors. You’re going to need it.” A small snarky laugh escaped Alex mouth as move and with that… Alex walked out.
The second his figure disappeared beyond the doorway, reality crashed down upon the Winter family.
And within moments… The sharks closed in. The Fall of the Winter Family officially Begins. The moment Alex left, the remaining businessmen in the hall sprang into action.
One by one, investors, creditors, and business partners surrounded Harold Winter like a pack of starving wolves.
“Mr. Winter, let’s settle the payments now!” Said one of the guests who was listening and seeing the whole thing.
“You borrowed ten million from me—don’t even think about running away from it!” Said one of the creditors.
“My company can’t afford to wait any longer, you need to return my investment immediately!” Another rapid angry voice came from the group.
“Your family is finished anyway—just pay up!”
Harold Winter felt his head spin. His face twisted in agony, his hands clenched so tightly that his nails dug into his palms.
“Alex… you ruthless bastard!” He had cut off all business ties, thrown their financials into chaos, and left the Winter family to fend for themselves.
Now— Now, they were drowning.
….
One Hour Later:
Winter Estate:
For the next hour, Harold Winter did everything he could. He made promises, begged for extensions, tried to negotiate settlements— But deep down, he knew— The Winter family was finished.
Their business was crumbling, their financial partners were pulling out, and their stocks were plummeting like a sinking ship.
The foundation he had built for years… was turning to dust right before his eyes. High-ranking employees were resigning in groups, all of them not even wanting to have ties with the Winter family.
Company shareholders were scrambling to sell off their stocks, hoping to escape before the inevitable collapse.
The once prosperous Winter family name. Had turned into a financial death trap overnight. And when the dust settled. Harold Winter finally collapsed into a chair, his breath coming in ragged gasps.
For the first time in his life. He felt completely, utterly powerless. His hands trembled, his body numb with shock. A dark thought crossed his mind.
“Is it even worth living like this anymore…?” His gaze turned vacant, his mind drifting to the idea of ending it all. But before he could sink any further into despair.
His eyes landed on Rose. And in an instant. That numb despair transformed into pure, burning rage. Rose, sensing his father’s gaze, instinctively took a step back.
“Dad…? Why are you looking at me like that?” Before she could react…
SMACK!
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Bonus Chapters on: 300, 500, 700 Power Stones.
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(A/N: Soon! Some Golden tickets guys!!!)
Don’t forget to add this novel to your library and sent some power stones for support if you like the novel.