Peter Zhao was laying it on thick, trying to impress Rachel.
But clearly, she wasn't interested.
Financially? Peter wasn't even in the same league as Ethan.He didn't even own his own place—he was still renting.
Still, Rachel smiled politely."Thank you, Peter. But I already made plans with a friend that night. So sorry."
Disappointment washed over Peter's face.
He'd spent a whole month's salary on those concert tickets.He'd been counting on that night to confess to her.
Now? Crushed.
Ethan, standing nearby, watched it unfold with a smirk.
He already knew—Peter was a classic simp.One who would get absolutely nothing for his trouble.
Peter noticed Ethan's smug grin, and his embarrassment turned into anger.
He stormed over.
"Ethan! You've got some nerve!"
"A grown man, making a woman help you carry stuff? Don't you have any shame?"
"Rachel came to work today complaining about back pain. Next time, try not to take advantage of people!"
Ethan turned to Rachel.
So she was the one running her mouth.
Rachel quickly played the innocent.
"Oh, it's nothing! I'm totally fine. Just strained my back a little from lifting too much yesterday."
She rubbed her waist and even winced for effect.
Peter puffed out his chest, trying to be the hero.
"You should pay her—at least $75 for her trouble!"
But Ethan's eyes turned cold.
"She offered to help. I never asked."
"Besides—who the hell do you think you are to lecture me?"
"Do you really think you matter?"
His words were sharp and merciless.
Peter and Rachel both froze.
Peter was nothing more than a low-level office grunt.No power, no authority.
He only dared speak up because Ethan usually kept to himself.
But now—faced with Ethan's fury—he backed down immediately.
"W-Why are you yelling?""I was just trying to talk to you."
Ethan sneered and walked off without another word.
At this point, he saw everyone around him as walking corpses.
In a month, 99% of them would be dead anyway.
Why waste time arguing with the soon-to-be-dead?
After Ethan left, Peter turned to Rachel.
"I told you! That guy's trash. You need to stay away from him."
Rachel frowned.
Something about Ethan had changed lately.
He didn't greet her anymore.Didn't message her at night.Didn't say good morning or goodnight like he used to.
"Something's off…" she thought.
That evening, Ethan checked into the Providence Grand Hotel—the same place he'd ordered those 500 banquet tables from.
The moment he arrived, the manager welcomed him personally and arranged a premium suite.
$200 a night? Who cared?
He still had nearly a million dollars.If he didn't spend it now, it'd be worthless soon.
That night, Rachel sent him a message out of nowhere.
Rachel:"Ethan, I walked by your place today. Looks like someone's remodeling?"
Ethan:"Yeah."
Rachel:"You've been acting strange lately. Stocking up, renovating… is something going on?"
Ethan raised an eyebrow.
Smart girl.
She might be manipulative, but she wasn't stupid.
Still, he didn't care what she thought.
Ethan:"Nothing."
He tossed his phone aside.
On the other end, Rachel stared at her screen, feeling hollow.
Ethan used to text her constantly.
Good mornings. Good nights. Jokes. Compliments.
Now?
Silence.
She didn't care about him.But she couldn't stand that he'd stopped caring about her.
She could ignore him—But he was not allowed to ignore her.
"That fish escaped the net," she thought bitterly.
Ethan might not have been a rich heir, but he was decent.
A good backup.
If her dream of marrying into wealth didn't pan out, she could always fall back on him.
So she sent another message.
Rachel:"It feels like we haven't talked much lately. I kinda miss it."
No reply.
She bit her lip, frustrated.
"This idiot—ignoring me now? Unbelievable!"
Her roommate, Ashley, giggled and sat beside her.
"That Ethan guy has been acting weird. Buying all that food, and ordering so many banquet meals…"
"He's acting like there's gonna be a food shortage or something."
Rachel narrowed her eyes.
"What if there is?" she whispered.
"What if he knows something we don't?"
Ashley blinked—then burst into laughter.
"Girl, you're being ridiculous! If something big was going to happen, the government would've told us by now."
"Relax. If you start hoarding supplies, people will think you've lost it."
Rachel forced a smile.
"Yeah… you're right."
Ethan spent the next few days lounging in his suite.
He didn't go out.
He kept placing massive catering orders.
And in between?
He trained.
With his compound bow. With his crossbows.
Luckily, he'd had some hunting experience before.Now, at fifteen meters, he rarely missed.
Modern compound bows gave him the precision of an ancient elite archer.
Against animals?He could bring down wild boars, wolves, or even large dogs with ease.