Chapter 543 - 539: Wanna Mess Him Up?

The whole story basically starts back with Atlas creating the world.

His history with Owen Griffin traced all the way back to their first meeting at a car dealership after the college entrance exams.

At the time, Ethan Sterling never would have imagined that such a simple encounter would lead to so much entanglement with this person down the line.

The incident at Aetherium, where Owen Griffin harassed Renee Reid, was naturally the turning point. But it was hard to fathom how someone could be so obsessive and petty, holding such a deep grudge over that one thing that it still hadn’t faded to this day.

Perhaps it was just as Owen Griffin himself had said: he was used to doing whatever he wanted, and no one was allowed to get the better of him. Ethan Sterling had just happened to hit a nerve.

"Holy shit, that guy’s got a few screws loose, doesn’t he?"

Golden Blade’s fierce eyes went wide as he listened to Ethan’s story. "Fuck, you’d have to have gotten your head slammed in a door as a kid to pull shit like that."

"Isn’t he one of those... what do they call them online? Yandere?" Caelum spoke up. "Basically, he’s sick in the head."

"Sounds more like an antisocial personality," Monkey added.

Ethan Sterling just smiled faintly. "It’s none of those. It’s just a rich kid’s disease. He’s never had to lose at anything his entire life, so the one time he did—to me—he had an extreme reaction."

"So you’re just gonna let it go?" Golden Blade felt indignant on his behalf. "What was that girl’s reaction after you told her?"

’If she believed him,’ he thought, ’maybe she’d break up with that asshole. Then Ethan would have another chance.’

But while Ethan couldn’t say he knew Seraphina particularly well, he could still guess a few things.

"She probably won’t believe it easily," Ethan said softly. "She’s with Owen Griffin now. Forget her, any girl in her shoes would have a hard time believing someone who suddenly pops up and says her boyfriend has issues and is only with her for ulterior motives."

"I sought her out to tell her all this because I felt I had to, even if she wouldn’t believe me. It was something I had to do. I was the reason she got dragged into this, and she’s innocent."

"But I can’t change the outcome, and I can’t force her to believe my words. At this point, I actually hope Owen Griffin genuinely likes her. Even a little bit would be fine. I just hope he’s not purely using her, that he won’t hurt her."

Ethan’s expression was placid as he said this, showing no great emotional turmoil. But the calmer he appeared, the more frustrated Golden Blade and the others felt for him.

"What are you, some kind of champion of pure love?" Golden Blade gritted his teeth, his expression fierce. "If it were me, I’d have beaten the shit out of him."

Caelum and Monkey nodded in agreement. "Exactly. A good, hard beating is the only thing an asshole like that understands. He’d straighten up right away."

"You think I don’t want to?" Ethan laughed. "Fighting on campus at Lorcain U gets you a major demerit. I’m angry, but I know how to weigh my options. I worked my ass off for years to finally get into this university; I can’t have any black marks on my permanent record."

"Still got a clear head on your shoulders," Golden Blade snorted.

Ethan sighed. "First loves are always unforgettable, I guess. But I can’t completely lose myself over it."

"When you’re heartbroken, you just have to eat good food!" The proprietress came over with a huge platter of steamed Emperor Crab. She seemed to have overheard their conversation and said to Ethan with a cheerful smile, "Handsome, how old are you? You’ll definitely meet a good girl in the future. A guy as good-looking as you won’t have to worry about finding a girlfriend."

Her words made the whole table laugh. Ethan smiled and nodded. "You’re absolutely right, ma’am."

The proprietress’s smile was warm and friendly. She addressed the group, "The Emperor Crab is best eaten hot! One sauce is garlic chili, one is Thai sweet and sour. You want some wasabi too?"

"Yes, please."

"Alright, I’ll go mix some up for you. You all go ahead and start."

The steamed Emperor Crab was set before them. The owner had already cut it up and cracked the hard shells of the claws. It was enormous, and the eyes of Golden Blade and the others lit up.

Monkey rubbed his hands together, eager to dig in. "I’ve only ever seen influencers eating Emperor Crab on short-video apps before. I never thought I’d get to eat it myself one day."

"Ethan, this one must have been expensive, right?" Golden Blade asked, looking at him.

Ethan handed a crab leg to Golden Blade. "It’s your birthday. It’s okay to splurge a little. Besides, I was the one who wanted to eat it, and I definitely can’t finish one by myself. It’s perfect for all of us to share."

Golden Blade knew he just added that last part to be nice. He couldn’t help but feel touched by his friend’s generosity.

’Thinking back on how they first met,’ he mused, ’it was pretty dramatic.’

The flavor of the Emperor Crab was an exquisite taste none of them had ever experienced before. A single bite seemed to elevate their very souls. After that, they threw all caution to the wind and dug in, eating with pure, unadulterated joy.

By midnight, the table was piled high with seafood shells, and the entire case of Snow Beer they’d ordered was empty.

Still not satisfied, Ethan called out to the proprietress for another case of beer, but Golden Blade stopped him.

"No more, Ethan. We’ve already had a lot. You have class tomorrow, don’t mess up what’s important."

Ethan’s cheeks were flushed, but he wasn’t actually that drunk. It seemed to be in his family’s genes; except for his second-oldest sister, he, his mother, and his oldest sister could all hold their liquor extremely well.

But a quick glance showed that Caelum and Monkey were genuinely drunk.

So he gave up the idea and stood. "I’ll go pay the bill then."

The proprietress calculated the bill and gave Ethan a discount. Monkey overheard and slurred loudly, "Hey, ma’am! Why the special treatment? When we asked for a discount earlier, you wouldn’t budge!"

The proprietress laughed. "The handsome young man is from my hometown, Veridia! It’s only normal to give a discount to someone who’s heartbroken."

"Thank you, ma’am. We’ll be back."

On the roadside, Golden Blade was supporting Caelum, while Monkey was swaying but still managing to walk. Ethan looked at Golden Blade and asked, "Can you handle them by yourself? Where are you guys headed? You want me to help you get them home first?"

"No need, I can manage. They’re both staying at my place tonight." Golden Blade’s expression suddenly turned serious. "Thanks for the birthday celebration today. You spent too much."

"Don’t mention it," Ethan cut him off. "Next time I want to go drinking, I’ll call you."

"No problem. Just send a message, and I’ll be there whenever you call."

They hailed a taxi. After Golden Blade and the others got in, they waved goodbye to Ethan. Ethan called out to Golden Blade again, "Happy birthday."

Golden Blade grinned. "It’s already past midnight. My birthday’s over."

Ethan smiled and waved back, then watched the taxi slowly drive away until it disappeared. Only then did he look away and call a car for himself on his phone.

In the taxi, Monkey was sitting dazedly in the front passenger seat. He suddenly asked, "Bro, that Owen Griffin guy... should we take care of him?"

Golden Blade glanced at the rearview mirror and said in a low voice, "We’ll go scope out the place tomorrow."

Hearing this, Monkey broke into a wide grin.