Surviving In This Filthy World As A Novel Villain

"… Are you kidding me?"

She had been banking on Ethan using his abilities to secure their position within the family. And now he was standing here telling her he was useless?

"You’re supposed to be a damn expert," she snapped. "And now you’re telling me you have nothing to say?"

Ethan let out a long, exhausted sigh. "If I critique something this flawless, I’ll only make a fool of myself."

Trisha felt the last shred of her patience snap. ’So you’re just gonna stand there and admit defeat?’

Not far away, Marshall Wells had been silently observing the entire exchange.

By now, he had seen enough.

So that’s how it is, he mused. Another so-called Fortune skill master who can’t back up his words.

He had encountered plenty of frauds before—people who claimed to be masters, yet crumbled the moment they were asked to prove themselves. Ethan Carter, despite all the hype, was no different.

His gaze turned cold.

"I had a feeling this would be a waste of time," he muttered under his breath.

Turning away, he addressed a nearby servant.

"Escort the guests to the lounge if they wish to stay and then see them outside," he said indifferently. "I have other matters to attend to."

With that, he walked away, leaving Trisha and Ethan standing there in tense silence.

’Damn it… this was a complete disaster.’ Trisha clenched her fists.

….

Marshall Wells didn’t waste another second on them. Without even waiting for a response, he turned and walked away, leaving Ethan and Trisha standing there in awkward silence.

As soon as he was out of sight, Trisha finally lost her patience.

"What the hell was that, Ethan?" she snapped, crossing her arms. "I went out of my way to bring you here, to help you build connections with my family—and you completely embarrassed yourself and me!"

Ethan rubbed the back of his head, clearly uncomfortable.

"I know, I know… This whole thing caught me off guard," he admitted. "But come on, we didn’t walk away empty-handed."

Trisha scoffed. "Oh, really? And what exactly did we gain from this embarrassing disaster?"

Ethan smirked slightly, tapping his chest confidently.

"A favor."

Trisha blinked. "… A favor?"

"That’s right," Ethan said, standing up straighter. "Look, even though I didn’t exactly impress them, I still came here with the intention of helping. Wells Estate already has a Fortune skill master, but I genuinely tried to offer guidance. That alone is enough to put them in my debt, even if just a little."

Trisha arched a brow, unconvinced. "You think my family cares about intentions? They only respect results."

Ethan shrugged. "Maybe. But even if it’s a small favor, it’s still leverage."

Trisha narrowed her eyes, considering his words. After a moment, she sighed, her frustration easing slightly.

"… I guess you have a point," she admitted reluctantly. Seeing her expression soften, Ethan pushed his advantage.

"That favor may not be huge," he continued, "but don’t you think it’s enough to get your daughter Lily out of jail?"

Trisha hesitated.

Ethan had a point. With the Wells family’s influence, pulling Lily out of trouble wouldn’t be difficult. But was it worth spending a favor on something so trivial? Even she can do that after she dealt with Alex fully.

"… No," she said finally, shaking her head. "It’s not worth using the favor for that."

Ethan frowned. "Why not?"

Trisha crossed her arms again, this time with a thoughtful expression.

"Think about it. You’ve been struggling under Alex pressure for so long—why not take this opportunity to strike back?" Her lips curled into a smirk. "Instead of wasting a favor on something as small as Lily’s release from prison, why not use it to deal a blow to Reid Industries?"

Ethan’s eyes widened slightly. "You mean… use the Wells family’s influence to suppress Alex?"

Trisha nodded.

"Exactly. My daughter may be impulsive, but a little time in jail will do her some good. She needs to learn some discipline anyway."

Ethan considered her words carefully.

Using this favor to build his own foundation, weaken Alex, and establish his own influence?

The more he thought about it, the more it made sense. Slowly, a grin spread across his face.

’Why didn’t I think of this?’ Ethan thought he wasn’t this simple minded, but he clearly left out this option and was about to use the incredible favor for something as trivial as Lily’s release from prison.

"You’re right, Ma’am." He chuckled. "Why waste an opportunity like this? We should use the Wells family’s connections to put pressure on Reid Industries."

Trisha’s smirk deepened.

With their plan in place, Ethan and Trisha wasted no time.

"Ethan, your idea is brilliant," Trisha said with a satisfied smile. "If we rally the major companies in the city against Reid Industries, we can force Alex to surrender part of his project. Not only does this weaken his influence, but we also get a share of the profits."

Ethan nodded, confidence gleaming in his eyes.

"And with the Wells family’s backing, we have the leverage to make this work." He paused before adding, "But more importantly, it’s about sending a message—Alex has been suppressing me for too long. Now, it’s time for him to know what it feels like."

Trisha chuckled. "That’s the spirit."

Then, she made an offer that nearly made Ethan’s heart skip a beat.

"You know what? If this plan succeeds, I’m willing to invest two hundred seventy-eight million dollars into your ventures. With that as your foundation, your voice at the negotiation table will carry even more weight."

Ethan’s hands clenched with excitement.

"Thank you, ma’am! With that capital, we’ll have even greater control over the situation."

Trisha smirked. "Just remember who gave you your first big push when you finally make it to the top."

"Of course," Ethan assured her. "I won’t forget."

With that, they wasted no time—they were heading straight to the city to set their plan in motion.

….

Meanwhile, at the Wells Estate:-

Back at the Wells’ ancestral home, Marshall sat before the family patriarch, recounting the events that had transpired earlier.

"Sir, it was exactly as we expected. Fortune skill masters like Alex Reid are rare," Marshall said. "Most so-called ’masters’ are frauds—just like that person named Ethan Carter Trisha just brought in."

…

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