"I will take the bag to him," he added as he snatched the bag away. In an instant, he switched the bracelet with a fake one while Ethan waited patiently.
"Mr Ethan, I'm sorry for our misconduct. You are a valued customer to us now. Here's your purchase and your receipt. Do well to pay a visit next time," Mr Antonio revealed, and they shook hands with Ethan having no clue what had just happened in the blink of an eye.
The manager watched him leave, knowing that he had scammed a man who would have no proof to back up his claim.
Hours ran by, and the birthday party was moments away. Ethan got dressed in his old two-piece suit, the suit that reminded him of the rich man he was before the accident that changed everything. He placed the bracelet in a box and booked a cab with the last $500 in his possession. Arriving at the grand hall, Ethan could hardly believe his eyes, seeing the fleet of cars that were parked outside and inside the premises. He never thought for a moment that his darling wife could pull such a fleet of wealthy appearances.
Right before his eyes, he saw some of the richest and most influential men walk right past him with a scornful look on their faces. It was as if they had seen a ghost, but Ethan quickly brushed off their looks as he walked carefully with his crutches towards the entrance. With each step he took, he felt a sharp pain in the head that made him groan; flashes of blood and death appeared before his eyes, but he remained calm, taking hold of his body.
On approaching the bouncers at the entrance, they stopped him at once, demanding an invitation card.
"I'm her husband. I don't need any invitation card. Check your list and let me through!" Ethan revealed.
"Your name is not on the list. Please step aside now!" they ordered, their voice thick and daring.
"Let me through now! What sort of rubbish is this? How dare you?" Ethan thundered, and within seconds, he gained the attention of some of the wealthy folks who were just outside the hall.
"Mr Ethan, we have strict orders not to let your poverty-wretched ass inside the grand hall. Step aside now before I break the remaining bones you have left!" one of the bouncers thundered as he took off his glasses and brought out a hidden pistol gun from his holster.
Ethan grew confused by the minute, and just as he tried to run through the entrance, they grabbed him and punched his face with force, watching as he fell to the ground with a loud thud and groaned in pain.
Everyone laughed at Ethan as they watched him groan in pain, he picked himself with shame, quickly getting hold of the bracelet no one noticed.
"I suggest that you leave before you get hurt Mr Ethan!" One of the bouncers warned as he dusted the little dirt off his suit.
"Let him in, he deserves to witness the birthday of his wife, it would be a shame if he didn't" a familiar voice called out to the bouncers and as Ethan turned around, a frown appeared on his face as a man walked in majestically, holding hands with two beautiful ladies and staring deep into Ethan's eyes.
"But Lord David, he's not on the invited list..."
"I said let the pauper in!" David Sinclair declared with a firm voice, shunning all protocol at once.
Guests who were outside, whispered as Ethan cleaned himself and managed to walk past the bouncers, spitting on their suits with disgust on his face. On entering the grand ballroom, Ethan was stunned by the aesthetic decorations and by the high-class men and women who graced the occasion but like a plague, his presence brought an uncomfortable feeling among the crowd, they noticed him at once, his two-piece suit seemed so off, a complete contrast to what was worn by others to the event.
"Look at the man who calls himself the husband of Evelyn, he looks pitiful" one of the guests muttered to her husband while the others laughed silently like he was a clown.
In no time, the event took off with melodious songs but Ethan's wife was nowhere to be found, he held tightly to his gift, savoring his sweet glass of wine and ignoring the constant glares from the prying eyes that were bound to haunt him with each passing minute.
"Tonight will be the dawn of a new chapter in the life of someone we consider a rare gem, a beautiful woman any man on earth will kill for. Tonight, we celebrate Mrs Evelyn Quine, one of the top rising models in the country, her beauty and intelligence speak better" a feminine voice called out to the crowd as they all stared at the beautiful lady in the spotlight.
Everyone cheered and like a true angel, the birthday celebrant walked in with girls pouring flowers on the ground for her to step on, she was as beautiful as the morning sun, Ethan smiled and for a moment, his troubles vanished into thin air, her beautiful gown, her shape, and her black raven hair were just too perfect, she was a goddess.
"I'm so glad to have all of you here with me tonight, I never knew I was this loved, thank you for your presence my darling guests, this means a lot to me" words came out of Evelyn's mouth and it sounded so magical with Ethan smiling so vividly, his love for Evelyn was sacred and he wouldn't trade it for anything in the world.
"If all is well and settled, I would love to have a dance with my lady" a familiar voice called out from the wealthy crowd. Ethan's eyes shifted at once as Lord David took some bold steps towards his wife, he held her hand and placed one hand on her waist and like a planned event, the ballroom lights dimmed while Ethan watched in utter disbelief.
"You scumbag!" Ethan muttered in anger as he tried to suppress the urge to attack David Sinclair who didn't give a care in the world as his eyes remained seductive with his tongue slowly licking his lips.