The Phantom Heiress Rising From The Shadows

Chapter 545:

The atmosphere changed the instant Ethan and Brenna entered the private room. They spotted Elsa already inside, seated across from a beautiful young woman in a beige dress. The two were chatting and laughing as if they were old friends.

“Minna?” Ethan froze in place, caught between stepping forward and leaving with Brenna.

Brenna’s intuition was razor-sharp as she caught the tension in the air. “Who is she?” she inquired, her gaze turning cold.

Ethan’s jaw tightened in frustration. He turned to Elsa, his voice low but clearly tinged with anger. “Why didn’t you mention you invited someone, Mom?”

Ethan locked eyes with Elsa’s self-assured smirk, and for a fleeting moment, the overbearing figure from his childhood merged with the woman now seated across from him.

Growing up, his sole ambition had been to dive into finance and carve out a career in business. Yet, his parents, steadfast in their conviction, had insisted he pursue a military path through an academy.

enforcers, their iron grip fueling his defiance, which often led to grueling punishments—standing at attention, endless push-ups, and squats. He still remembered these moments

Ethan covertly altered the military application his parents had prepared,

exam for a military track the next year. He had even vowed to cut off all financial

acceptance letter, enrolled independently, and gotten his four-year degree without a cent from his family. He hadn’t even returned home for the holidays. Only

of rebellion surged again. Ethan instinctively fortified his heart, his gaze toward

Keep reading gⱯlnσνℯ?s․com

knowing smile, held his stare in a quiet challenge. She hadn’t anticipated Ethan arriving

confidently by the circular table, she clasped Minna’s hand, subtly signaling

clear discomfort only deepened

so be sure to make her feel

Ethan’s arm and realized that Ethan already had a girlfriend. Moreover, his