Neither Nathan nor Elizabeth noticed the familiar silhouette standing just beyond the glow of their headlights, watching their intimate moment.

Ethan stood frozen under the flickering streetlamp, his eyes fixed on the two figures pressed together in the front seat. Though he couldn't see their faces clearly, the meaning of their embrace was unmistakable. He turned away silently, his body protesting with every limping step.

Walking had become a painful ordeal lately, but this fresh heartache made his physical injuries feel insignificant. He'd missed his chance with her once again.

He retreated into the shadows of a narrow alley, collapsing onto the cold pavement where they couldn't see him. The bruises covering his body registered as nothing more than distant discomfort.

His shattered heart created far greater agony than any physical wound could ever inflict...

Suddenly, another presence materialized before him. Ethan looked up to find William standing there, his expression grim. "Let's go," William said quietly.

William had witnessed Nathan with Elizabeth too.

He'd been having dinner at Levine Manor when Nathan's furious call revealed Elizabeth's desperate plan to secure money. Without hesitation, William had moved to intervene, only to be blocked by Nancy's stubborn refusal to let either of them leave.

Still, William had quickly regained his composure, confident that Nathan would prevent the worst from happening.

Ethan, however, had completely lost control.

He'd charged toward the door, disregarding everything, only to be stopped once more by the household staff. Even Henry had joined in the threats.

"Walk out that door, Ethan Parker, and you're no longer part of this family!"

"You knew what choice I would make eventually," Ethan snarled, his face twisted with raw emotion.

In truth, ever since Elizabeth's status as an illegitimate child had been exposed, Ethan had been having difficult conversations with his adoptive father.

Henry had exhausted every possible threat to control Ethan, but nothing had worked.

Finally, they'd reached an understanding—if Ethan remained determined to leave the family for Elizabeth's sake, Henry wouldn't stand in his way.

Ethan had agreed to this arrangement as his final gesture of respect toward Henry. He just hadn't expected Elizabeth would push him to make this decision in less than a month.

"Ethan Parker!" Nancy screamed at him, her face flushed with rage. "My father showed you incredible generosity when he took you in! And now you're betraying our family for some mongrel? How dare you show such ingratitude!"

"I'm a mongrel too, aren't I?" Ethan retorted with a bitter laugh.

Bang! Henry's palm slammed against the table with explosive force. Little James flinched violently—he'd never seen his great-grandfather so enraged. The boy sat frozen at the dining table, too terrified to move. "Watch your tongue, Ethan!" Henry growled with dangerous intensity.

Ethan pressed his lips together. He didn't argue further, but his resolute stance remained unchanged.

"Ethan Parker! Don't you understand that Father can strip you of everything, just as he gave you everything?" Nancy snapped at the perfect moment. "Do you want to end up destitute like Elizabeth?"

"Yes. I'd rather be poor with her than rich without her."

Nancy looked like her blood pressure might skyrocket from his response.

"Fine. I won't stop you," Henry said, his voice icy. "Lawrence."

"Yes, Master Levine," the butler responded with formal respect.

"Enforce the family rules," Henry commanded. "And announce publicly that Ethan is no longer a member of our family, effective immediately!"

Lawrence hesitated, his concerned eyes shifting between Henry and Ethan. But seeing the cold determination in Henry's gaze, he knew he had no choice but to obey. "Yes, Master Levine."