A Matrilocal Husband's Counterattack

Chapter 20: His Money Must Not Be Borrowed

Ethan's words had struck a nerve with Carolyn. She never imagined that a live-in son-in-law would dare to speak to her so curtly.

After all, not only was she Sophia's close friend, but also the heiress to the Yang family antique empire, with a net worth of over a billion. How could Ethan possibly compare?

However, after calming down, Carolyn decided to dismiss Ethan's boldness as overcompensation for his inferiority.

No matter how arrogant he acted, he remained nothing more than a poor man with no connections or status.

How could someone like him compare to her?

With that thought, Carolyn lost interest in further argument and simply ignored Ethan.

The four of them soon arrived on the fifth floor.

Pushing open the door to a room called the "Victory Hall," Ethan saw over a dozen men and women gathered inside.

Each of them radiated wealth and confidence, adorned in luxurious jewelry and designer clothing, exuding a sense of superiority.

When Sophia and her group entered, everyone turned their heads to look. Their eyes brightened slightly at the sight of her beauty.

Sophia's striking presence left an impression.

"Sophia, Joyce, Carolyn! You're here!"

A pudgy young man with a booming voice greeted them as he strode over, followed by the others.

The man had a high-bridged nose and a large frame, dressed head-to-toe in designer brands. Gold chains hung around his neck, and three gold rings gleamed on his fingers, giving him the unmistakable air of a nouveau riche.

"Richie Liu, you're the same as always—tacky and ostentatious," Joyce sneered, eyeing his jewelry with disdain. "When will you get rid of those embarrassing gold chains and rings?"

Sophia leaned over to Ethan and whispered an introduction: "That's Ricky Liu. He used to be the sports rep in school. His father was a coal mining tycoon in West China, but the business went bankrupt."

Ethan nodded slightly, amused by how fitting the name "Ricky" was for someone so flashy.

"I wish I could ditch them," Ricky said with a hearty laugh, scratching the back of his head. "But what can I do? My family's coal mine is tapped out, and most of our assets are gone.

"These gold accessories are all I have left to maintain my image in rich circles. Without them, I wouldn't even get through the door of a place like this."

Though his demeanor screamed nouveau riche, Ricky's candidness earned him a hint of respect from Ethan.

Joyce scoffed. "Typical bumpkin. Always so vain."

"Sophia, our campus beauty, you're as gorgeous as ever!"

Ignoring Joyce's taunts, Ricky beamed at Sophia. "It's such a shame my family went bankrupt. Otherwise, I would've chased after you!"

"Dream on," Carolyn interjected with a smirk. "Sophia's already taken."

Turning to Ethan with a pointed glance, she added, "Meet her husband—Ethan, the live-in son-in-law."

A wave of gasps and murmurs spread through the room as everyone looked at Ethan in disbelief.

They couldn't fathom how such an unremarkable man could be Sophia's husband.

"Don't be too surprised. He's just a placeholder—a tool for good luck," Carolyn said with thinly veiled contempt. "Sophia can kick him out anytime she wants."