Chapter 5

There was nothing more to say at this point.

I turned and went to accounting. After collecting my things and reaching the workshop entrance to leave, someone grabbed my arm.

"Mr. Hayes! Finally! You're here!" A young guy with silver-gray dyed hair blocked my path. "What about that car you were supposed to modify for me? Why are you having some apprentice kid blow me off? He doesn't even know what model my car is!"

The person in front of me was Derek.

The most extreme rich kid locally, absolutely crazy about cars.

His Porsche 935—there weren't more than five in the entire country. He'd been on the waiting list for half a year and specifically requested I personally handle it.

"Mr. Shaw, I'm sorry." I told him. "I've been fired. I can't modify your car anymore."

"Fired?" Derek's voice shot up. "Is your boss crazy? I waited half a year—half a year! Now you're telling me it can't be done?"

His shout drew everyone nearby. Several mechanics who'd been working stopped and looked over.

Ethan quickly walked over from his office, his face full of smiles. "Mr. Shaw, what's going on? Why so angry?"

Derek pointed at me and asked, "Ethan, why was Mr. Hayes fired? I said half a year ago that I wanted him to personally modify this car. What's the deal with swapping in some apprentice now?"

Ethan glanced at me with a warning look, then smiled at Derek. "Mr. Shaw, please calm down. Mr. Hayes resigned on his own. We're very sorry too, but rest assured—Kyle is his personally trained apprentice. His skills are no worse than Mr. Hayes'. Your car will be in excellent hands with him."

Kyle sidled up at this point. "Mr. Shaw, don't worry. I've learned everything my master knows. I guarantee I'll modify it beautifully for you."

Derek looked skeptically at Kyle, then at me.

I didn't want to say another word, but my peripheral vision caught that 935. The full carbon fiber body kit alone was worth seven figures from the factory, with parts air-shipped from Germany.

Any mistake at all would mean hundreds of thousands in losses.

I sighed and turned to Derek. "Mr. Shaw, take my advice—find another shop to do the modification."

Ethan's expression changed instantly. He pointed at my nose and cursed. "Mason! You've already resigned! What are you saying here? If you keep messing with my business, don't blame me for forgetting our friendship!"

Then he pulled Derek aside and whispered something in his ear.

A moment later, Derek looked at me differently, muttering under his breath, "Really? How could that be?"

Then Derek walked over to Kyle and handed him the car keys. "I'll leave it in your hands then, Kyle."

During the entire process, Derek never looked at me again, but his body language couldn't hide his disgust.

I wanted to try persuading him again.

Then I thought, forget it.

It wasn't my car anyway. Let them do whatever they wanted with it.

I knew Ethan hadn't said anything good in Derek's ear that day.

But I didn't expect the news to spread so fast.

A few days after leaving Ethan's place, I contacted Mr. Parker to ask if he was still willing to have me.

Mr. Parker hemmed and hawed for a long time before finally being honest. "Mr. Hayes, did you... serve time in prison?"

I froze. "Did Ethan tell you? Mr. Parker, I can explain. Back then my parents were being bullied..."

"Of course I believe you had your reasons." Mr. Parker interrupted me. "But I'm not the only one who has a say in my shop. The other shareholders don't agree to bringing in someone with a criminal record. They say it affects the company image."

Not only that, but Mr. Parker also told me that news of my prison time had already spread throughout the circle. It would be impossible for me to continue working in this industry.

Mr. Parker asked if I'd be willing to go to another city. He could introduce me to a repair shop elsewhere.

Hearing this, I felt like I'd fallen into an ice cave.

I'd been brothers with Ethan for so many years. I never thought he'd be this ruthless.