I found boys like Ethan insufferable. His indifferent demeanor, even when scolded by his father in front of everyone, only added to my disdain. He seemed utterly unbothered, almost childishly detached. Whenever I saw him, I made a point to avoid him. I doubted he even knew who I was, given his apparent disinterest in business and the people involved in it.
The rivalry between our families was well-known, though I never fully understood it. The Harringtons and my Everhart family were supposed adversaries.
Personally, I felt our true competition should have been the Featherson family, who were also venturing into robotics. The Harringtons, with their focus on AI-driven advanced technologies, seemed less directly competitive.
One day, after a conference session, I found myself in an empty hallway surrounded by a group of boys. Panic set in; wealthy men were often arrogant and unpredictable. Just as I felt desperation creep in, Ethan appeared like a hero, facing the group alone. For the first time, I saw him differently.
"Next time you're in danger, try not to be so foolish," he said, breathless from his effort.
"Me? Foolish?" I replied, my wide eyes filled with curiosity.