Chapter 10:

Ethan Black.

Location: Short Hills in New York's wealthiest suburbs. One hour, fifty minutes drive from Manhattan.

Time: 10:05 am, Sunday.

I sat quietly across from my mother Sylvia Black, in the formal sitting room of our family's five-acre estate. The sunlight streamed in through the large windows, casting a warm glow over the antique furniture and ornate wallpaper. Despite the pleasant surroundings, I could not shake the overwhelming pressure that weighed on my shoulders to find a wife, and Carla's bleak stunning face was not helping in the matter.

Why did I fill so drawn to her?

My mother-in-law brought in another woman because I was unable to conceive in my five-year marriage… Carla's faint voice repeatedly echoed in the back of my mind.

Her face was ordinary, yet captivating.

Her voice was sweet and innocent.

Her body, curvy and sexy for a Petite Latina woman.

Her personality, demanding and yet understanding.

Her love language, was perfect because she saw hope in a lost cause like her marriage... Or did she??

I mulled deeply as I could not quite put a finger on what exactly attracted me to her ordinary simpleton.

I'm Ethan Black, and I could be with any woman in the world that I wanted but I chose to be loyal to a disloyal woman and a soon-to-be divorcee.

Maybe it was the pressure of finding a wife that was playing tricks on me. I looked at my stunning fifty-year-old mother, dressed in dark blue jeans with a white floral blouse. Her feet were adorned in simple silver sandals.

Her once beautiful dark hair was all white like snow, styled to perfection and I loved that she accepted her aging body after the death of father.

"Ethan, so what will you do?" Mother asked while trimming her red and white roses laid on the white coffee table next to where she sat.

"Mom, I don't know what to do," I said, my voice strained but firm. "The shareholders, Gracia and Miller, are threatening to take over the company and sell if I don't find a wife in the next five days. I've been on dates with every eligible woman in town, but I just can't seem to find a connection with anyone." I lied to my mother because I did not want her to find me a wife of her choosing.

"And Crystal, what is she saying about all this?" Mother frowned with a serious stare.

And my blood boiled hearing her mention the one person whom I once trusted.

I clenched my jaws and bit my tongue so that I would not tell Mama the truth which I'm sure she had read in the online tabloids.

"She has said nothing about the marriage." I gritted my teeth with a stern poise, I was trained to exhibit since I was a child.

Growing up an only child was so hard and sometimes it got so lonely to the point where I could speak to myself, pretending I had a brother within me.

It was all fun and games until nanny Julia caught me and reported it to my father, who had to call a shrink on a 10-year-old.

Imagine what that did to me…

"Son, you don't need to hide what has been seen by millions." She said in a calm voice and my body hitched with surprise.

"Mother, what are you talking about?" I questioned hoping she might say something else apart from the scandal Crystal created for herself.

"I'm talking about Crystal dear, everyone knows what she has been doing behind your back with that JJ boy." Mother stared at me with unblinking focused eye contact and I sighed softly.

Crystal's gig was up and I could not cover up for her. I kept to myself and did not comment on her issue because half of me wanted to believe that there was still a chance for us to wed in the next five days.

I peeked out the window and saw Mother's Butler Tom, busy collecting more flowers for Mother in the garden, and I didn't think he noticed my presence.

"Do you want to talk about it?" Mother asked in a sincere voice.

"No, I will handle it myself," I replied feeling somewhat ashamed by the matter.

"Oh, Ethan, I'm so sorry. This is all my fault. If only I had been more involved in the company when your father was alive, we wouldn't be in this position now."

Mother's expression softened as she looked at me.

I shook my head. "No, Mom, it's not your fault. We can't change the past. I just need to figure out another way to save the company."

Ever since Dad died, Mother had always blamed herself for all my mishaps because she thought she was not involved enough in my upbringing as a child.

And I can't blame her. In her younger youthful years, she was too busy being lavished by all the finer things life could offer by her husband.

In short, she was living the dream while my nanny Julia and boarding school practically raised me.

Mother reached across the table and took my hand. "Ethan we'll figure it out together," she said firmly. "But you mustn't let Gracia and Miller intimidate you. They're not the only shareholders in the company, and we'll find a way to rally the others to our side."

"Which other shareholder are you talking about?" I frowned slightly.

"Don't worry yourself too much about who the other shareholders are, just find a wife as soon as possible." She smirked with a mischievous twinkle in her eyes.

Okay, what secrets does she hide? What could she be scheming? I furrowed my brows briefly.

"You will see soon." She winked at me and continued trimming her flowers

I looked up at my mother with a glimmer of hope in my eyes. "Do you think we can do it?"

Mother nodded resolutely. "I know we can. Don't give up hope, Ethan. The right woman is out there for you, and I'm sure we will be successful in saving the company."

I sighed and leaned back in my chair. "I just wish it didn't feel like such a rush job. I want to find someone I truly connect with, not just someone to save the company."

Mother smiled warmly. "I know, dear. And I believe you will. But for now, we need to act quickly, Ethan."

Suddenly my phone buzzed frantically, interrupting the conversation. I pulled it out of my pocket and saw a text message from an unknown number.

I frowned slightly, but this was not something new to a well-known man like me to receive unknown numbered texts or calls. I tapped on the message icon on the phone and read the message, my heart sank.

Crystal was at it again, cheating on me with that playboy JJ, and to make matters worse, they were at a well-known hotel just a few blocks away. The sender attached a clear picture of them entering the hotel together.

My hands trembled with anger as I tried to compose myself in front of my mother. "Excuse me, Mom, I have to go," I muttered, barely able to control my rage.

Mother looked at me with concern. "Is everything okay, Ethan?"

I forced a smile. "Yes, everything's fine. I just remembered something I have to take care of."

I rushed out of the sitting room without bidding my farewell and strolled down the hallway to the door, my heart pounding in my chest. I got into my sleek black Benz and sped off, running all the red traffic lights as I drove to the said hotel.

******

Fifteen minutes later,

I arrived at the said secluded hotel, parked my car, and stormed into the lobby, my eyes scanning the area for any sign of Crystal and JJ. Suddenly, I caught a glimpse of them standing by the elevators, holding hands and laughing.

I felt my blood boil with anger as I approached them. "Crystal, how could you?" I spat, my voice thick with emotion.

Crystal's face went white with what I presumed was out of shock as she saw me standing next to her. "Ethan, w-what are you doing here, I thought you were supposed to be with your mother," she stammered.

"Well, I'm here now." I scanned JJ from head to toe and nothing impressed me in his childish outlandish dressing.

Like who still sags their pants in their thighs and pairs it with an oversized t-shirt with a cap hanging on the back of his head.

His heavy jewelry looked like it strained his neck…poor guy, I pitted him for choosing Crystal of all the women in New York.

"Hey, Ethan," JJ smirked triumphantly at me with a single bob of his head.

I glanced at him with an intense stare." it's Mr. Black to you." And he scoffed at my declaration.

Crystal broke off their handclasp. "I'm sorry babe, we were just talking, nothing more." She stuttered in a muffled voice.

I shook my head in disgust. "Save it, Crystal. I don't want to hear your lies. It's over between us. And I will send your shit to your mother, don't bother coming to my penthouse again."

I turned and walked away, leaving Crystal and JJ standing there in stunned silence.

It was too much of Crystal's lying conniving self, to win me back… this was the last straw from her.

I got into my car and repeatedly punched my legs just to maybe feel pain elsewhere apart from my heart.

"Argh," I screamed, releasing all the rage brewing inside of me.

"Crystal, why?" I hang my head on the steering wheel, hiding my sad face from prying eyes. I heaved a sigh while holding back the tears.

Crystal Williams came from a well-to-do family in my cycle and I gave her the world literally.

And she repaid me with heartache…

I drove back to my penthouse, trying so hard to hold back my tears, but they flowed freely down my cheeks. I had lost my chance to save the company and the love of my life in one fell swoop.

As I drove, I couldn't help but replay the scene with Crystal over and over in my mind. I felt so lost in thought that I barely registered the sound of my phone ringing.

I picked it up and saw that it was Crystal calling. I hesitated for a moment before finally answering.

"What do you want, Crystal?" I said coldly.

"Ethan, please, just hear me out. I didn't mean for things to happen this way," Crystal pleaded.

My patience was wearing thin. "What did you expect, Crystal? Did you think I wouldn't find out again, the world has eyes."

"I made a mistake, Ethan. I'm sorry. Please give me another chance." Crystal's voice grew desperate.

My jaw clenched. "I already gave you too many chances, Crystal. I can't trust you anymore. It's over." I said.

There was a long pause on the other end of the line before Crystal spoke again. "You can't just throw away everything we had, Ethan. Think about all the good times we shared. Don't let this one mistake ruin everything."

And I scoffed at her statement. "It's not just one mistake, Crystal. It's a pattern of lies and deception. I can't be with someone I can't trust."

Crystal's voice cracked with emotion. "Please, Ethan, I love you. Don't do this."

"I'm sorry, Crystal, but I can't be with you anymore. Goodbye."My voice was strained as I spoke my final words to the woman I once loved wholeheartedly.

"Ethan plea…"

I hung up the phone and tossed it onto the passenger seat. My heart was heavy with regret and sadness, but I knew deep down that I had made the right decision.

Now to put my mind to good use of finding myself a wife to save the company. I sped off into the horizon.