Author’s POVEthan walked up slowly to Julienne, and stopped just a few inches in front of her, “Drop it, Julienne,” he said his voice tight,“Just don’t get involved. My marriage is fine.” He brushed past her, heading out of the kitchen, hoping she’d let the matter go.Julienne on the other hand had no intentions of letting the matter go. She watched him leave, her mind slipping with possibilities. She’d seen the way Hannah looked at Ethan when he wasn’t noticing. A mix of desire and guardedness that screamed secrets. Nothing intrigued her more than a well-kept secret. She could tell that something was wrong and that Hannah might be too afraid to ask for help with Ethan, and knowing Ethan, he would be too blind to see it. As such she decided to do the one thing she knew Ethan would hate, and step in. As she walked out of the room, she made it a point to casually run into Hannah somewhere in the mansion. After searching for a while, she spotted Hannah across from the balcony, in the
Author’s POVEthan walked into the office hurriedly that morning. The morning’s weird encounter with Hannah still hovered around him, he didn’t even recognize when his secretary walked over to him,“Mr. Ford,” Natalie called with an anxious look on her face breaking him out of his thoughts.Ethan suddenly stopped, turning towards her. At that point he could not help but notice the curious gazes from the distant crowd, staring at them as if some explosion was about to go off.Ethan ignored their looks at first, staring directly at Natalie,“What’s wrong Nat?” He asked sternly.Natalie gulped heavily, the words stuck in her throat.She opened her mouth to speak again, but still could not find the courage.“Spit it out already!” Ethan snapped, impatiently.Today was the meeting with Xeno Industries over a possible merger that would increase their revenue by thirty percent over last month’s intake.Ethan thought that if he could close this account, he’d finally have proof to show his fath
Author’s POV“You have exactly five minutes to explain why you are here before I have my guards throw you out.” Ethan snapped as soon as he saw Jack. “Relax Ethan, I’m not here to fight,” Jack said standing up,“It seems you’ve already lost that battle, dear friend.” He added, approaching him.“What the hell are you talking about? What are you doing here Jack?” Ethan asked, arching his brow in confusion.“You don’t know?” Jack replied, an amused grin appearing on his lips. He clapped his hands excitedly and walked around the office,“This is just perfect. I get to see the exact moment when Ethan Ford realizes he’s lost.”Ethan looked even more confused as Jack spoke, but before he could say anything else, Jack quickly said“My company just sealed the contract with the Xeno account. Looks like you lost this time around, Ethan.” Jack said with a smug grin.Ethan clenched his fist in anger as he heard this.He slowly shifted his gaze to Natalie who retraced her steps, leaning anxiously
Author’s POVEthan arrived shortly after at the Eunuch mansion, and as soon as he stepped in, a tall man in a black and white tuxedo quickly approached him,“I’m Majid, the house’s butler. Now tell me what your affairs are here.” Majid asked, he’d not seen the young master of the Ford family for over ten years now and could not recognize that that was who he was talking to.“I’m here to meet The head of the Eunuch family. I’m Ethan Ford.” As soon as Ethan said these, fear settled greatly on Majid. If he had offended the young master and sent him away without notifying the Eunuch family, he would have lost his job, and could even lose his life as well.When he informed the master of the eunuch family that Ethan Ford was on his way to the mansion, the man was over-thrilled. He canceled his meetings right at that moment to meet with Ethan.Majid bowed and immediately led Ethan to the great hall.Ethan walked in hurriedly, searching around for Hunter Eunuch, Liam’s father and head of the
Author’s POV“What’s the condition?” Ethan asked, sensing Liam was up to no good. Liam smirked and walked up to the door, opening it slightly and turning back toward Ethan, “I’ll let you know when the time is right. Just know that you are now owing me a favor and I’ll soon come to collect.” Liam said with a wry look, gesturing toward the door for Ethan. Ethan heaved a tired sigh and hung his head low, then turned toward the door. At this point, he was just glad that Liam did not overcomplicate the merger he was proposing. He suddenly stopped just a few steps away from Liam and turned to him.“I’ll send over the agreement papers soon, and keep you updated with what we have to do,” Ethan said and without waiting for a response, turned to walk out when Liam suddenly called out, causing Ethan to stop midstride“Ethan!”,“I still can’t get over what you did to me, but I want you to know that I forgive you.” He announced.Ethan stopped, staring at Liam in confusion. “I have no idea what y
Author’s POVJulienne looked flustered seeing Ethan stand there. She was this close to getting Hannah to talk, but Ethan showing up now had ruined everything.Ethan took a step closer, his eyes narrowing as he remembered Julienne’s motives.“What is going on here, Julienne? Are you harassing my wife?” He said, his tone defensive.Hannah’s cheeks flushed when she heard that.She gathered herself, relieved that Ethan had shown up when he did. She wasn’t going to say anything that would put their marriage into perspective for Julienne, but she didn’t know how much longer she could keep lying about it either.Julienne’s persistence was becoming a problem, one that she knew she had to find a lasting solution for, without unraveling any secrets.“Can I talk to you for a moment?” She asked, pulling Ethan away. Ethan heaved a tired sigh and then opened his study and they walked in.“What do you want, Julienne?” She took a deep breath, choosing her words carefully, “I’ve been thinking about
Author’s POVJulienne took a deep breath and pressed off the wall. She knew she couldn’t deny it any longer. “I’m just looking out for you Ethan. I know there are things going on that you aren’t telling me and I know how you crumble when you can’t handle certain pressure.”Ethan’s eyes narrowed as she spoke. He stepped closer, his voice low and dangerous. “Stay out of my business, Julienne. I won’t repeat myself a third time. You have no idea what you are getting into.”Ethan warned and strode past her, towards his desk. He had to go over the merger agreement between him and Liam before meeting with the man again. Ethan pulled his drawer and reached for it, but could not find the document and immediately his brows furrowed furiously. He didn’t have to think to know who was with the papers,“Give them to me, Julienne,” Ethan said coldly and stood up.Julienne stepped back cautiously, her gaze fixed on Ethan’s face, watching him closely, “What are you looking for, Ethan?” She asked pre
Author’s POVAfter she walked out of the house, Julienne wandered the halls of the mansion with an air of pride. She had stood up to Ethan, even though the results were not what she expected. She didn’t bother. She didn’t have to push his temper anymore, she just had to keep a low profile and he out of his way.She spotted Hannah sitting alone in her room with the door slightly ajar, and she stepped forward with a friendly expression.“Hello, Hannah,” she said warmly and slid on the chair in front of her, “I hope I’m not disturbing you.”Hannah looked up, caught off guard but still tried to hide her surprise, “Oh no, not at all,” she replied politely. “You’re not disturbingJulienne feigned a smile and folded her hands on her lap, her gaze trained intently on Hannah, and then her expression changed, “You know, I’ve been thinking,” she began, her voice gentle, but sinister. “Ethan doesn’t often get close to people. He’s always been so guarded. It’s nice to see him with someone who make
The ocean stretched endlessly before them, its deep blue waters shimmering under the afternoon sun. The waves crashed rhythmically against the shore, filling the air with the scent of salt and freedom. The soft hum of distant laughter, the occasional cry of a seagull, and the warmth of the sand beneath his feet made Ethan feel something he hadn’t in a long time—at peace.He lay back in his beach chair, sunglasses shielding his eyes as he took in the scene before him. Hannah and Lily were walking along the shoreline, their bare feet sinking into the wet sand with each step. Hannah’s laughter carried over the breeze, light and unguarded.Ethan couldn’t stop staring at her. It had been years since he’d seen her this carefree. No worries, no burdens—just pure, unfiltered joy.Lucian, lounging beside him, sipped his drink and smirked. “Didn’t think you were the vacation type.”Ethan chuckled, shaking his head. “Didn’t think I’d get a second chance at this kind of peace.”Lucian nodded slow
The evening air carried the soft scent of roses and freshly cut grass as the sun dipped lower in the sky, casting a golden glow over the garden. Strings of twinkling lights hung above, flickering gently in the breeze. It was simple, intimate—exactly what they needed.Ethan adjusted the cuff of his suit, taking a deep breath. He never thought he’d be standing here again, vowing himself to Hannah, not because they had to, but because they chose to.Lucian clapped a hand on his shoulder. “Nervous?”Ethan scoffed. “Since when do I get nervous?”Lucian smirked. “You’re literally sweating.”Ethan wiped his palms against his pants, rolling his eyes. “It’s just hot out.”Lucian chuckled. “Sure it is.”But the truth was, Ethan was nervous—not because he doubted what he was about to do, but because of how much it meant.He glanced around. The guest list was small, just their closest friends and family. Noah stood in the corner, ever the watchful guardian. Lily adjusted Hannah’s bouquet, whisper
Ethan sat across from Hannah in their bedroom, the quiet between them stretching long and heavy, filled with everything they hadn’t yet said. The past few days had been a storm—one they had barely made it through. And yet, in this moment, it wasn’t the past battles that scared Ethan the most. It was this. Sitting here, looking at Hannah, knowing he had nearly lost her in more ways than one.Hannah sat on the edge of the bed, her hands clasped together in her lap. There was no anger in her eyes, but there was something else—something deeper. A sadness. A weariness. And maybe, just maybe, a little hope.Ethan exhaled slowly, rubbing his hands together as if that would ease the tension in his chest. “I should’ve told you everything from the beginning,” he admitted, his voice quiet but firm. “I thought keeping things from you would protect you, but all it did was push you away. I was scared of losing you.”Hannah sighed, running a hand through her hair. “Ethan, I knew you had secrets. I c
The explosion was deafening. A wave of heat and force slammed into Ethan, knocking him off balance as shards of debris flew through the air. The ground beneath him trembled. Smoke curled into the night sky, filling his lungs with the acrid scent of burning metal and dust.Ethan coughed, trying to steady himself as his vision swam. He turned his head and saw Anderson slumped beside him, barely conscious, his breathing shallow.A few feet away, the man in the tailored suit—his enemy, his nightmare—stumbled back from the force of the blast. But even through the chaos, he recovered quickly, brushing the dust off his expensive jacket. A smirk tugged at his lips, as if none of this fazed him.Lucian, always the fastest to react, grabbed Ethan’s arm. His grip was firm, urgent. “Move!”Ethan didn’t waste time. He wrapped an arm around Anderson and hoisted him up, supporting most of his weight. Anderson groaned in pain, but he didn’t resist.Flames crackled from the black SUVs parked nearby. T
A thick silence fell over the room. Ethan’s breath hitched in his throat, his pulse thundering as Anderson’s words settled in. “You should have left things alone.” What did he even mean by that? Ethan wondered.Lucian exchanged a glance with Ethan, his body shifting uncomfortably. He took a step toward the door, his hand instinctively reaching for the gun at his waist. Something was wrong. Very wrong.Ethan turned back to Anderson, whose face was pale, beads of sweat forming on his forehead. His breathing was ragged, his chest rising and falling with effort. But it wasn’t pain that twisted his features—it was terror.“Anderson,” Ethan pressed, his fingers tightening around Anderson’s cold wrist. “What do you mean? Who did this to you?”Anderson tried to move, but his body was too weak. He clenched his jaw, forcing out a whisper between his shallow breaths.“They know.”Ethan’s blood ran cold.Before he could ask what Anderson meant, Lucian moved abruptly, shoving Ethan back.“Get down
As Ethan entered the room again, his heart sank as he saw Anderson. He looked even worse than he was before. Ethan hesitated for a moment, and then pulled a chair close to the bed and sat down, gripping the armrest tightly.This time around, Lucian stood by the door, arms crossed and his eyes scanning the room like he expected danger to come crashing through at any moment. Somewhere deep down, he knew Anderson was not in the clear yet. Not while he was still in this hospital.Ethan barely noticed, Lucian’s demeanor. He reached out, hesitating before lightly grasping Anderson’s wrist. It was cold. Too cold.His throat felt tight. “You have to wake up,” he whispered. “You have to tell me who did this.”Anderson didn’t move.Ethan exhaled shakily, his grip tightening. “I thought you were dead. Do you get that? I—” His voice wavered, and he clenched his jaw. “I grieved you. And now you’re back, but you’re barely here, and I—”He shook his head, frustration burning beneath his skin. “Damn
The hospital room felt smaller, like the walls were closing in, pressing down on Ethan’s chest as he watched Anderson convulse on the bed. The shrill beeping of the heart monitor filled his ears, drowning out everything else. Nurses and doctors shouted, moving quickly, but all Ethan could focus on was Anderson—pale, shaking, slipping away right in front of him.“They know.”The words echoed in his mind like a warning, a scream he couldn’t ignore. Lucian was still gripping his arm, holding him back, but Ethan barely felt it. His entire body was tense, his breath coming in short, shallow bursts.A nurse shoved past them, her voice sharp and urgent. “We need to stabilize him now!”“BP’s dropping fast!” another called.“Charging to 200!”Ethan flinched as the defibrillator paddles pressed against Anderson’s chest.“Clear!”Anderson’s body jerked, then slumped.Ethan’s stomach twisted.“Again!”Another jolt. Another lifeless slump.Panic gripped Ethan so hard his pulse pounded against his
Lucian paced. He couldn’t help it. His body was too charged, his mind too overwhelmed to stay still. His breaths came in sharp, measured inhales as he kept his eyes on Anderson.Ethan hadn’t moved. He was still kneeling beside his cousin, gripping his arm as if afraid that if he let go, Anderson would disappear again. His lips moved in whispers, too low for Lucian to hear. Maybe he was apologizing. Maybe he was making promises.Lucian clenched his jaw. He could hear the distant wail of sirens now, cutting through the silence of Greenville’s ruins. Help was coming. But was it fast enough? He didn’t know how Anderson had managed to survive this long, but one thing was sure, if he hadn’t gotten any help soon, he might not make it much longer anymore.His eyes flickered to Ethan. The man had barely reacted to anything else since they found Anderson. The emotions flickering across his face were too raw to name, shock, disbelief, agony, relief. All tangled into something indescribable.Luci
The drive to Greenville was short, but every mile stretched on like an eternity. With each passing second, Lucian’s hand gripped the wheel tighter, his mind caught in an endless loop of Ethan’s chilling words.“The earthquake should’ve taken me, not him.” Those words replayed once again in his mind, followed by guilt, regret and pain.Ethan had been drowning in it, and Lucian had missed all the signs. This weighed heavily on him considering his welfare was one of the main things he was supposed to look out for. How could he have been so blind? Lucian groaned.He should have stopped him. Should have made him stay. Should have—He exhaled sharply. “No. No more should-haves.” He muttered. He was here now, and in a matter of time, he would find Ethan before it was too late.As he looked at the place now, the road cracked at the edges, debris scattered across the pavement like fallen memories. The photos had not done it justice, the ruins of this place was more than what was shown. Buildin