I spun toward Ethan meeting his full intense gaze as my chest tightening. “Can you just try yours.”He pulled out his phone then glanced at the screen before he shook his head. “Nothing.”I clenched my fists trying to get a grip of myself as my dear was getting the better of me“You have got to be kidding me.”It became hard to breathe as my vision slightly blurring at the corner of my eyes, I couldn't see well as my head was banging. No, no, no.“Sophia,” Ethan’s voice cut through the fog in my head but even at that I barely heard him.I pressed myself against the cold wall trying to force air into my lungs, anything I could do to breathe but it wasn’t working. The walls were closing in and my heartbeat was becoming too loud nothing I tried could make it stop, the only thing I could do was to feel my skin getting wet with sweat.I gasped, clutching my chest. I can’t breathe! I can’t—Then he did something unexpected.He touched my face then he slid his hand from my face to the back of
The rest of the day was a blur. No matter how much I tried to focus, my mind kept circling back to the elevator and obviously to him.I was supposed to be preparing reports, but all I could think about was Ethan, the way his hands were in my hair, the quiet way he had admitted that his mother used to do the same for him.It threw me completely off balance and I have had enough of it, enough of his twisted games, enough of the taunts and his manipulative ways, just enough of him.One moment, he was giving me impossible deadlines just to watch me struggle; the next, he was finding excuses to keep me close, and the next he was humiliating me in my apartment.Today, the elevator stunt was the last straw.Because today, he was kind. Patient, even. He could have mocked me or even used my panic attack against me, but instead he had calmed me down and held me together when I was at my lowest.And it wasn’t just the elevator.I caught myself thinking back to the night he forced his way to my a
The air was heavy, I swallowed hard, my throat dry as sandpaper, but it didn’t stop the heat crawling up my neck, it didn't stop the way my thighs pressed together, desperate for his touch or anything to ease my feeling.And I knew he saw how his words were making me uncomfortable, the bastard was enjoying every second of it.He tilted his head, watching me like he had all the time in the world. His lips curled at the edges as I could see his dark amusement.“You don’t have to say anything, Sophia.” His voice was softer now, but still very much less dangerous. “Your body already told me everything.”I let out a shaky weak breath, I needed to regain control but my brain refused to cooperate.Ethan took a slow step closer, his chest nearly brushing mine. “Still pretending, sweetheart?” His gaze dropped, dragging over my body in a way that made my skin feel watched. “Even though I can see your nipples through that tight little blouse?”I choked feeling half shock, half turned on.I force
The walk home was supposed to clear my head but it didn’t, if anything it made.me think even more.After tormenting me for weeks then out of the blue he wanted me on his arms at some high-society event like I was his prized possession.It was never going to happenHe had models and women who I knew would sell their soul without any hesitation or guilt for his offer, so why didn't just ask them and leave me the hell alone?I sighed, reaching the corner to my apartment building only to stop dead in my tracks.At my door there was a sleek black box, I frowned, stepping closer, there was no label, branding or anything that could make me identify what it was, it was just pure luxury staring up at me.Feeling very hesitant, I picked it up and carried it inside, kicking the door shut behind me. My fingers were practically shaking, this could be a bomb or something else, but I didn't want to sound ridiculous, I wasn't that important for someone to send a bomb so with shaky hands, I traced the
Although I was fuming when the makeup team had barged into my apartment, uninvited and very much determined to carry out the devils orders but now, hours later, sitting in front of a grand mirror I was pleased with what they did.My hair had been pulled into a sleek tight bun with not a single strand out of place, it looked as though I was missing a tiara on my head.It framed my face accentuating the cheekbone that I never knew I had, my reflection felt too polished and refined to be me. My nails, which were an uneven and rough mess from all the stress biting, were now painted a bold scarlet red. I ran my fingers against my palm feeling very powerful.My makeup was another transformation entirely. My eyes had a smoky look and my lips were a lighter shade of red. Every, every detail had been done to perfection, I now looked like a version of myself that I wasn’t sure I recognized.And then there was the dress that clung to me like a second skin, it framed my body in a way that made i
Ethan took my hand, guiding me into the limousine, and the moment I stepped inside, I froze.I had never been in a limousine before.For a second, I forgot everything, I forgot the heat of his hand against mine, forgot how his fingers had begun to drift over the exposed skin of my thigh where the slit of my dress parted.All I could do was stare at extreme luxury I was in.The interior was sleek, impossibly smooth black leather stretching across plush seats. There was a subtle golden glow on the polished wood panels that was reflecting off crystal glasses neatly arranged at the bar. Expensive bottles stood in perfect alignment, their labels unfamiliar but obviously luxury.I sank into the seat, running my fingers over the leather. It was ridiculously soft in a way that made me feel like I had stepped into a different world where I didn’t belong.Like Cinderella in someone else’s carriage.I glanced at Ethan, only to find him already watching me. He sat with effortlessly with his damn
The moment we stepped inside, the sheer extravagance of the room nearly swallowed me whole.Golden chandeliers hung from the ceiling, their glow casting reflections across the polished marble floors.Soft classical music played in the background, masking the hushed murmurs of men in expensive suits and women dripping in jewelry that probably cost more than my entire net worth.Every detail was perfection—from the extravagant roses adorning each table to the poised waitstaff moving like clockwork. It screamed a level of wealth I had only ever seen in movies.I swallowed hard, suddenly hyper-aware of how out of place I should have felt.But then I remembered whose hand I was holding.Ethan freaking Blackwood and the man was literally richer than God.His grip was firm, as if he knew exactly what I was thinking. The warmth of his touch anchored me, a silent reassurance that I wasn’t some outsider crashing into a world I didn’t belong to.I glanced up, only to find him already watching me
As Ethan pulled me even closer, I could feel the tension radiating off him, it was sharp, controlled, and coiled like a predator ready to strike. Across from us, Victor only grinned wider, clearly savoring the effect he had on Ethan."Always a pleasure, Blackwood. We must catch up later," he said smoothly before strolling away, completely unbothered.I let out a breath I hadn’t realized I was holding and glanced up at Ethan. His grip on me was still firm, possessive, as if he had forgotten to let go."Do you always look like you’re about to commit murder at social events?" I asked, giving him a playful look. "Or is it just him?"He didn’t answer immediately. Instead, he plucked a champagne flute from a passing waiter and pressed it into my hand."Drink."I rolled my eyes. "Avoiding the question, noted."Before he could respond, another voice cut through the air—smooth, commanding, and laced with amusement."You must be Ethan Blackwood’s date for the evening."I turned to find an older
Ethan’s jaw clenched so hard I heard his teeth grind as he focused on her bruise, the sound of him breathing even made the hair on my arms rise.My mother tried to cover the bruises with her hair as if it would solve anything, but Ethan had already seen it.He stepped closer, towering over her even though he wasn't meaning to."Did he do it?" he asked in a low and deep voice that even made me feel fear.And of course, my darling mother flinched."He didn’t mean it," she whispered as if it made any better.From Ethan's expression I could see the way he was picturing during dirty things to his father, abuse whoever hits a woman doesn't deserve to live.Especially a woman like Veronica Carter he would never fight back.Ethan laughed "Right," he said "Men who don't 'mean it' always seem to find the exact place that will leave a pretty little bruise."My mother’s face crumpled in shame just for a milli second, before she masked it again."You need to report him," he said firmly as his jaw
After the call I sat down next to her, my heart racing as I stared at her, trying to make sense of what had just happened.Her voice was soft but trembled as she spoke. "When you and Ethan left the mansion yesterday… He took it out on me."This was my fault.I felt my throat tighten. A cold lump formed at the base of my chest, and I couldn’t breathe for a moment. I knew something wasn’t right, but hearing her say it out loud made it worse. I wanted to ask more, but I couldn’t. I needed to know.“Is this the first time?” I asked, and as soon as I did, I regretted it. I immediately remembered when she frantically came here in a crying mess but I didn't do anything because I was overwhelmed with my own shit.I remembered how broken she was and how she covered it up immediately when her darling husband came to ‘pick' her up.I had a lot of questions and I wanted to stop myself from pushing, but I couldn’t, I had to know."Why wouldn’t you leave him, Mom?" The words slipped out before I c
The next morning arrived without mercy, I guess toke moved really fast when you hadn't slept at all After finding the business card, sleep became secondary because we knew who Drm Callahan was, was going to be a huge lead. So we spent the entire night at Ethan’s kitchen island, with a shut load of ccold coffee, our open laptops and half-torn sticky notes.At this point the name Dr..Callahan wasn't a lead, it was an obsession. We searched medical directories, university alumni pages, old oncology conferences, and even dark places in the internet that I wouldn't never think of goung to But a new click opened a new rabbit hole with each search result ending in a wall.No hospital.No city.And no fucking clue.Ethan sat on the counter at one point, head in his hands, while I stared blankly at the glowing screen. Neither of us said it aloud, but the truth was there, and that this was a lost cause. Whoever this doctor was, they didn’t want to be found.“This is hopeless,” he said.But I
Rachel ran forward screaming in a high pitched voice I didn't know she had. “Daddy? Daddy, are you okay? I heard glass break, what did Ethan do?” I blinked. What! The! Actual! Fuck! The way she rushed to him, like a little girl desperate to protect her hero, had my breath catching in my throat. She didn’t even glance at Ethan, she just went straight to Richard like he was the one who had been hurt when he might have been the one to shatter the glass. When did all this happen? When did Rachel start calling him Daddy with such tenderness? When did the girl who once side-eyed his every move become this… concerned? I barely had time to process it before Ethan spoke. “What I did?” he said, his tone flat. “You mean existed?” Rachel’s body stiffened. Her hand, which had just touched Richard’s shoulder, dropped like it had been scorched. She turned to look at Ethan, but the words she had died on her lips. Maybe it was the look in his eyes. I stood there, in the middle of this st
I took.l one last look at Sophie as I followed my father, he didn't say a word but it was obvious that knew what was coming; he had to. I strode down the hallway, my footsteps heavy on the floor but my father's pace was steady, but I could sense the tension building between us as I trailed behind him. My eyes fixed on the back of his head as so many thoughts ran through my head, He didn't look back, didn't acknowledge my presence. I continued to follow him as we went past the portraits of a family that barely existed, past the polished antiques that felt more like props than memories. He stepped into his office like a king returning to his throne. I had to admit that his office does look with a throne with the hgh ceilings, heavy mahogany desk, lather and gold and of course it reeked of his ego that soaked into the fucking walls. But now I know that none of this belongs to him, except his ego He didn’t look back when I entered, he just walked straight to the far end of the ro
Rachel's condescending voice cut me short. “Sophia, will you let my father talk to my brother or not?” I couldn't help but roll my eyes while Ethan had his usual unreadable expression, he looked regal and detached, like he had practiced that mask in front of a mirror. But I knew him too well, I know how much work it took him to keep everything in control, I couldn't see that there was a twitch at the corner of his mouth, I noticed the way he was tightening his jaw and I could sense that he was anything but calm.Mr Blackwood just cleared his throat as his eyes went straight to me. “Come with me Ethan,” his tone was flat and commanding, as he was leaving no room for argument. Everyone was silent looking between Ethan and I waiting to see what would happen.Ethan walked towards me with a silent plea in his eyes.“Please, Sophie. Just this once… stay out of it.”His words hurt, but I gave him a look that told him that I wasn't comfortable with him being alone with his father, for all
Sophie's POVThe silence in the car was thick and extremely suffocating. Ethan hadn’t said a word since the call, and I could see it in the way his jaw clenched, the way his eyes showed that he was close to being wild with rage or just that he was very angry.And what Lorna said today only fueled his temper ten thousand times over.“He is looking,” Ethan said in a very low voice as his eyes were distant now, he looked like he was already five steps ahead of his father. “The fucker suspects, I can feel it, you know when I went to my mother's room he was watching and that was the first time in yeats that he went to her wing in the mansion, then now he went in the room it feels sketchy."I nodded in agreement."When I left the mansion today he gave me a chilling look that didn't quite sit right with me.”I listened without saying a word, just nodding my head so Ethan would know that I was picking up every single word he was saying, but he wasn't don't talking.“I don’t know how much he
Lorna’s eyes shifted to him slowly, and the sorrow etched into her face made my chest tighten. She looked like someone who’d lived with the truth for too long, and it had started to rot inside her.“He isolated her,” Lorna said. “At first, it was subtle. He convinced her not to go to her usual doctor. Said he knew someone more experienced, someone who ‘specialized in stress-related issues.’ She was hesitant, but he insisted. Claimed it was best for the baby.” She turned to Ethan “Best for you.”She turned to me then, her voice sharper and deadly bitter. “But that doctor… he was a joke. No credentials we could ever confirm. Always gave vague results, told her the tests were fine even when she could barely walk without holding onto something. I told her it wasn’t right. Told her to get a second opinion. But Robert didn’t let her.”Ethan’s jaw clenched. I could see it working as he gritted his teeth.“He told her she was imagining things. That she was paranoid. That stress was making her
Sophie's POVLorna’s fingers twisting a worn-out tissue, and I could already tell she wasn’t sure if she should speak. I could tell she was already getting emotional as I watched her lips tremble as she finally drew in a shaky breath.Ethan hands resting on the steering wheel even though we weren’t going anywhere, be looked very agitated as if he knew he wasn't going to like what he was about to hear.“Lorna please.” I begged. “I know this is hard for you but Ethan needs answers.”She nodded her head and sighed.“She met him in school… your mother. God, she was brilliant. Soft-spoken but sharp. She could silence a room with just one look.” She was looking at Ethan with a sparkle in her eyes as if she was seeing his mother in him.Ethan didn’t move, but I could feel him getting agitated. I turned slightly in my seat, I turned my body to face her as Lorna spoke.“Your father was a scholarship student, an orphan but was deadly smart, your grandfather sponsored him and your mother took i