Chapter 10:Dilemma

Ethan leaned back in his leather chair, staring at the untouched papers on his desk. His mind wasn’t on work.

It was on Lena.

He had tried to stay away. He had told himself it was for the best. But the more he fought it, the harder it became.

And now, she was in trouble.

He had spoken to Graham earlier, confirming what he already suspected—Lena was too deep in this. And Victoria knew.

Ethan pinched the bridge of his nose. He had spent years keeping his enemies close, always playing the game carefully, controlling every move. But Lena was unpredictable. She had walked into his world, refusing to follow the rules.

And now, she was a liability.

A knock on his office door pulled him from his thoughts.

“Come in.”

Graham stepped inside, his expression unreadable. “We have another problem.”

Ethan braced himself. “What now?”

“Victoria called her.”

Ethan went still. “What did she say?”

“She warned her off. But knowing Lena, she won’t stop.”

Ethan cursed under his breath. He pushed back his chair and stood, pacing.

“She’s reckless!.”

“She’s brave,” Graham corrected. “And that’s exactly why she won’t back down.”

Ethan knew that. It was one of the things that drew him to her. But this wasn’t just about uncovering the truth anymore—this was about survival.

Victoria wouldn’t let Lena walk away unharmed.

And Ethan wasn’t sure he could protect her from what was coming.

“Find her,” he said finally. “Make sure she’s safe.”

Graham hesitated. “And if she refuses to stop?”

Ethan clenched his jaw. “Then I’ll have to make sure she does.”

But deep down, he knew the truth.

Lena was a storm he could no longer control.

And he wasn’t sure he wanted to.

Lena sat in her hotel room, her laptop glowing in the dim light. The silence was thick, only broken by the rhythmic tapping of her fingers against the keyboard. Every new piece of information she found on Victoria Monroe sent a fresh wave of unease down her spine.

She had spent hours scouring online records, scrolling through old news articles, and digging into financial reports. There were whispers of backroom deals, failed businesses, and suspicious disappearances of key rivals, all swept under the rug. Yet, nothing directly incriminating was ever pinned on her.

A deep frown formed on Lena’s face as she clicked on a tab displaying a high-society charity gala from two years ago. There was Ethan, looking sharp and composed as always, his usual mask of indifference in place. But standing next to him, her manicured nails latched onto his arm, was Victoria. Even in a still image, she radiated control, her gaze sharp and possessive.

“What hold does she have over him?” Lena muttered under her breath.

Her mind flashed back to the way Ethan had reacted whenever Victoria’s name was mentioned. His jaw tensed, his eyes darkened, and there was an unmistakable resentment hidden beneath his dismissive tone.

Lena leaned back in her chair, rubbing her temple. If she was going to expose Victoria, she needed more than just rumors—she needed proof.

A knock on the door startled her. Heart racing, she closed her laptop and approached cautiously.

“Who is it?” she called out.

“Room service, ma’am,” a voice replied.

Lena exhaled in relief, but as she opened the door, her eyes met a sharply dressed man in a tailored suit—someone who was definitely not a hotel employee.

“Miss Reyes,” he said smoothly. “It’s in your best interest to stop digging where you don’t belong.”

Lena’s pulse pounded as she gripped the edge of the door. The man standing before her was calm—too calm—his polished appearance and unreadable expression sending a chill down her spine.

“Excuse me?” she asked, feigning ignorance, though her fingers tightened slightly around the door handle.

The man’s lips curved into something that wasn’t quite a smile. A warning disguised as politeness.

“You’re an ambitious woman, Miss Reyes. Smart. Talented. It’d be a shame if that potential were wasted on… unnecessary distractions.”

Lena’s jaw clenched. “I don’t know what you’re talking about.”

He took a slow step forward, forcing her to either back up or stand her ground. She chose the latter, tilting her chin up in defiance.

“I think you do,” he countered smoothly. “You’ve been looking into things that aren’t your concern. A certain woman’s affairs. And if you’re not careful, you might find yourself in situations that… aren’t ideal.”

Lena’s heart pounded, but she refused to show weakness. Was this Victoria’s doing? Had she sent someone to intimidate her?

She swallowed hard, forcing steel into her voice. “If you’re trying to scare me, it’s not working.”

The man chuckled softly, shaking his head as if amused. “Oh, Ms. Carter. This isn’t a threat.” His voice dropped an octave, the air between them turning ice-cold. “It’s a promise.”

And then, with a casual nod, he turned and walked away, disappearing down the hallway.

Lena slammed the door shut, her breath coming in sharp bursts. She pressed her back against the wood, trying to calm the storm inside her.

This wasn’t just a hunch anymore. This was real.

And someone was making sure she knew it.

Across the city, Ethan sat in his dimly lit office, staring at the unopened bottle of scotch on his desk. His mind was on her—Lena.

She was too stubborn for her own good. She didn’t know what she was walking into.

And yet, as much as he wanted to push her away for her own safety… he knew he wouldn’t.

A soft knock on his office door pulled him from his thoughts.

It was his assistant. “Sir, there’s been some movement. Someone was sent to ‘talk’ to Miss Reyes.”

Ethan’s grip tightened around the armrest of his chair. His jaw locked.

“How long ago?” His voice was dangerously calm.

“Not even twenty minutes.”

A beat of silence. Then, Ethan stood, grabbed his jacket, and strode toward the door.

Lena barely slept. The encounter with the mysterious man played over and over in her mind like a broken record. His words hadn’t been loud or aggressive, yet they carried the weight of an undeniable threat.

She wasn’t naïve. She knew power players didn’t like being exposed, and Victoria was certainly one of them. But what scared her more was the realization that Victoria knew what she was doing.

This wasn’t just about a cheating scandal or a gold-digging fiancée. It was bigger,something she had yet to uncover.

The logical part of her told her to back off.

But then she thought about Ethan.

His cold demeanor. The way his walls seemed impenetrable. Yet, underneath it all, she had seen something else—something vulnerable.

And she’d be damned if she let Victoria manipulate him into a life of misery without knowing the truth.

Determined, she sat up, grabbed her laptop, and got to work.