Chapter 11: The Unraveling

Ethan's POV

Ethan arrived back to his hotel room in the dead of night. His driver parked discreetly down the street, and without hesitation, he stepped out, his mind set on one thing—making sure Lena was safe.

He wasn’t sure what angered him more—the fact that Victoria had sent someone after Lena or that Lena had ignored his warnings and kept digging.

With each step he took up to her door, his frustration grew. She was reckless. Stubborn. She didn’t understand the world she was dealing with.

And yet…

He admired that about her.

The light was still on when he knocked. A few seconds later, the door creaked open, and Lena stood there, blinking in surprise.

“Ethan? How did you find me?!”

“You do know who I am,right?” Ethan said immediately,walking  into her room

His jaw tightened at the sight of her—hair messy from what he assumed was hours of work, dark circles under her eyes, yet still as stunning as ever.

“We need to talk.” His voice was calm, but the weight behind it was anything but calm.

Lena sighed, stepping aside. “If you’re here to tell me to stop, save your breath.”

Ethan stepped in, closing the door behind him. “Do you even realize what you’re doing?” His voice was sharp, laced with frustration.

“I know exactly what I’m doing,” Lena shot back, crossing her arms. “Someone sent a warning, Ethan. That means I’m close.”

Ethan exhaled slowly, running a hand through his hair. “It also means you’re in danger.”

Lena’s throat tightened at the way he said it—like it physically pained him to think of her being hurt.

For a moment, silence stretched between them.

Then, softer this time, Ethan murmured, “Let me handle it.”

Lena studied him, searching for something in his eyes. Trust. Vulnerability. A silent plea.

But she shook her head. “No, Ethan. You don’t get to keep protecting me while keeping me in the dark. If I stop now, Victoria wins.”

Ethan clenched his jaw. “This isn’t a game, Lena.”

“I know. That’s why I need to finish this.”

Ethan was used to control. control over his empire.Control over his business. Control over his emotions.

But with Lena standing before him, fearless and too damn close, that control was slipping.

He could feel her warmth, smell the faint traces of coffee and vanilla on her skin. Her lips parted, breath hitching, waiting for his response.

And for the first time in years, he didn’t know what to do.

His hand moved before he could stop himself—a slow, instinctive movement—tucking a stray lock of hair behind her ear.

Lena inhaled sharply, eyes flickering with something he wasn’t ready to acknowledge.

But before he could pull away, she whispered, “Why do you care so much?”

Ethan shouldn’t answer. He should shut this down, and reinforce the distance between them.

But instead, he did something reckless.

He took another step closer.

“I don’t know,” he murmured.

And that was the biggest lie of all.

The tension between them was suffocating. Ethan knew he should walk away. Knew he should protect both of them from whatever this was.

But when Lena swallowed hard and whispered, “Ethan…”

He almost gave in.

Then—

A sudden, sharp knock on the door shattered the moment.

Lena stiffened. Ethan’s entire body went rigid.

Something felt wrong.

Neither of them moved at first. The knock came again—harder this time. More urgent.

Lena turned toward the door. Ethan grabbed her wrist, stopping her.

“Wait,” he said, voice dangerously low.

A third knock.

Then a voice—cold, unfamiliar, and filled with quiet menace.

“Miss Reyes,, we need to have a word.”

Lena’s pulse pounded in her ears as the knock reverberated through her small apartment, sharp and demanding. The voice on the other side was calm, too calm—like a predator toying with its prey before striking.

“Miss Reyes,we need to have a word.” The voice resounded.

She felt Ethan tense beside her, his grip on her wrist tightening just slightly before he let go. The warmth of his touch lingered, but the look in his eyes was nothing short of ice-cold fury.

Lena’s breath caught. This wasn’t just a warning—it was an escalation.

Whoever was at her door wasn’t here to scare her off with veiled threats.

They were here to make sure she understood the consequences.

Ethan took a step forward, his entire body rigid, protective. The tension in the room became suffocating, his presence a force she could almost feel pressing against her.

“Don’t open it.” His voice was low, quiet. But there was an edge to it—one that sent a shiver down her spine.

Lena swallowed hard. “I have to.”

Ethan’s jaw clenched. He shook his head once, but Lena had already made up her mind. If she didn’t open that door, she’d be showing fear. And fear meant weakness.

She took a deep breath and reached for the handle.

The moment she turned it, Ethan’s hand came down over hers, stopping her again. His touch burned against her skin, his voice a whisper, rough and urgent.

“If this goes south, you let me handle it. No arguments.”

Lena met his gaze, and what she saw there made her stomach twist. This wasn’t just about her investigation anymore.

This was personal.

She gave a small nod. Then, slowly, she pulled the door open.

And then—

Her blood ran cold.

Standing in the dim hallway was a man in a dark suit, his sharp features unreadable, but his eyes dripped with warning. Two more men stood behind him, their posture rigid, controlled.

No name. No introduction. Just a slow, deliberate smirk.

“I’d hate for your pretty little career to end so soon.”