Chapter 18:Beneath the Surface

Three days later, Lena stood outside the sleek, glass-fronted building that housed Victoria’s personal showroom. The morning sun glinted off the mirrored façade, but Lena felt anything but bright. Her stomach churned with nerves as she watched Trina stride toward the entrance, radiating the confidence of a woman born to be in the spotlight.

“You sure about this?” Lena asked, adjusting the tiny microphone tucked beneath her jacket’s lapel.

Through the discreet earpiece, Trina’s voice came smooth and sure. “Relax, babe. I was made for this.”

Lena exhaled, leaning against her car as she watched her friend disappear into the lion’s den. It had taken days of meticulous planning to get this meeting. Victoria was notoriously private, especially with new people. But a few well-placed whispers about an exclusive, invitation-only fashion line had worked like a charm.

Now, all Lena could do was wait.

A buzzing vibration in her pocket pulled her from her thoughts.

Ethan.

Her heart jumped as she stared at his name on the screen. He had been hovering lately—checking in, as if he sensed how deep she was getting into this. She wasn’t sure if it comforted or unsettled her.

Against her better judgment, she answered.

“I’m a little busy, Ethan,” she said, keeping her voice low.

“I know,” he said, his voice a shade too smooth, too knowing. “I’m watching you.”

Lena stiffened, scanning her surroundings. And then she spotted it—his black SUV parked across the street, tinted windows concealing him from view.

“Are you serious?” she hissed. “What, are you spying on me now?”

“I’m protecting you,” Ethan said coolly. “You’re playing with fire, Lena. You’re not going near her alone.”

“I’m not alone,” she shot back. “Trina can handle herself. Besides, you don’t get to tell me what I can and can’t do.”

A long pause stretched between them before he spoke again, quieter this time. “Victoria won’t play fair. You know that, don’t you?”

The rough edge in his voice scraped against something tender inside her. For all his arrogance, she could feel it—the fear he wouldn’t admit.

“I’m not afraid of her,” Lena whispered.

“You should be.”

Before she could respond, the faint sound of Trina’s voice crackled through her earpiece. “I’m in,” she murmured.

Lena pulled her focus back. “I have to go,” she told Ethan. “I’ll be fine.”

“You’re reckless,” he muttered. “Call me if anything—”

“I won’t need to.” And she hung up.

Inside Victoria’s showroom, the air was cool, sterile—like stepping into the inner sanctum of a queen who tolerated no imperfections. Sleek mannequins draped in couture stood like silent sentinels along the marble floors.

Trina, wearing a tailored black dress that screamed authority, glided forward as though she belonged there.

Victoria stood by the window, her platinum-blonde hair falling in perfect waves over her shoulder. She turned as Trina approached, assessing her with icy blue eyes.

“You’re late,” Victoria said. Her voice was soft, but the undertone cut like glass.

Trina smiled, unfazed. “I like to make an entrance.”

Victoria’s lips curled. “Let’s see if you’re worth my time.”

Trina presented a sleek leather portfolio, filled with hand-sketched designs Lena had spent sleepless nights perfecting. Lena held her breath as Victoria flipped through the pages, her expression unreadable.

“This,” Victoria said, tapping a particular design, “is bold. But how do I know you’re not all talk?”

“I don’t do talk,” Trina replied smoothly. “I deliver.”

A spark of intrigue flickered in Victoria’s gaze. She was buying it.

And then Victoria tilted her head. “Who referred you to me?”

Lena’s heart pounded in her ears. This was the moment that could shatter everything.

Trina didn’t miss a beat. “I don’t need referrals. My work speaks for itself.”

Victoria smiled—a sharp, predatory smile. “We’ll see about that.”

Back outside, Lena leaned against the car, anxiety curling through her gut. Something about Ethan’s words lingered in her mind.

You should be afraid.

She didn’t want to be. She had spent too many years refusing to let fear control her life. But there was no denying the danger.

Her phone buzzed again.

Ethan: "If she makes a wrong move, I’m pulling her out".

Lena frowned. He was watching this too closely—too possessively. And it wasn’t just about protection.

It was about control.

She should’ve been angry. Instead, her stomach twisted with something far more dangerous. Because despite her best efforts, Ethan Montgomery was starting to slip beneath her skin.

And that was a risk she wasn’t sure she could afford.

****************************************************

Lena stood in Ethan’s expansive office, the glow of the city lights casting long shadows against the mahogany walls. The air between them was charged—thick with tension, heavy with words unspoken. She had come here for answers, but now that she stood in front of him, the weight of her own questions felt impossible to ignore.

Ethan leaned against his desk, arms crossed, his sharp gaze fixed on her. “You’re quieter than usual,” he observed, his voice low and smooth. “That’s never a good sign.”

Lena exhaled, narrowing her eyes at him. “I’m just wondering something,” she began, pacing slowly. “If Victoria’s so dangerous—if you clearly don’t trust her—why did you choose her?”

His expression shifted. The teasing glint in his eyes hardened into something else—something darker.

“I didn’t.”

His answer was swift, almost too swift. It made her pulse quicken. “What do you mean?”

Ethan pushed off the desk and walked toward her, his presence commanding the room. “It wasn’t exactly a choice, Lena. It’s complicated.”

She crossed her arms, refusing to let his words distract her. “Then make it simple.”

For a long moment, he just stood there, studying her. His jaw clenched—just enough to tell her that whatever he was holding back, it was a struggle to keep it in. Finally, he sighed.

“It’s a contract marriage,” he said quietly. “An arrangement orchestrated by our families. The Montgomerys and the Caldwells—Victoria’s family—have been intertwined in business for years. A merger like ours means power consolidation.”

Lena blinked, momentarily stunned. She had heard of these kinds of arrangements in high society, but it felt too archaic—too cold—for a man like Ethan to agree to. “So, you’re marrying her to keep the empire intact?”

His lips curled bitterly. “I agreed because I didn’t have a choice. After my brother’s death, everything changed.”

His brother. The words hung heavy in the air. Until now, Ethan had barely mentioned him. Lena took a hesitant step closer. “What happened?”

Ethan hesitated. She could see the flicker of pain behind his carefully guarded exterior. “A car accident—or so they said. But nothing about it ever sat right with me.”

Her heart pounded faster. “What do you mean?”

“The timing was too perfect. My brother, Damien, was supposed to take over the family empire. He was brilliant—smarter, sharper than anyone in the room. But two weeks after he started digging into irregularities with one of our subsidiaries, he died.”

“And you think Victoria’s connected?”

Ethan let out a humorless laugh, running a hand through his dark hair. “I don’t know. But ever since Damien’s death, she’s been everywhere—pushing for the marriage, consolidating her influence. I started looking into it myself, but every time I got close, the trail went cold. She’s smart. Careful. I couldn’t risk tipping my hand.”

Lena’s breath hitched. It was more than a business merger—it was a power struggle buried beneath secrets and lies. “And then I showed up.”

His gaze locked onto hers. “And you started asking the questions I couldn’t. You had access to things I didn’t—people who’d talk to a journalist but not to me.”

“So… you’re using me,” she said, the words tasting bitter on her tongue.

“No.” His voice was fierce—almost too fierce. “I should’ve left you out of it. But once you were in my orbit, I couldn’t ignore what you found. And now…” His jaw tightened. “Now, you’re a part of this whether you want to be or not.”

The intensity in his voice stirred something dangerous inside her. It should’ve made her back away—but instead, she found herself stepping closer. “You could’ve told me the truth sooner.”

“You would’ve run,” he said simply. “And whether you want to admit it or not, you’re as deep in this as I am now.”

Silence stretched between them, heavy with the truth neither of them wanted to face.

And then Lena whispered the question that had been haunting her since the day she learned about his engagement. “Do you love her?”

Ethan’s entire frame seemed to tense. For a moment, he didn’t move. And when he finally spoke, his voice was rough—like the answer cost him something. “I don’t love Victoria. I never did.”

The rawness of his confession hit her like a jolt. She swallowed the lump rising in her throat, her heart pounding harder. “Then why keep up the charade?”

His eyes darkened. “Because if I back out now, she wins.”

The sheer gravity of his words sent chills racing down her spine. Victoria wasn’t just a fiancée—she was a threat. A carefully crafted enemy who was playing the long game.

“And you think she had something to do with Damien’s death,” Lena murmured.

“I’m certain of it,” Ethan said quietly. “But proving it? That’s the hard part.”

Lena’s mind spun. She thought she was just exposing a shallow, manipulative socialite—but this was deeper. More insidious. “What happens if you do prove it?”

“I destroy her,” Ethan said, his voice edged with steel.

The intensity in his tone unsettled her. She had known he was ruthless—but this? This was personal.

And despite herself, she felt a pang of something she didn’t want to name. Was she becoming too entangled in his world?

“What if you’re wrong?” she asked softly.

Ethan took another step closer—close enough for her to feel the heat radiating off his body. “I’m not wrong.”

And for the first time, she believed him.

Later that night, Lena sat in her room, replaying the conversation over and over in her mind.

Her phone buzzed on the table, and her breath caught when she saw Ethan’s name flash across the screen. For a moment, she hesitated. Every time she got closer to him, the line between her investigation and her feelings blurred.

Against her better judgment, she answered.

“You’re still awake,” Ethan said, his voice softer now.

Lena leaned back against the couch. “Hard to sleep after what you told me.”

A beat of silence. “I didn’t mean to drag you into this.”

“You didn’t,” she said quietly. “I chose to be here.”

And for some reason, that admission felt heavier than it should have.

Ethan exhaled softly. “You’re not alone in this, Lena.”

His words stirred something warm and frightening in her chest. Because deep down, she knew the truth.

If they kept digging, neither of them would come out unscathed.

But the biggest danger?

They might not want to walk away.