Chapter 7: Confrontations and Revelations

The next morning, I woke up to a heavy fog blanketing the city—a perfect reflection of the uncertainty that clouded my mind. I’d barely slept, my thoughts consumed by the revelations from the previous day. My father’s letter had upended everything I believed, leaving me on the edge of a precipice, unsure of which way to fall.

 

I sat at the kitchen table, nursing a cup of coffee that had long gone cold. Lily and I had agreed to take a break, to gather our thoughts before diving back into the storm of questions and emotions that now surrounded us.

 

As I stared out the window at the foggy cityscape, my thoughts drifted to Ethan. His words, his expression, the way he had looked at me with that mix of regret and something deeper—all of it played on a loop in my mind. I hated that I couldn’t stop thinking about him, couldn’t stop questioning everything I thought I knew.

 

Why had he waited so long to show me the letter? Was it really out of guilt and a desire to make things right, or was there something else at play? I had spent years learning to read people, to see through their facades, but Ethan Blackwood was proving to be more difficult to decipher than anyone I had ever encountered.

 

The sound of a door opening upstairs pulled me from my thoughts. A moment later, Lily appeared in the kitchen doorway, her hair tousled and her eyes still heavy with sleep. She offered me a tired smile as she crossed the room and poured herself a cup of coffee.

 

“Morning,” Lily said, her voice thick with the remnants of sleep.

 

“Morning,” I replied, trying to muster a smile of my own.

 

Lily took a seat across from me, cradling her coffee mug in both hands. For a moment, we sat in silence, the tension from the previous night hanging between us like a specter.

 

Finally, Lily broke the silence. “I’ve been thinking about the letter. About Dad… and Ethan.”

 

I nodded, my gaze fixed on the dark liquid in my cup. “Me too. I can’t stop thinking about it.”

 

Lily bit her lip, her brow furrowing in thought. “Do you think… do you think we’ve been wrong this whole time? About Ethan, I mean. If he really tried to help Dad, then… maybe he’s not the enemy we thought he was.”

 

I sighed, running a hand through my hair in frustration. “I don’t know, Lily. I want to believe that, but it’s hard to just let go of everything we’ve been through. I’ve spent years hating him, blaming him for everything that happened. It’s not easy to just… change that.”

 

Lily reached across the table, placing her hand on top of mine. “I understand. But maybe we should at least give him a chance to explain. If there’s more to the story, we deserve to know.”

 

I met her gaze, seeing the determination in her eyes. Lily had always been the more forgiving of the two of us, the one who wanted to see the good in people. It was a trait I admired, even if it sometimes frustrated me. But now, in this moment, I realized that maybe Lily was right. Maybe we did need to hear Ethan out, to get the full story before making any more decisions.

 

“You’re right,” I said, squeezing Lily’s hand. “We need to talk to him. We need to know the truth.”

 

Lily nodded, relief washing over her features. “Okay. So… what’s the plan?”

 

I leaned back in my chair, thinking for a moment. “I’ll set up a meeting with Ethan. Somewhere neutral, where we can talk without any distractions. I want to hear his side of the story, but I also want to make sure we’re in control of the situation.”

 

Lily agreed, her expression serious. “And after that? What if what he says changes everything? What do we do then?”

 

I hesitated, the weight of the question pressing down on me. “I don’t know,” I admitted. “But whatever happens, we’ll figure it out together.”

 

***

 

Later that afternoon, I stood in front of the sleek glass doors of a small, upscale café on the edge of the city’s financial district. I had chosen this place for the meeting with Ethan—neutral ground, away from both our offices, where we could talk without the prying eyes of the corporate world watching us.

 

Taking a deep breath, I tried to steady my nerves. I had contacted Ethan that morning, and he had agreed to meet me without hesitation. Pushing the thoughts aside, I squared my shoulders and stepped inside. The interior of the café was modern and minimalist, with soft lighting and a quiet atmosphere that contrasted sharply with the chaos I felt inside.

 

I spotted Ethan immediately, seated at a table near the back, his expression unreadable as he watched me approach.

 

“Thank you for meeting me,” I said as I slid into the chair across from him.

 

Ethan nodded, his gaze steady. “Thank you for reaching out. I know this isn’t easy for you.”

 

I studied him for a moment, searching for any sign of deceit or manipulation, but all I saw was sincerity and a hint of weariness. It was as if the weight of the past was just as heavy on him as it was on me.

 

“I’ve thought a lot about what you said yesterday,” I began, my voice carefully measured. “About how there are things I don’t know. I’ve spent years believing that you were responsible for what happened to my family, but after reading that letter… I’m starting to question everything.”

 

Ethan’s eyes softened slightly, and he leaned forward, resting his forearms on the table. “Sophia, I never wanted things to turn out the way they did. I was young, inexperienced, and in over my head. I made mistakes, but I never meant to hurt you or your family.”

 

My heart ached at his words, but I refused to let myself be swayed so easily. “Then explain it to me, Ethan. Tell me what really happened.”

 

Ethan sighed, running a hand through his dark hair. “It started with Victoria—my stepmother. She’s always been a master manipulator, using people to get what she wants. When she found out about your father’s financial troubles, she saw an opportunity to gain more control over the company.”

 

My eyes narrowed at the mention of Victoria’s name. “So, she set him up? Made it look like he was embezzling funds?”

 

Ethan nodded grimly. “Yes. She orchestrated the whole thing. I didn’t know the full extent of her plans at the time, but I knew something was wrong. When I tried to intervene, to help your father, it was too late. The damage had already been done, and Victoria made sure that I couldn’t stop it.”

 

I clenched my fists under the table, anger simmering just beneath the surface. “And what about Lily? Why did she target my sister?”

 

Ethan’s expression darkened, a flicker of guilt crossing his features. “Victoria knew that your father’s reputation wasn’t enough to destroy your family completely. She needed more leverage, something that would ruin you all in the eyes of the public. So, she fabricated the rumors about Lily, knowing that the scandal would break her and drive your father to the edge.”

 

My breath caught in my throat as the full weight of the truth settled over me.

 

“Why didn’t you tell me this before?” I demanded, my voice shaking with a mixture of anger and despair. “Why didn’t you come to us, warn us?”

 

Ethan looked down, his jaw tightening. “I was afraid. Victoria had a stranglehold on the company, and on me. She threatened to destroy everything if I went against her. I thought… I thought I could fix it on my own, but I was wrong. And by the time I realized that, it was too late.”

 

I closed my eyes, trying to process the flood of emotions swirling inside me. Anger, grief, guilt, and confusion all warred for dominance, leaving me feeling lost and overwhelmed.

 

“You have to understand, Soph,” Ethan continued, his voice thick with emotion. “I’ve been living with this guilt for years, trying to find a way to make amends. But I didn’t know how to face you, how to tell you the truth. I thought… maybe it would be better if you hated me. At least that way, you’d have someone to blame.”

 

I opened my eyes, staring at Ethan with a mixture of sadness and disbelief. “But all this time, you knew the truth. You knew that Victoria was responsible, and you let us believe it was you.”

 

“Are you nuts?” I slammed my palm over the table, and coffee spilled over the table. He didn’t flinch, but calmly looked at his personal assistant seated across the table, who ordered another coffee.

 

“Ten years, and your anger is still the same.” He chuckled, watching me try to suppress my anger.

 

“If you would have told me back then, maybe this would’ve been different.” I blamed him, narrowing my eyes.

 

Ethan’s shoulders slumped, a look of resignation on his face. “I know. And I’m sorry. I can’t change the past, but I want to help you now. I want to make things right, if you’ll let me.”

 

I didn’t respond immediately, my mind racing with everything I had just learned. The anger I had held onto for so long was still there, but it was now accompanied by a deep sense of betrayal—not by Ethan, but by the lies I had been fed all these years.

 

Finally, I spoke, my voice barely above a whisper. “I don’t know if I can forgive you, Ethan. Not yet. But I do want to

know the whole truth. I want to bring Victoria to justice, and I want to clear my father’s name.”

Ethan nodded, a spark of determination in his eyes. “Then let’s do it together. I’ll help you in any way I can. We can expose Victoria for what she is and finally bring her down.”

I searched his gaze, looking for any sign of deceit or ulterior motives, but all I saw was sincerity. Despite everything, a part of me wanted to believe him, wanted to trust that he was genuinely trying to make amends.

“Okay,” I said finally, my voice firm. “But I’m warning you, Ethan—if you betray me again, if you’re not being completely honest with me, I’ll make sure you regret it.”

Ethan didn’t flinch at my words. Instead, he gave a solemn nod, a slight smile lingering at the corners of his mouth. “You have my word, Sophia. I won’t let you down.”

As we sat in the quiet café, an uneasy truce formed between us. The road ahead was uncertain, fraught with dangers and secrets yet to be uncovered, but for the first time in years, I felt a glimmer of hope. I wasn’t alone in this fight anymore.

And together, we would bring the truth to light, no matter the cost.