Alex had always suspected there was something more to Ethan than met the eye. His calm demeanor, the way he always seemed to be around Isabella, even his apparent lack of fear when standing in Alex's presence—it all felt too perfect, too calculated.
One evening, Alex sat in his office, pouring over documents from their underground network when Victor entered, his face as serious as always but with a hint of intrigue in his eyes.
"We've finally uncovered Ethan's true identity," Victor announced as he placed a file on Alex's desk. "It turns out, he's not just some harmless friend of Isabella's. He's far more involved in this world than we thought."
Alex raised an eyebrow, his curiosity piqued. "Go on."
Victor took a deep breath. "Ethan's real name is Ethan Maverick. Years ago, his father was one of our key allies in the underground. He ran operations in Europe and South America, providing intelligence and protection in exchange for our resources. But after a massive fallout between his father and your grandfather, their relationship was severed. Ethan has kept a low profile since then, but it seems he's been keeping a close eye on the De Santos family."
Alex's eyes darkened as he processed the revelation. "Why would he target the De Santos family?"
Victor handed him a photograph from the file. "Ethan's father was double-crossed by Rodrigo De Santos. Your grandfather never knew the full extent of it, but Ethan's father was left to take the fall for a deal gone bad, and he ended up in prison for years. After his father died, Ethan took it upon himself to exact revenge. That's why he's gotten close to Isabella—he's using her as a way to get to her father."
The pieces began to fall into place for Alex. Ethan hadn't just been a concerned friend or a supportive presence for Isabella. He had his own motives, and now it made sense why he had been so protective of her.
Alex leaned back in his chair, his mind racing with thoughts of how to handle this new development. While Ethan's intentions were aligned with his own desire to take down the De Santos family, Alex couldn't ignore the fact that Ethan had been hiding his true identity from Isabella. And more importantly, he couldn't let Isabella become a pawn in anyone's game—even if that person claimed to be her friend.
"Does Isabella know any of this?" Alex asked, though he already suspected the answer.
Victor shook his head. "No. She believes Ethan is just an old friend, someone she can trust. She has no idea he's been plotting against her family this entire time."
Alex's jaw clenched. "We need to keep this from her. I don't want her getting hurt by this. She's already endured enough."
Victor nodded in agreement. "What do you want to do about Ethan?"
Alex stared at the file in front of him, his thoughts calculating and cold. Ethan's involvement complicated things, but it also presented an opportunity. They both wanted to see Rodrigo De Santos fall, but Alex had to ensure that Ethan wouldn't drag Isabella down with him.
"I'm going to confront him," Alex finally said. "But we'll do this on my terms. He'll work with us, and he'll stay away from Isabella. If he tries to involve her in his plans, I'll make sure he regrets it."
Victor smirked. "I figured you'd say that. I'll arrange the meeting."
---
Later that night, Alex found himself standing in the shadows of an old warehouse near the docks—one of their usual meeting spots for sensitive discussions. Ethan arrived shortly after, his expression unreadable but clearly on guard.
Alex didn't waste any time. "I know who you are, Ethan. And I know what you've been planning."
Ethan's eyes narrowed, but he didn't deny it. "I take it Victor filled you in. Then you know why I'm here."
"You've been using Isabella," Alex said, his voice sharp with accusation. "Getting close to her to take down her father. I can't let that happen."
Ethan crossed his arms, his gaze steady. "I never meant to hurt her. Rodrigo destroyed my family, just like he destroyed yours. We both want the same thing, Alex."
"I want justice for my family," Alex corrected. "You want revenge. There's a difference."
Ethan's jaw tightened. "Rodrigo is a monster, and he deserves to pay for what he's done. But Isabella—she's innocent in all of this."
Alex stepped closer, his presence intimidating. "Then why involve her at all? Why not come to me directly?"
Ethan's eyes flickered with something close to regret. "Because I thought I could handle it on my own. I've been waiting for years to get close enough to Rodrigo, and Isabella was my way in. But now... things have changed. I didn't expect her to become so important to you."
Alex's expression hardened. "She means more to me than anyone. And I'll do whatever it takes to keep her safe. So here's how this is going to go—you'll work with me to take down her father, but you'll stay away from her. If you so much as try to pull her into this mess, I'll destroy you."
Ethan held Alex's gaze for a long moment before finally nodding. "Fine. I'll keep her out of it. But you should know, Alex—this won't be easy. Rodrigo's surrounded by allies, and he's not going down without a fight."
"I'm prepared for that," Alex said, his voice cold and resolute. "And so should you be."
As the tension in the air settled, Alex turned to leave, but before he walked away, he added one last warning.
"And Ethan—don't underestimate me. If you hurt her, I'll make sure you pay for it."
With that, Alex disappeared into the night, leaving Ethan standing alone in the dim light of the warehouse, contemplating the choices that had led him to this moment.
Ethan had his reasons for revenge, but now, with Alex involved, the game had changed.