The next morning dawned with a heaviness that clung to Lena like fog. She couldn't shake Ethan's words from last night. The idea of him losing everything he'd built, and the raw fear she'd seen in his eyes—it was a side of Ethan she'd never seen before, and it left her uneasy.
As she prepared for the day, her mind raced with questions. What was Andrew planning? And what was this secret Ethan was hiding, the one that could destroy him? She knew she was in over her head, but something in her refused to walk away. There was too much at stake now—more than just a business deal. Ethan had become something more to her, even if neither of them wanted to admit it.
When she arrived at the office, she found Ethan pacing in his office, his face etched with tension. The room was dimly lit, with only the soft glow of the morning light filtering through the blinds.
"Lena," he greeted, his voice tight. "I wasn't sure you'd come back after… everything."
She offered him a steady look. "I told you, we'll handle this together. What's our plan?"
For a moment, something like relief flashed across his face. "I've called for an emergency meeting with the board," he said, his tone businesslike but his eyes haunted. "We need to get ahead of Andrew's moves. If he's planning to expose this deal, I want the board on my side first."
Lena nodded, her heart pounding. She'd heard enough to know that Andrew's threats were serious. If he managed to turn the board against Ethan, it could all be over. "What do you need me to do?"
Ethan paused, as if weighing his words. "Today, I need you to stand by me in the meeting. Make them believe we're united. That our… marriage is strong."
Lena understood what he meant, but she couldn't help feeling a sting of disappointment. This was still all a performance for him, a strategy to protect his empire. But as she watched him, the determination and vulnerability in his eyes, she pushed those feelings aside. This wasn't the time for personal emotions.
The hours leading up to the meeting crawled by, each second filled with a mounting sense of dread. By the time they entered the boardroom, Lena felt like her heart was about to burst out of her chest.
The board members were already seated, their faces impassive as they watched her and Ethan take their seats. She recognized some of them from previous events—powerful men and women whose decisions shaped the future of the company. Andrew was among them, a smirk tugging at the corner of his mouth as he watched her and Ethan.
Ethan cleared his throat, his gaze steely as he addressed the room. "I've called this meeting because I want to be transparent with all of you," he began. "There's been some speculation about a business deal I made years ago, one that some may see as questionable. I want to address this head-on before any rumors can take root."
Lena kept her face calm, even though her pulse was racing. She could feel Andrew's gaze on her, like a hawk circling its prey, waiting for the right moment to strike.
Ethan continued, his voice steady. "The deal in question was made during a period of rapid growth for Rivers Corp. It was a risk, yes, but it allowed us to expand in ways that wouldn't have been possible otherwise. And despite what some may say, it was legal and aboveboard."
A murmur went through the board, some nodding thoughtfully, others exchanging glances. Andrew, however, was unfazed.
"Legal, perhaps," Andrew said, his voice dripping with feigned sympathy. "But wasn't it also… highly secretive? Almost as if you had something to hide?"
The room went silent, all eyes on Ethan. Lena held her breath, watching as Ethan's jaw tightened.
"Every business has confidential dealings, Andrew," Ethan replied coolly. "And I've always operated within the bounds of the law."
Andrew leaned back in his chair, his expression smug. "Well, the law can be flexible, can't it? And sometimes, what's legal isn't always what's… ethical."
Lena felt a surge of anger on Ethan's behalf. She wanted to speak up, to tell Andrew exactly what she thought of his insinuations, but she knew that wasn't her place. Ethan had to handle this on his own.
Ethan didn't flinch. "I've built this company on integrity. And I intend to protect it, no matter what you or anyone else thinks."
Andrew's smirk widened. "Is that so? Because I happen to have documents that suggest otherwise." He pulled a file from his briefcase, dropping it onto the table with a dramatic flair. "Proof of certain transactions that could be… damaging to our reputation."
Lena's stomach dropped. She glanced at Ethan, whose face remained a mask of calm, though she could see the tension in his eyes.
Andrew continued, his voice deceptively pleasant. "I'm sure we can avoid any unpleasantness, though. If, of course, Ethan is willing to step down. For the sake of the company, of course."
The board members exchanged uneasy glances, the atmosphere growing tense. Lena could feel the ground shifting beneath them, the weight of Andrew's threat hanging heavy in the air.
Ethan's gaze was cold, unyielding. "You're not going to win, Andrew. You might think you have leverage, but I won't give in to your threats."
Andrew shrugged, his smirk fading. "Then I suppose I have no choice but to take this public. The media would be very interested in hearing about this, wouldn't they?"
Lena could see the resolve hardening in Ethan's eyes. He looked at her, a silent understanding passing between them, and then he turned back to the board. "I stand by my actions," he said firmly. "And I'm willing to face whatever comes next."
Andrew's face darkened, a flicker of frustration breaking through his calm exterior. For a moment, Lena thought Ethan had won. But then Andrew spoke, his voice low and dangerous. "So be it. But remember, Ethan—sometimes, the truth has a way of finding you when you least expect it."
With that, Andrew rose from his seat and left the room, leaving a chill in his wake.
The board members shifted uncomfortably, some murmuring to each other, but Ethan remained stoic, his gaze fixed ahead.
When the meeting finally ended, Ethan took Lena by the arm, leading her out of the room. They walked in silence, the tension between them thick and electric. When they reached his office, Ethan closed the door behind them, his face a mask of frustration and exhaustion.
"Ethan," Lena began softly, "what are we going to do?"
He sank into his chair, rubbing his temples. "I don't know yet," he admitted, his voice barely above a whisper. "Andrew's playing a game I didn't see coming. He's more dangerous than I thought."
Lena hesitated, then took a step closer. "Maybe… maybe we need to start looking for answers ourselves. If Andrew has something on you, there has to be a way to counter it. We just have to figure out what he's hiding."
Ethan looked up at her, a spark of hope in his eyes. "You're right. If he's gone to these lengths, he must have something worth hiding."
They spent the next few hours digging through files, cross-referencing dates, trying to piece together any clues they could find. Lena's head was spinning with information, but she was determined not to give up. Ethan had opened up to her, if only a little, and she wasn't about to let Andrew take everything from him.
Just as they were beginning to lose hope, Lena's phone buzzed. She glanced at the screen, her heart skipping a beat. It was a message from an unknown number: *"If you want the truth, meet me tonight. The docks at midnight."*
She showed it to Ethan, her heart pounding. "Do you think it's from Andrew?"
Ethan frowned, studying the message. "It could be… or it could be a trap."
Lena felt a shiver run down her spine. "So what do we do?"
Ethan's gaze hardened. "We go. If there's even a chance this could give us leverage, we have to take it."
They waited in tense silence as the hours ticked by, each minute stretching longer than the last. Finally, midnight arrived, and they drove in silence to the docks, the city lights flickering in the distance.
When they arrived, the air was thick with fog, the night quiet except for the soft lapping of the water against the pier. Lena's heart raced as they stepped out of the car, the shadows around them deepening with every step.
"Stay close," Ethan murmured, his voice barely audible.
They made their way down the pier, each footstep echoing in the darkness. Suddenly, a figure appeared in the shadows, cloaked in darkness, their face obscured by the mist.
"Ethan Rivers," the figure called out, their voice low and distorted. "I knew you'd come."
Ethan took a step forward, his body tense. "Who are you? And what do you want?"
The figure chuckled, a sound that sent chills down Lena's spine. "I'm someone who knows what Andrew is hiding. Someone who can help you… if you're willing to make a deal."
Lena felt a surge of dread, but she forced herself to stay calm. This was their chance—their only chance to uncover the
truth.
But as the figure moved closer, something in the back of Lena's mind screamed that this was wrong, that they were walking into something far more dangerous than they'd anticipated.
And before she could react, a pair of headlights blazed from behind them, illuminating the figure's face.
It was Andrew.