Lena walked out of the elevator, the usual calm of the building replaced by an unsettling tension. She felt like she was walking on the edge of something she couldn't yet see, but that she knew was waiting for her. The conversations with Ethan, the endless files, and Andrew's cryptic warnings—all of it was beginning to weigh on her. The more she learned about the Rivers legacy, the more she questioned why she was here. Why was she married to a man she barely understood, caught between his expectations and the shadow of his family?
As she made her way to the office, her thoughts were interrupted by the sudden buzz of her phone. A message from Ethan: *Meet me in the boardroom. We need to discuss something.*
Lena hesitated. The cold efficiency in his text gave no hint of what awaited her. She had been on edge all morning, and the weight of everything was starting to catch up with her. Was he about to reveal more secrets? Or would this be yet another layer in his complex game of control?
When she reached the boardroom, the door was ajar. Ethan was already there, seated at the long table, reviewing documents. His face was as unreadable as ever, his back straight, his hands folded neatly in front of him.
"You wanted to see me?" Lena asked, her voice barely above a whisper.
Ethan glanced up, his eyes quickly scanning her face before focusing on the papers before him. "Yes," he said, his tone clipped. "There's something we need to go over. I'll be brief."
Lena didn't move. She stayed by the door, her heart racing. There was something about his posture, the way his shoulders were tight, like he was preparing for something. She could feel the distance between them, a space that seemed to grow every time they were together.
"Andrew…" Ethan began, his voice steady but carrying an edge. "He's not just after control of the company, Lena. He's been planning something bigger. Something I didn't see coming."
Lena's breath caught in her throat. "What do you mean?"
Ethan met her gaze then, his eyes a mix of determination and something darker. "I underestimated him. He's not sick. He's playing a long game, and he's been pulling strings for months. The marriage... was part of his plan."
Lena felt a chill spread through her. She knew there was more to Andrew than just a sickly cousin. But hearing Ethan confirm it, hearing the raw edge in his voice, made it all too real.
"What's his endgame, then?" Lena asked, stepping forward. "Why marry me? Why drag us both into this?"
Ethan stood up abruptly, pushing the documents aside. His hand ran through his hair in frustration, and for a split second, Lena saw the man beneath the mask. A man caught in a game he couldn't control.
"He wants me distracted. He wants to break me," Ethan said, his voice low. "And you, Lena... you're part of that. His plan was never just to ruin my business. It was to make me weak—make me doubt myself, doubt you. He wants to drive a wedge between us."
Lena's heart pounded in her chest. She could feel the weight of his words settling over her. She had always known that Andrew wasn't the innocent, sick cousin everyone assumed he was. But this… this was something different. Andrew wasn't just a man trying to get his inheritance or control of the company—he was playing a game of psychological warfare, using everyone around him as pawns.
"So, what do we do now?" Lena asked, her voice steady despite the rising panic inside her. "How do we stop him?"
Ethan paused, looking at her with a mixture of doubt and resolve. "We keep playing the game. We can't let him know we're onto him. We need to stay one step ahead."
Lena took a deep breath, steeling herself. "I'm in. But I need to know everything, Ethan. I can't be part of this if I don't understand what's happening."
Ethan hesitated. He looked at her, his eyes searching, almost as if he were trying to gauge whether he could trust her with the truth.
"There's more," he said quietly. "And I'm not proud of it."
Lena stepped closer, sensing the shift in his tone. "What do you mean?"
Ethan's face tightened, his jaw clenching as if the words hurt to say. "Andrew's been manipulating me for years. I thought I could control him, but he's always been a step ahead. The marriage, Lena… it wasn't just a way for him to get to me. It was a way for him to get to *us*."
Lena's eyes narrowed. "What are you talking about?"
"I'm not just married to you for business reasons," Ethan said, his voice lowering. "I'm married to you because Andrew knew that, eventually, I would start caring about you. He's been using my emotions against me from the start, trying to turn my relationships into weaknesses."
Lena's breath caught. The room felt smaller now, the air heavier. She had known that Ethan wasn't indifferent to her—he had shown glimpses of something more, something real. But hearing him admit it, hearing him say that Andrew knew all along… it sent a wave of confusion and doubt through her.
"But… you never said anything," she said, her voice barely above a whisper. "You never told me you were… *playing along* with his plan."
Ethan looked away, his expression hardening. "I didn't have a choice. At first, I thought I could handle it. But now… now I'm not sure what's real anymore."
Lena's mind was racing, the pieces falling into place in ways she hadn't anticipated. Andrew had been playing both of them. And now, Ethan was caught in the crossfire, torn between the man he once considered family and the woman who had become his unexpected ally.
Before Lena could say another word, a loud crash echoed from the hallway, followed by hurried footsteps. Ethan's eyes shot to the door, his body tensing in an instant.
"What was that?" Lena asked, her voice tight with fear.
Ethan moved quickly, stepping toward the door and pressing his ear against it. A moment later, he turned, his face pale.
"We've been compromised," he muttered. "They're here."
Lena's heart skipped a beat. "Who?"
But before Ethan could answer, the door to the boardroom exploded inward with a violent bang. Two men in black suits stormed in, guns drawn, their faces cold and unfamiliar. Lena barely had time to react before one of them grabbed her by the arm, pulling her toward the door.
"No!" Ethan shouted, rushing forward, but another figure stepped into the room, blocking his path.
It was Andrew.
Lena's eyes widened in disbelief as Andrew stood there, his smile cold and calculated, his eyes gleaming with triumph.
"Welcome to the game, Ethan," he said, his voice dripping with menace. "You've played well. But it's my turn now."