The room was still, save for the muffled sound of Lena's heart pounding in her chest. She tried to pull away from the man gripping her arm, but his hold was ironclad. Her eyes flicked to Ethan, who was standing frozen, his face a mix of disbelief and fury. Andrew's calm, almost amused smile made everything feel wrong.
"You," Ethan said, his voice barely a whisper, "You were behind this the whole time?"
Andrew's smile didn't waver. "Not behind it. I've been in plain sight. You just weren't looking closely enough."
Lena's pulse raced as she struggled to make sense of the situation. Andrew was here, now, in the flesh, standing in front of them as if everything had been orchestrated perfectly. The cold steel of the gun in the man's hand beside her reminded her that this was no longer a mere game. This was real. And it was dangerous.
Ethan took a step forward, his posture stiff with restraint. "What do you want, Andrew? You've already got everything you need. Why this? Why now?"
Andrew's gaze flicked to Lena, who was still caught in the grip of one of his men. Her mind spun with questions, but Andrew's calm presence didn't allow her time to ask any.
"You," Andrew said, his voice smooth, almost too calm, "are the key. You always have been."
Lena's breath caught in her throat as his words hit like a cold gust of wind. "What do you mean?" she asked, voice trembling despite herself.
"You really think Ethan was the only one being manipulated?" Andrew said, his eyes narrowing. "You think I'm just the sick cousin trying to cause trouble?"
Lena shook her head, struggling to break free from the grip on her arm, but the man's fingers dug deeper into her skin, holding her fast.
"I never wanted power the way you think," Andrew continued, his eyes flickering back to Ethan. "I wanted control. Over you, Ethan. Over everything you hold dear. And that includes Lena." He smiled coldly at her, a smile that didn't reach his eyes. "Her role was always inevitable."
Ethan's jaw tightened. "No. You've twisted everything. You've manipulated us all into this. You used my trust, my family ties, to pull the strings."
Andrew raised a finger, wagging it in mock admonition. "It's not manipulation. It's a strategy. You've just never been good at seeing the big picture. You're a businessman, Ethan. But when it comes to family, you've always been blind."
Ethan's fists clenched at his sides. "You really think you can control me? Control her?" His voice was filled with anger, but there was a tremor in it, a fear that he couldn't mask.
Andrew's men flanked him on either side, guns still trained on them. The tension in the room was palpable, and Lena could feel every muscle in her body screaming to move, to do something. But she was frozen, trapped in the moment. Trapped by Andrew's plan.
"You can't see it, can you?" Andrew continued, his voice lowering, almost conversational. "You're so focused on the company, on your empire, that you never noticed I was building my own." He took a slow step toward Ethan, his eyes gleaming with a quiet triumph. "This marriage? It's just a piece. A small part of the whole."
Lena's stomach churned as everything she'd been through in the past few weeks began to make sense in a way she hadn't anticipated. The forced marriage, the endless documents, the tension between her and Ethan—it was all part of Andrew's grand design. He wasn't just trying to take the company or ruin Ethan's life. He was trying to break Ethan in the most personal way possible.
Ethan's face darkened as realization seemed to sink in. "This isn't just about power," he murmured, more to himself than to Andrew. "This is about control. Over me, over my decisions. You've been orchestrating this entire thing."
Andrew's smirk grew wider. "You're finally getting it." He turned toward Lena. "And you, Lena, were always the pawn in this game. You were never just a wife. You were the perfect distraction. The perfect weakness."
Lena's breath hitched. A part of her had suspected that she wasn't entirely in control of her own fate, but hearing Andrew admit it, so calmly, was like a punch to the gut. She had thought her life was her own to shape, but now it seemed like everything she'd done in the last few weeks had been controlled by someone else.
Her eyes flicked to Ethan, his expression torn between anger and pain. "You knew," she said, her voice trembling, "You knew this was his plan all along, and you still…"
Ethan's face softened, just for a moment, as his eyes met hers. He stepped toward Andrew, his fists still clenched. "I didn't know the extent of it. I thought it was just a game he was playing, that I could outmaneuver him. But I underestimated him."
Andrew raised an eyebrow, watching Ethan carefully. "You've always underestimated me. But that ends now. You see, Lena wasn't the only one I've been pulling strings with. I've already got the leverage I need to take you down, Ethan. Rivers Corp? It's mine now. I've planted enough seeds to destroy everything you've worked for."
Lena's mind raced. Destroy everything? Did that mean the company? Ethan? Her?
"You won't get away with this," Ethan growled, his eyes filled with determination. "I'll stop you, no matter what it takes."
Andrew's smile twisted into something darker. "You'll try, Ethan. But every time you make a move, you'll realize you're already too late."
The gunmen began to inch closer to Lena, and she felt the grip on her arm tighten, the pressure almost unbearable. Every second seemed to stretch on forever, the weight of Andrew's words sinking deeper into her chest.
"You think I'm weak," Andrew said, his voice suddenly sharp. "But I've always been playing the long game. You were always the one who thought you could win, but now you'll see who really holds the cards."
Lena's heart hammered in her chest. If Andrew really had control over everything, what did that mean for them? For her? For Ethan? Could he really tear everything down?
"Enough!" Ethan snapped. "You don't control me, Andrew. You never will."
For a brief moment, Ethan's eyes locked with hers, and Lena saw something in them—an unspoken promise. A warning. Whatever happened next, they were in this together now. There was no going back. She had a feeling that things were about to get a lot worse before they got better.
Andrew chuckled darkly. "You still don't get it, do you? The game's already over."
Before Lena could react, the sharp click of a phone breaking the silence echoed through the room. Andrew's phone vibrated on the table, and his smirk faded as he picked it up, his expression tightening.
"What is it?" one of his men asked.
Andrew's gaze flicked to the phone, his brows furrowing. "It's... done," he said, his voice low.
Ethan's face went pale as the realization hit him. Whatever Andrew had been planning, it was already in motion.
"You've lost, Ethan," Andrew said softly. "Everything is already falling apart."
Lena's eyes widened, and she turned to Ethan, who was now staring at Andrew with a mix of disbelief and fury. "What's happening?" she asked urgently.
Andrew's smile returned, but it was colder than ever. "You'll see soon enough."
And then, as the room went quiet, the sound of distant sirens began to fill the air—getting louder and closer by the second.