Ethan woke up to the sound of rain tapping against the windows, a gray sky casting shadows over the apartment. For once, he felt rested, the success of the past few days giving him a small but solid sense of accomplishment. Yet, as he stretched and headed to the kitchen, he found Lila sitting at the dining table, her usual playful demeanor replaced by an uncharacteristic stillness.
"Morning," Ethan said cautiously, pouring himself a cup of coffee. "What's with the brooding? Planning your next scheme?"
Lila looked up, her face unreadable. "No scheme today. Just... thinking."
Ethan frowned, sitting across from her. "Thinking about what?"
She hesitated, twirling a strand of her hair, something she only did when she was nervous. "Do you ever feel like, no matter how much you try to move forward, your past is always there? Like it's just waiting to trip you up?"
The question caught Ethan off guard. He wasn't used to seeing Lila this vulnerable. "Yeah," he admitted after a moment. "I know that feeling all too well. Why?"
Lila didn't answer immediately. Instead, she got up and walked to the window, watching the rain. "There are things about me you don't know, Ethan. Things I haven't told you because... well, it's easier to pretend they don't exist."
Ethan set his coffee down, his curiosity piqued. "You know, for someone who barged into my life like a hurricane, you're surprisingly secretive."
She let out a soft laugh, but it lacked her usual spark. "And for someone who claims to be logical, you married a total stranger without asking questions."
"Touché," Ethan said, leaning back in his chair. "But seriously, Lila. If there's something on your mind, you can tell me. I'm not exactly in a position to judge."
Lila turned to face him, her eyes clouded with something he couldn't quite place. "Maybe someday," she said softly.
Later that day, Ethan left for the office, but Lila's words lingered in his mind. He couldn't shake the feeling that she was wrestling with something heavy, something that had nothing to do with him—or their strange, whirlwind marriage.
At the office, the mood was lighter than it had been in weeks. Employees were still buzzing about the new customer service system, and for the first time, Chase seemed to be earning cautious respect. But Ethan knew the work was far from over.
Midway through the day, Chase called Ethan into his office.
"I've been thinking," Chase began, looking unusually serious. "About everything that's happened. About Doug, the company, you."
Ethan raised an eyebrow, unsure where this was going.
Chase leaned back in his chair, running a hand through his hair. "I never apologized, Ethan. For what happened back then. I should have listened to you, trusted you. Instead, I let my ego get in the way, and I ruined everything."
Ethan was stunned. Chase had always been cocky and defensive, quick to deflect blame. This moment of humility was... unexpected.
"I appreciate that," Ethan said slowly. "But an apology doesn't change the past. What matters is what you do now."
Chase nodded. "I know. That's why I need your help with something else."
He slid a file across the desk. Ethan opened it and immediately felt his stomach drop. It was a report on a pending legal case involving the company—one that Doug had hidden. The case threatened to bankrupt them entirely.
"This is bad," Ethan said, his voice low.
"Yeah," Chase said, his expression grim. "I'm hoping we can settle before it goes to court, but we're going to need a miracle."
Ethan closed the file, his mind already racing with strategies. But as he left Chase's office, the weight of the situation settled over him.
That evening, Ethan returned home to find Lila curled up on the couch, watching an old black-and-white movie. She looked up as he walked in, her expression softening when she saw the tension in his face.
"Tough day?" she asked.
"You could say that," Ethan replied, loosening his tie and sitting beside her.
"Want to talk about it?"
He considered lying but decided against it. "The company's in deeper trouble than I thought. There's a legal case we didn't know about, and if we don't handle it right, it could be the end."
Lila didn't say anything for a moment. Then, she reached over and took his hand, surprising him. "You'll figure it out," she said simply. "You always do."
Her faith in him was startling, almost overwhelming. For someone who had appeared in his life so chaotically, she had a way of grounding him when he needed it most.
"Thanks," Ethan said, his voice softer than usual.
They sat in comfortable silence for a while, the rain still falling outside. But as the night wore on, Ethan couldn't help but wonder about the secrets Lila was keeping—and whether they would eventually catch up with her, just as his past was catching up with him.