Sara's hands shook as she held her coat tightly around her, while the flake of chill boiled down into her bones from Ethan's words. "Someone's watching me? Why? What do they want?" she asked softly.Ethan's jaw clenched as he leaned against his desk with an unwavering gaze in his piercing eyes. "I don't know yet. But I have enemies—competitors, rivals in the industry. People who would love to see me lose everything." His eyes softened slightly. "Now that I know about Noah… I won't let anyone hurt you or him."Such tenderness in his voice made fear flutter in Sara's heart, but still, the fear did not leave. So, she crossed her arms, defending her position. "You don't get to swoop in and act like a savior, Ethan. You took a walk from my life, and now you want to play like you care?"Ethan took a step forward, his tall frame engulfing the room's ambiance. "Yes, I've done some bad things, Sara." His regret-filled voice added depth to his statement. "But I am now here. And I ain't going nowhere- not until I know you're both safe."Sara met his eyes, her insides twisting. He was utterly sincere, but she couldn't trust him yet. Suddenly, she felt angry and hurt in the same breath.The door was knocked, and the handle turned slightly. Ethan's assistant peered in, nervous. "Mr. Knight, there's been a breach in our server. Sensitive files were accessed."Ethan's light mood shadowed suddenly. "What papers?""The personal ones regarding your investigation into... Sara Hart," the assistant said gradually.Sara's breath shuddered. "What do you mean by that?"Gritted his teeth and narrowed the hard argent features, Ethan said, "It means someone is not just following the two of you, targeting, really targeting you, and they already know that I've been digging into your past."---One hour later, Sara found herself in the privileged seat of Ethan's car as he drove through the city. Not for her comfort, had Ethan decided to take her and Noah off to a safer place and figure out who was behind the breach.The tension remained high in the climb. Sara would stare out the window, try to digest what was going on, while Ethan would sit next to her, not letting go of that ear-speaker attached to his phone."I want every detail," Ethan barked into the phone. "Who got access to the files, when, and from where. And double the security on all my systems. I don't care what it costs."As he flicked the phone down this moment, Sara was finally ready to talk about it. "You really don't have to do this. Noah and I have been fine all alone."Ethan turned his head toward her, and his face softened. "Fine? You were terrified last night, running through dark streets because you thought someone was following you. You don't have to handle this alone, Sara. Let me help."His words were like a balm and blade at once as they sliced through the pride but soothed the fear she had attempted to suppress.His words had no time to die away before the car drove up to a lavishly furnished apartment building with the doorman nodding to them politely. Ethan took her inside, passing the front desk."You're safe," he said while walking into the spacious apartment. The walls of glass refracted the city's shine within, but Sara saw none of it."It's too much," she whispered, amazed at the whole place. The apartment was too rich.Ethan turned towards her, and his eyes searched hers. "Nothing is too much for my son."Those pronouncements made her shiver, and for just a fleeting second, she nearly felt her walls crumbling. Before anything else could be said, though, there came a small, muffled voice."Mommy!"And Sara turned just in time to see Noah coming bolting into the room, his little face brightening as he fell into her open arms. The driver had picked him up from Emily's house while travelling to the apartment.Ethan stopped, staring at the boy. It was the first time he had seen Noah, and the similarity was impossible to deny: the same dark hair, the same piercing blue eyes.Noah tilted his head, wondering. "Who's that?" he asked, pointing at Ethan.Sara hesitated, unsure about what to say. But Ethan knelt down for Noah's level to say, "I am Ethan, " with surprisingly soft voice, "Nice to meet you."He grinned; he didn't even know that there was a brewing fight between the adults. "Hi, Ethan!"Seeing the event unfold therein tightened Sara's chest. She had fought hard to prevent Noah from experiencing such a moment, but now that it was here, she was unable to deny the way they connected.But at that moment, Ethan's phone buzzed, and he stood his mouth narrowing slightly as he read the message."What is it?" Sara asked, her anxiety rising.Ethan's lips pressed thinly together. "Someone left a note in my office. There were no cameras under the place, and the note was addressed to you."All the blood drained out of Sara. "What did it say?"Ethan turned grimly toward her. "It said, 'Secrets never stay buried.'"That silence fell heavily over the room. Then it became almost suffocatingly quiet, which caused Sara to draw Noah closer instinctively, and her thoughts sped up beyond plausible human behavior.Ethan's voice cut through this moment of tension. "Whoever this is knows everything. And they are coming for you."---To be continued...