Chapter 6 - What Ethan Was Paid to Do
I wanted to slap him.
Instead, I sat in my father’s chair and forced myself to listen.
Ethan remained standing.
“I met you at Rachel’s party by accident.”
“You weren’t supposed to be there?”
“No.”
“Neither was I.”
He nodded.
“My mother had spent months trying to arrange an introduction.”
“I kept refusing.”
“Then I walked into that party and saw you before anyone told me who you were.”
I hated how clearly I remembered that night.
Ethan spilling sparkling water on my sleeve.
Me laughing.
His embarrassed grin.
Three hours talking on Rachel’s balcony.
I had treasured the randomness of it.
Now even coincidence felt contaminated.
“What happened after?”
Ethan looked toward the window.
“I told Barbara I had met you.”
“She suddenly became supportive.”
“She said I should ask you out.”
“And you did.”
“Yes.”
“Knowing about the trust?”
“Knowing there might be one.”
My chest tightened.
“So you lied.”
“Yes.”
“Every day?”
“At first.”
Samuel muttered, “Ethan.”
Ethan ignored him.
“Your father contacted me after our third date.”
“He told me Barbara had been tracking you.”
“He asked me to keep seeing you so he could figure out what she wanted.”
I stared at him.
“And you agreed.”
“Yes.”
“For money?”
“No.”
“For what?”
Ethan’s jaw clenched.
“My sister.”
That was unexpected.
Ethan rarely spoke about his younger sister, Olivia.
She had died before our wedding.
At least that was what I had been told.
“My mother controlled Olivia’s medical trust.”
“Jonathan offered legal help to separate it from her.”
“In exchange, I kept him informed.”
I whispered, “You used me to save your sister.”
“At the beginning.”
“What happened later?”
“I fell in love with you.”
The words hurt more than they should have.
“Convenient.”
“I know.”
“Did my father know you proposed?”
“Yes.”
“Did he approve?”
“No.”
That stunned me.
Ethan removed another folded page.
It was a letter from my father.
Ethan, if you love my daughter, leave her before your family learns what she controls.
I read it twice.
“You married me anyway.”
“Yes.”
“Why?”
“Because by then Barbara already knew enough.”
“I thought leaving you would make you more vulnerable.”
Samuel scoffed.
“So you married her and moved her into Barbara’s orbit?”
Ethan turned on him.
“You’re the one who recruited me.”
“And you’re the one who stayed.”
Their anger meant nothing to me.
I looked at Ethan.
“Did you know Barbara had access to my accounts?”
His face changed.
“No.”
“Money has been transferred.”
“How much?”
“Almost four hundred thousand over three years.”
He shook his head.
“I didn’t know.”
“There are documents with your name.”
“I believe you.”
“You expect me to believe you knew about a hidden trust but somehow missed my money disappearing?”
Ethan looked devastated.
“No.”
“I expect you to assume I’m guilty until I prove otherwise.”
At least that was honest.
Then a sound came from the hallway.
Footsteps.
Samuel moved toward the door.
Ethan grabbed his arm.
“Don’t.”
“Why?”
“Because Barbara didn’t follow me.”
I felt cold.
Ethan looked toward the security camera.
“She didn’t need to.”
A voice came through the building’s old intercom.
A man’s voice.
Deep.
Calm.
Familiar to Ethan.
“Hello, son.”
Ethan turned white.
Samuel whispered, “Thomas.”
May you like
The dead man had just spoken.
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