Chapter 4 - Or Do You Want To Hear His Real Reason First?

Victoria's POV

Two months believing I owned him—one night learning he'd hunted me from the start.

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Two months.

Eight weeks of pretending this is just an arrangement.

I'm failing spectacularly.

The first week, Ethan started at Sterling Tech as a consultant. I deliberately avoided his floor, but I caught myself checking security footage to watch him arrive every morning. Eight forty-seven, always with the same coffee.

By the third week, we were having dinner downtown. Business outing, public appearance, all very proper. But under the table his knee brushed mine, and I spent the entire evening trying not to think about it.

Three weeks after that, he was debugging my laptop at two in the morning over video call because I was paranoid about a potential breach. He was wearing a t-shirt, hair messy, glasses on. I didn't know he wore glasses. He patiently walked me through every step. That's when I realized I was screwed.

Last week, he remembered my coffee order without asking. Vanilla latte, extra shot, no foam. Small things that shouldn't matter but do.

Now here I am, supposedly reviewing quarterly projections in my office. But I'm thinking about what Ethan said at breakfast. He mentioned liking hiking. I blurted out "I like it too," even though my last hike was five years ago.

"Ms. Sterling?" Sophie's voice comes through the intercom.

"Yeah?"

"Jennifer from Engineering is looking for Ethan to discuss the project. Third time today."

My fingers stop on the keyboard.

"So?" I try to sound casual.

"So... nothing. Just letting you know." Sophie's tone is careful.

I know that tone. She knows.

"Thanks, Sophie."

I turn toward the window. Twelve floors down, I see Ethan in the outdoor plaza on his phone.

Even from this distance, I watch his expression change. From focused to shocked to pure joy.

He's smiling, that whole-face light up kind of smile.

Something good happened.

I find myself smiling too.

Then I catch myself.

Stop it, Victoria. Don't do this. Don't care.

But I do.

At eight that evening, he comes to my place.

No text announcement needed. This has become routine. Work ends, he comes here, we eat dinner, sometimes watch something, then...

But tonight is different.

The door opens and he pulls me into his arms.

Not sexual. Just holding me. Tight.

"Ethan?" I freeze for a second, then awkwardly pat his back. "What's wrong?"

"Nothing's wrong." He buries his face in my neck. "Everything's right. For the first time in a year, everything's right."

"What happened?"

He releases me, eyes shining.

"Mom's latest scan. The tumor is shrinking. Doctor says the treatment is working, she's responding well. Vic, she might... she's going to be okay."

And there it is.

Pure, unfiltered joy.

Before I can think, I pull him back, kissing him.

Not our usual calculated intimacy. This is something else.

When we break apart, he looks at me with that expression. The one I've been dreading.

"Thank you," he whispers. "For everything. Vic, I don't know how to..."

"Don't." I touch his lips. "Don't thank me. This is the deal, remember?"

"Fuck the deal," he says, and kisses me again.

My phone rings.

We both ignore it.

Then it rings again.

And again.

"Maybe it's important," Ethan says, reluctantly letting go.

I check the caller ID. Sophie.

She knows not to call me at night unless it's urgent.

"What is it?" I answer.

"Ms. Sterling, I'm very sorry to disturb you." Sophie's voice is tense. "Security just called. There's a gentleman in the lobby asking to see Mr. Cole. Says it's urgent business. He's very insistent. Says if Mr. Cole doesn't show up, he'll contact the media."

My blood goes cold.

"Name?"

"Marcus Bennett."

Ethan hears that name. His whole body freezes.

"Tell security to have him wait," I say. "We'll be there in twenty minutes."

I hang up, turning to Ethan. "Who's Marcus Bennett?"

His face loses all color.

"Fuck," he says quietly. "Fuck, fuck, fuck."

"Ethan. WHO IS HE?"

"My former investor." He runs his hand through his hair. "The one I owe money to. Vic, I can explain..."

"In the car." I'm already moving toward the closet, changing out of my home clothes. "We're going to the office now."

"Vic, you don't need to..."

"If he's in my building making threats, then it's my business." I pull on a blazer. "Let's go."

My driver is waiting downstairs. In the car, silence sits between us like a third passenger. Ethan is next to me, hands clenched in his lap, staring out the window.

"How does he know you're with me?" I finally ask.

"I don't know." His voice is barely audible. "I swear, Vic, I didn't tell anyone about us."

"Obviously someone noticed."

"He's been... he might have been watching me." Ethan says. "Last month I saw the same car parked outside my apartment a few times. I thought I was being paranoid."

"He's been surveilling you."

"Looks like it."

I stare at the city lights blurring past. "Vic," Ethan turns toward me. "Whatever he says..."

"Let me handle this," I cut him off, voice cold. "You just stay quiet."

He flinches but nods.

The rest of the drive, we don't speak. But I can feel his anxiety radiating off him in waves.

The car stops in front of the Sterling Tech building. It's almost nine. The lobby has only night security and a man in an expensive suit.

Marcus Bennett.

Through the glass doors, I see him. Forties, slick businessman look. The kind who appears friendly but has cold eyes.

He sees our car, stands up, smiles.

That smile makes my skin crawl.

"Ms. Sterling." He extends his hand. "An honor to finally meet you. I'm Marcus Bennett."

I don't take his hand.

"Mr. Bennett. You said you wanted to see Mr. Cole. I'm here. Talk."

"Ah." He looks at Ethan, then back at me. "Perhaps we should speak privately? After all, this concerns Mr. Cole's financial obligations."

"I know about his financial situation," I say coldly. "Say what you need to say."

Marcus's smile widens.

"Very well. Since Ms. Sterling insists." He pulls documents from his briefcase. "Mr. Cole owes my firm two point one million dollars. The original investment was eight hundred thousand, but with interest and legal fees accumulated over the past year... well, you see the number."

"His partner took all the assets," I say. "Cole didn't get a cent."

"But he signed the papers. As co-founder, he's legally liable." Marcus shrugs. "I sympathize with his situation, truly. That's why I've been patient. But patience has limits."

"So what do you want?"

"A payment plan. Or..." He pauses. "I've noticed Mr. Cole's lifestyle has seen significant improvement recently. New clothes, his mother receiving treatment at a private hospital, and he's living in... a nice apartment. Much better than that studio."

My blood runs cold.

He's been surveilling Ethan.

"That's none of your business," Ethan says, voice shaking with anger.

"But it is my concern when my debtor suddenly has money to spend." Marcus turns to me. "Ms. Sterling, I've done my research. You have a reputation for... sponsoring young talented men. I'm wondering if Mr. Cole is also one of your investments?"

The threat is clear.

"Watch your words, Mr. Bennett," I say, voice like ice.

"I'm just stating facts." He says. "Of course, if this information reached the press... well, that would be unfortunate. For both of you. Maybe Mr. Cole is using your confidential company information to pay off his debt? In that case, this isn't just a scandal. It's criminal."

"You're threatening me."

"I'm offering options." Marcus smiles. "Pay his debt, all two point one million, and we forget this whole thing. Or..."

"Or what?"

"Or I go public. Let people know Sterling Tech's CEO is having an inappropriate relationship with her consultant, while he's possibly compromising company security for personal gain." He pauses, his smile deepening. "Oh, and there's one more little detail that's probably not that important... about why this consultant approached you in the first place. Though personally, I don't think it's a big deal."

That last sentence hits me like a knife to the chest.

I look at Ethan.

He looks like he wants to disappear. But more than that, there's guilt.

Pure, devastating guilt.

That expression tells me everything.

Marcus isn't completely lying.

Not about the company secrets part. But about Ethan's initial motivation for approaching me.

"We're going upstairs," I say, voice completely flat.

"Excuse me?" Marcus blinks.

"Twelfth floor. Executive conference room." I turn to Ethan. "You're going to give me a complete explanation. From the beginning. Every detail."