Novels by Micky Bliss

Ethan's POVThe call came at seven in the morning.I'd spent the night in my new office, unable to face the empty hotel suite. Sleep wouldn't come anyway. Every time I closed my eyes, I saw the Cross family's faces. Heard Mom's voice calling me ungrateful. Saw Michael's smirk as he held Lena.My phone lit up with Sophia's name."Turn on the financial news," she said without greeting. "Channel six."I found the remote, powering on the television mounted on my office wall. The screen filled with a anchor's serious face and a red banner scrolling across the bottom."Cross Capital Management suffered major losses overnight. Investors pull millions. Gerald Cross unavailable for comment."The anchor's voice continued, detached and professional. "The small but respected investment firm saw its stock plummet forty-three percent in after-hours trading. Multiple clients have withdrawn their portfolios, citing concerns about the firm's financial stability and management practices."They cut to f

Ethan's POVMorning came with a knock on the suite door.I'd barely slept. Every time I closed my eyes, I saw Lena's face. Michael's pale expression. The garbage bags on the lawn. My brain wouldn't shut off, wouldn't stop replaying the last twenty-four hours like a movie stuck on loop."Chairman Sterling?" Sophia's voice came through the door. "May I come in?"I opened it. She stood there with two assistants, all three carrying tablets and briefcases. Behind them, a hotel cart held covered dishes that smelled like actual food."Breakfast first," she said, wheeling the cart inside. "Then business."The food was incredible. Eggs cooked perfectly. Toast that melted in my mouth. Fresh fruit that actually tasted like fruit instead of the mushy stuff from discount grocery stores. Coffee that didn't come from a gas station.I ate while Sophia talked."Your grandfather will see you this afternoon. Two o'clock. His private estate." She swiped through her tablet. "Before that, we have your firs

Ethan's POVThe phone buzzed again before I could decide whether to respond.Another message from Lena: "Please, Ethan. I need to see you."Then another: "I'm outside your building."Part of me wanted to ignore her. Delete the messages. Block her number and never think about her again.But another part, the part that had loved her for eight months, that had starved itself to buy her gifts, that had believed she was different, needed to hear what she had to say.I typed back: "I'm not at my apartment."Three dots appeared immediately. She was typing."Where are you? I'll come to you."My fingers hovered over the keyboard. Giving her this address felt wrong. Like inviting my old life into my new one. But maybe that's exactly what I needed. To face it head-on. To close that door completely.I sent her the hotel address.Her response came instantly: "That's the Grand Regency. Ethan, what's going on?""Just come. Lobby. Twenty minutes."I didn't wait for her reply.The closet held clothes

Ethan's POVThe hotel suite occupied the entire top floor.I stood in the entrance, unable to move, unable to process what I was seeing. Floor-to-ceiling windows overlooked the city. Lights sparkled below like fallen stars. The living room was larger than my entire apartment. Correction. Larger than the apartment I used to share with two roommates."This way, Chairman." Sophia moved through the space like she owned it. Maybe she did. Maybe Zenith Corporation owned the whole building. "Your bedroom is through here. The master suite has a walk-in closet, full bathroom with a soaking tub and rain shower, and a private balcony."I followed her, my feet sinking into carpet so plush it felt like walking on clouds. Everything was white and gold. Clean. Expensive. Untouched.The bedroom could have fit three king-sized beds. It had one, positioned in the center, with silk sheets that probably cost more than my monthly Walmart salary."I can't stay here," I said."Why not?""Because." I gesture

Ethan's POVMargaret Chen's eyes never left mine, but when she spoke again, her words were directed at everyone."I apologize for the confusion. Allow me to properly introduce myself." She reached into her jacket and produced a business card, holding it between two perfectly manicured fingers. "My name is Sophia Vale. I'm the special representative of Zenith Corporation. And more importantly, I represent the Sterling family."The night air felt thick. Heavy. Like the atmosphere before a lightning strike.Mom found her voice first. "The Sterling family?" She laughed, but it came out forced, nervous. "I'm sorry, Ms. Vale, but I think there's been some mistake. This is a private matter. Family business.""Family business." Sophia repeated the words slowly, testing them. "How interesting that you should use that phrase, Mrs. Cross." She turned her attention to Mom and Dad, her expression unchanged. Professional. Cold. "Tell me, does family business usually involve assaulting someone on yo

Ethan's POVThe house looked the same as always. Two-story colonial. Manicured lawn. Double garage with Michael's BMW visible through the window. The porch light glowed warm and inviting, a lie I'd believed for fifteen years.My feet stopped at the edge of the driveway.Winston had said not to come here. Stay somewhere safe. Wait for morning.But I needed to see them. I needed to look at their faces now that I knew the truth. Now that every hug, every birthday, every "we love you son" had been reframed as a transaction. Two million dollars' worth of lies.I walked up the driveway, each step feeling heavier than the last.Something was wrong.The porch light illuminated three large garbage bags piled by the front door. Black plastic, tied at the top, bulging with contents I couldn't identify from this distance.I climbed the steps.Through the nearest bag's stretched plastic, I saw fabric. My fabric. The blue hoodie I'd bought at Goodwill two years ago. The corner of my calculus textbo