Chapter one; When is all fell down.Ethan's Pov;Sally's behavior since the past few weeks has been indifferent, so this was the reason. She has finally succumbed to her mother' s quest to divorce me. I was sitting at the far end of the dining table when Sally's mom tossed some pictures on my face.They hit me before dropping to the floor, I bent over and picked all up, photos that I never knew existed, my hands raised in mid-air almost handing on Sally's face. Sally's face was bruised with scars from several beatings.That never happened, I have never raised my hands on Sally before, I loved her so much and she knew that, I looked at Sally I wanted her to say something but she was standing behind her mother, holding her arms and trembling, she couldn't even meet my gaze as if it was too much of a burden.Mrs Tyler has never liked since the beginning of it all, she wanted her daughter to marry for connections and more money so to continue building the family name but instead her daugh

Chapter Three; The Beginning of the RebuildThe next morning, I woke up with a headache that felt like someone had split my skull open. My tongue was dry, my stomach churned, and the faint smell of whiskey still clung to my shirt. I didn’t even remember how I got home.But I remembered Derrick’s words. Build something that’ll make them regret it.For a while, I just lay there, staring at the ceiling of my tiny apartment, the kind that smelled like old paint and damp walls. There was no sunlight, just the dull hum of a city that didn’t care. I used to hate mornings like this, but right now, I didn’t mind the silence. It gave me space to think.I kept replaying last night, the bar, the drink, the deal. It almost felt unreal. I wasn’t sure if it was the alcohol talking or if I had actually agreed to help Derrick build a company from scratch. But something about the idea pulled at me. It gave me a reason to get up.So I did.By noon, I found myself standing outside an old warehouse that l

Chapter Five; The ContractThe next morning felt unreal, like the kind of morning that comes after a dream you can’t shake off. The gala had ended hours ago, but my head was still spinning from the lights, the whispers, and mostly, from him.Ethan Hank.His name was everywhere now. Every headline, every conversation. People called him the cold genius, the man who built an empire from scratch, who didn’t smile, didn’t bend, didn’t fall. And maybe that’s what made him so captivating, he looked like someone who’d already burned down once and learned how to live in the ashes.I knew that feeling.Lila called early. “You made the front page again.”“Of course I did,” I said, half-asleep, voice dry. “What did I do this time? Breathe wrong?”She laughed. “Relax. It’s good press. You were seen talking to Ethan Hank last night.”I sat up fast. “Talking? I didn’t even say a word to him.”“Doesn’t matter. The camera caught you two in one frame. That’s all they need.”I sighed and rubbed my face.

Chapter Seven: The Ghost in the MirrorEthan's Pov;I didn’t sleep much.The city outside my window was quiet, but my mind wouldn’t shut up. The night kept replaying itself in loops, the flashes, her voice, that moment on the red carpet when Yvonne looked at me like she was trying to see through the man I’d spent years building.It wasn’t supposed to feel like that.It was supposed to be a simple, simple transaction. She needed her reputation back; I needed a distraction. Nothing more. But the image of her laughing softly at something Derrick said, the way she steadied her hands when she thought no one was watching it stayed with me.I hated that it did.I poured a cup of black coffee and sat by the window, the city skyline staring back like it was mocking me. The sun hadn’t risen yet, but the sky was starting to turn gray that in-between times when the world felt like it’s still deciding whether to wake up or not.That was me, I guess. Still deciding.I used to believe silence was pe

Chapter Nine: Cracks in the ArmorThe mind is a strange thing. You can convince it of anything that you’re fine, that you’re in control, that nothing touches you anymore.Until something… or someone, proves you wrong.It started small. A glance that lingered too long, a laugh that stayed in my head hours after she was gone.Yvonne had a way of making silence feel less heavy. I didn’t like it.I’d built my life on quite the kind that didn’t need noise or company. And now she was there, disrupting it without even trying.We were supposed to meet for a brand partnership shoot that morning. I got there early, like I always did. The room was all light and glass too bright for my liking. Derrick was already there, leaning against a table, scrolling through his phone.“Look who finally decided to fall in love,” he said without looking up.I frowned. “What are you talking about?”He smirked. “Come on, Ethan. The way you look at her it’s almost romantic. And that’s saying a lot, coming from