Chapter 42; The Off-Books OfficeEthan's Pov;Julian's car cut through the night like a blade.Cold air seeped through the cracked window, brushing against my jaw, waking every part of me that wanted to shut down.Yvonne sat beside me in the backseat, knees drawn slightly inward, hands clasped so tightly her knuckles pressed white through her skin.Every few blocks, her fingers brushed my sleeve by accident.Every time, she pulled back quickly, too quickly.Like she didn't want me to think she was clinging.But she was.I could feel her fear, quiet and heavy, flowing off her like a second pulse.Inner thought: She shouldn't be here. I should've left her with security. I should've..But then she looked at me.Not scared of me.Not doubting.Just... with me.And that was enough to keep the guilt from swallowing me whole.Julian kept glancing at us in the rearview mirror like he wanted to say something but also wanted to keep his teeth intact.Finally, he broke."So... just to be clear,"

Chapter 44; The Lie Heard Around the CityEthan's Pov;Yvonne's breath collapsed the moment she saw the headline.She stumbled backward, hitting the counter with her hip, hands shaking so violently she nearly dropped her phone."No," she whispered. "No..Ethan, I didn't I would never.."Her voice cracked on the last word, like something inside her tore.I stepped toward her, but she flinched..not away from me, but away from the world suddenly crashing down around her.Her eyes were wild with disbelief. Betrayal. Fear.Sally watched her like she'd been waiting for this reaction."Oh, sweetheart," she murmured, "you really thought being near him would save you?"Yvonne's knees pressed together, her hand gripping the edge of the counter as her breath came harsh, uneven."I didn't send anything," she said, voice breaking. "I swear, Ethan..I swear..""Yvonne."I cupped her face gently.She didn't pull away.Her breath hitched like she was trying not to fall apart in front of me again."I kn

Chapter 46; Disappearing the Girl They Want to BreakEthan's Pov;Yvonne didn't let go of my sleeve after that.Even when we started moving even when Julian grabbed his laptop she kept her fingers curled near my wrist, like letting go would erase everything we just planned.The lie was spreading online like gasoline meeting fire.Julian's phone buzzed nonstop with updates:new tags, new edits, new headlines.Each one is worse than the last.But Yvonne didn't look at the phone again.She couldn't.Her eyes were already red, lashes clumped together, breath too soft to trust."Tell me everything I need to do," she said, voice low, steady but trembling beneath the surface."We'll leave before sunrise," I said."No phones. No posts. No contact.""And if someone asks where I am?""They won't know who to ask."Her breath hitched, but she nodded.Julian typed furiously on his laptop."We'll need a decoy," he muttered. "Someone wearing her hoodie, leaving the building alone. It'll feed the pu

Chapter 48; The First Mistake He Ever MadeEthan's Pov;Marcus's smile cracked the moment I said it.Just a flicker barely there but enough to tell me I'd stepped on the right nerve.The hallway felt tighter now, air heavier, like even the walls were listening.Yvonne pressed closer behind me, her fingers sliding from my sleeve to my wrist, gripping tight.Not shaking as badly anymore.Not frozen.Just holding on.She was scared, yes.But she was here.Marcus's gaze flicked down to where her hand clutched me, and something darkened in his eyes. Something ugly.Possessive.Envious.That was good.People who envy lose control."You shouldn't have come here," I repeated.Marcus scoffed lightly."Oh, spare me the villain speech. I know you think you're the smartest one in the room..""I am," I cut in.His jaw twitched."And yet," he said slowly, "I still hold every card."He tapped his pocket. the pocket with the recording.The evidence he thought tied us down.Julian stepped forward, v

CHAPTER 50 The Leverage He Never Saw ComingEthan's Pov;Marcus's shoes dragged against the concrete as I pulled him toward the black sedan at the far end of the garage. He kept trying to slow me down, twisting his body, grabbing at my arm but every attempt only made me tighten my grip.His watch ticked loudly in the echoing silence.1:521:511:50The beeping pulsed through the garage like a countdown to something we couldn't come back from."Ethan...listen..listen to me," Marcus gasped, stumbling over his own feet. "If you force me to shut it down, they'll come after you. The investors, the board, the...""You should worry about yourself," I said.His breath hitched."Y-You can't threaten me""Who's threatening?"I shoved him forward. He slammed against the car door with a loud thud. The sound echoed across the empty garage and bounced back to us. It made him flinch.Good.He deserved to feel every ounce of fear he'd built into this night.Upstairs, Yvonne was probably pacing the ha