The message only made his rage spiral even more and he tossed his phone into his pockets."What a joke!" He muttered as he walked away.Ethan stepped off the phone and headed for the bus stop, his hands stuffed deep into his coat pockets. The night air bit at his skin, but he hardly noticed, overwhelmed by his own pain. He moved like a shadow, head down, every step weighed down by the memory of earlier—the betrayal, the humiliation, the hollow ache that seemed to follow him everywhere now. He just wanted to get home, sit, breathe and maybe sleep.The bus pulled up , the crowd jostling forward to board. Ethan pushed through and claimed the first empty seat he saw, pressed against the window. Relief flickered briefly. Finally, a moment of peace. His knuckles whitened around the strap of his bag.Then the laughter hit him before he even looked up.“Ethan Cole?”Three men stepped out from the crowd like predators, Brandon Kyle, and Marcus. Each of them carried the presence of men who o

A strong resistance instantly built inside Ethan hearing someone call his full name."Did you have anything to do with the strange texts I have been receiving?"The silence that brewed from Aiden said it all. He was guilty as charged.Anger sipped through every bit of Ethan's vines, memories of his suffering and that of his mom the only thoughts that flourished in his mind and they were never pleasant."I know you don't want anything to do with your father Ethan, but how about you get to hear the other side of the story?At least a benefit of doubt would do!"The words sank deep into Ethan's mind and his hands eased. This man had saved him and even though he wanted to escape, after watching the earlier scene, he definitely wouldn't be able to put up a fight."You better make it quick!" Ethan snapped.Ethan climbed into the car, his chest felt heavy, like someone had planted a weight inside him.Alden didn’t speak. He just drove. The city lights slipped past, then disappeared. Darkness

The moment Lena’s voice rang out in the ballroom, every conversation died at once. Dozens of heads turned in the same direction, following her gaze. The soft music from the speakers felt suddenly out of place as silence swallowed the room.Ethan stood at the edge of the hall, half in shadow, half under the bright chandelier lights. He hadn’t taken another step forward since Lena called his name. For a brief second, it felt as though time itself paused.Then whispers broke out.“Who is that?”“Isn’t he from Damien's company?”“That’s the one that got fired, right?”The murmurs spread like ripples through water, low at first, then louder. People leaned closer, eyes filled with curiosity and judgment. No one saw fear on Ethan’s face, but they saw hesitation, and that was enough.Damien finally stepped out from the center of the crowd with a smug smile on his lips. A glass of champagne rested loosely in his hand, his posture relaxed like a king approaching a prisoner. Every movement he ma

Marcus's heart flustered at those words and his voice drained of colour.The heir of Kia reduced to licking another's man's boot, someone that wasn't even worthy to tie to knot of his shoes. His legs almost turned jelly.Damien's laughter grew, "You're just in time to watch the drama unfold!" He added and the halls instantly erupted in cheers.Marcus glared, sneered, everything possible to make Damien stop but his arrogance had taken the better part of him."And to think that the bull dog was bragging just a..."That was the last straw. Marcus could not stand another word Before he could finish, Marcus’s hand shot out. A sharp, clean slap landed square across Damien’s face.The sound cracked like glass. The hall froze. Drinks halted mid-air. Conversations died. Even the music from the speakers seemed to pause.Damien’s face burned, hand rising to touch his cheek. Shock, pain and humilation burned into his skin all at once.“You dare humiliate a Cole-linked guest?” Marcus’s voice was

The glass doors of Stafford Enterprise gleamed under the bright hallway lights. Ethan stepped through, his polished shoes clicking softly against the marble floor. His heart intertwined into a spiral of emotions, not of fear but anticipation into the new life that he had being tossed into.Inside, the boardroom sprawled before him like a coliseum. Men and women in sharp suits turned at the sound of his entrance, murmurs rising instantly. Cameras of unseen smartphones flickered through the corner of the room, capturing the moment.They were men and women he had only seen on TV and had admired them, Great philosophers teachers and doctors, on a normal day, he would dare to even dream of eating with them on the same table, but now he was standing before them as someone to lead them.Marcus walked confidently behind him, his expression calm, almost like a man accustomed to handling storms. He stopped beside the long mahogany table, gesturing for attention.“Everyone,” Marcus said, voice