The Drowned Heir Returns

Chapter 8. A War Between Us

Richard Carter sat in his home office, laughing as he scrolled through the news on his laptop. The air conditioning hummed quietly, blowing cold air over his expensive mahogany desk. Beside him, Sandra Voss leaned over his shoulder, a smug smile on her glossy lips.

The headlines were perfect. *Vanguard Group CEO Flees Media Through Back Door.* *Ethan Carter Silent on Toxic Perfume Scandal.*

"I told you he'd panic," Richard said, leaning back in his leather chair. "Take that, you rebellious brat. You think you can fight your own father with your little fortune? This is what happens when you cross me."

Sandra rested a manicured hand on his shoulder. "He'll probably call you soon, begging for a retraction. Don't give it to him. Let him learn his lesson." She loved watching him dance on her strings.

"Of course, honey," Richard said. "He crossed the line canceling that contract."

Then, the screen refreshed. A breaking news alert popped up, bold and red.

*Vanguard Group Denies Rumors via Official Account: No Harmful Chemicals. Richard Carter Caught Swapping Key Ingredients.*

Richard's heart slammed against his ribs. His hands shook as he clicked the link.

The article laid it all out. Richard had secretly shipped cheaper, lower-grade substitute ingredients to the factory. He'd diverted thousands of units to small towns without Vanguard's knowledge, breaking the contract and tanking the quality.

And then came the photos.

Clear, high-definition CCTV stills of Richard himself, walking through the Star Fragrances warehouse, directing the cheap materials into the deepest storage bays.

"THAT BASTARD!" Richard roared. He stood up so fast his heavy chair flew backward and hit the wall. His fists clenched, veins bulging in his neck. "How dare he ruin my name!"

Sandra glared at his back. Richard could see the tight disapproval in her posture. She had thought this plan was foolproof. Now his sloppy execution was blowing up in their faces.

"So what do we do now?" she snapped. "The media will swarm Pinnacle Industries today. I'm not going to the office while this is a circus." She turned on her heel and stormed out of the room, her heels clicking sharply on the hardwood floor.

Richard dragged both hands through his hair. His head felt like it was splitting open.

*You'll cry blood for this, Ethan,* he thought, his chest heaving. *I'll drain every cent you have. As long as you hold the power, I lose.*

He grabbed his phone and dialed Logan Foster.

"Logan. Fix this mess Ethan made. I need a solution right now," Richard barked into the receiver. "And hurry up the Pacific Syndicate. Get them here. The kid has too many ways to bankrupt me. We need to move fast."

***

The afternoon sun baked the pavement outside Hudson University.

Ethan leaned against the hood of his black sedan, waiting. He'd picked Olivia up himself so they could spend the afternoon together. The campus was buzzing with students heading home, but a group of girls had stopped near his car, whispering loudly behind their hands.

"Who is he?" one girl giggled, hiding her face.

"Is he waiting for his girlfriend? She's so lucky. He's gorgeous and clearly loaded."

"Looks like a young CEO."

Ethan heard them. He slid his sunglasses off, hooked them into his shirt collar, and flashed the group an easy, charming smile.

The girls squealed, covering their mouths and blushing furiously.

Then, a heavy white purse smacked him right on the bicep.

"Enjoying the fan club, Mr. Carter?" Olivia stood there, arms crossed, trying to hide a smile.

Ethan rubbed his arm, grinning. "Just sharing the view, babe."

"I swear, I'll poke their eyes out or chop off your head," she muttered, opening the passenger door and sliding in. The sweet scent of her vanilla perfume filled the car.

"My girl is terrifying," Ethan chuckled. He walked around and got into the driver's seat.

Olivia pouted, watching the girls still staring at the car through the rearview mirror. "Ugh. They see something shiny and completely lose their minds."

"Relax," Ethan said, starting the engine. "The shiny, rich guy is all yours."

"I still hate it. Next time, wear sweatpants. Are you trying to look like a CEO on a magazine cover?"

Ethan smiled, pulling out of the campus lot. "If you were my wife, you'd probably make me wear pajamas to the boardroom."

"Pajamas are too sexy," Olivia shot back. "I'd buy you cheap thrift-store clothes. That way, when you try to flirt, I can just rip them right off you."

Ethan threw his head back and laughed. A real, deep laugh. She was incredibly cute when she was jealous. Hearing him laugh, Olivia's pout finally melted into a soft smile.

"Where are we going?" she asked.

"The beach?"

"Yes," she beamed.

***

The coastal highway stretched out before them, the ocean glittering blue on the right. The car hummed smoothly along the asphalt, the windows cracked just enough to let the salty breeze inside.

Olivia pulled out her phone to pass the time. She scrolled through her social media feed, her thumb swiping lazily until a headline caught her eye.

She stopped. Frowned.

"What's this?" she murmured, leaning closer to the screen. "My mom's husband is caught in that perfume ingredient rumor everyone's talking about?"

Ethan's pulse spiked.

He reached over, gently but firmly plucking the phone from her hands. He tapped the screen, locking it, and set it in the center console.

"Let's take a picture," he said smoothly. "Your camera roll needs more of me. It's just recipes and workout videos."

Olivia laughed, reaching over to pinch his side. "You're so full of yourself, Ethan. Turn on the camera."

"You hold it. You know your best angles." He kept his eyes on the road, his heart beating a little faster. He couldn't let her read the article. If she dug too deep, she might figure out he was the one who leaked the footage.

Olivia opened the camera app and leaned her head against his shoulder. She snapped a dozen selfies, focusing mostly on her own face, assuming Ethan looked good from any angle anyway.

The car rolled on. The sound of the waves crashed against the rocks below the cliff.

Ethan's grip on the steering wheel tightened. His knuckles turned white. The weight of his revenge was a heavy stone in his chest, and the girl sitting next to him was tied to the very people he wanted to destroy.

"Olivia," he said.

His voice was different now. The playful warmth was gone, replaced by something heavy and quiet.

"Yeah? What's up?" She turned to look at him fully, her smile fading just a fraction at his tone.

Ethan kept his eyes on the road ahead.

"If my family and your family were at war... would you still stay with me?"