The System Gave Me Everything After I Lost Everything

Ethan Cross was a man who loved the simple things in life.

A career. A woman who loved him. A family name. After twenty-four years, Ethan created the life that he wanted for himself. It may not have been the richest or most prestigious of lifestyles, but it was his life, nonetheless. For a man who lost his parents at the age of sixteen, simple things were good enough.

The morning sun shone through the window of Ethan's apartment as he adjusted his tie in the mirror. He was wearing the navy blue necktie that Vanessa had gotten for his birthday. It was always her favorite because she felt that it brought out the fire in his eyes

"You're staring again," Vanessa drawled sleepily from her spot on the bed.

Ethan turned around to see Vanessa perched up on an elbow, strands of her dark hair cascading over her shoulder, a playful smile curving on her lips. Even after two years of dating, she still had that same effect on him

"Just admiring the view," he replied, his voice smooth.

Vanessa rolled her eyes but smiled. "Flattery won't make breakfast appear, Ethan."

"I'll get coffee on the way."

"You always say that." Vanessa stretched her arms above her head before hopping off the bed, wrapping her arms around Ethan's shirt, which hung over his hips. "What time are you meeting Marcus?"

"Ten. There's a board meeting at the office."

She hummed, stepping closer to smooth out the wrinkle on his collar. Ethan's breath caught in his throat as her fingers skimmed over his chest."You're nervous"

"A little," he admitted.

"Don't be. You've worked for this your whole life. This will be the beginning of it all."

Ethan took Vanessa's hand in his and squeezed it. "Thank you, for believing in me."

Something unreadable flickered behind Vanessa's eyes as a slow smile spread across her lips. "Always."

The ride to Meridian Imports & Exports took twenty minutes in the city traffic. Ethan's three-year-old sedan wasn't the most sophisticated car in the world, but it served its purpose. The real treasure happened to be in the building ahead. His grandfather had founded the successful business forty years ago in the city's Industrial Quarter. It hadn't been an easy road, but he'd built it from nothing more than a single warehouse. After his father's untimely death, his uncle Marcus had taken over the running of the business until Ethan graduated from college. Now Ethan was preparing to officially step into his father's old shoes.

The building loomed before him, an aging yet sophisticated structure of brick and glass. It was beautiful, in Ethan's eyes.

He got out of the car and inhaled the scent of the salty air that permeated from the nearby docks. It was the smell of hard work and honest living.

"Mr. Cross."

Ethan was greeted by the sight of his ever-loyal receptionist, Sarah. Her smile was as bright as ever. She had worked for the Cross family longer than Ethan had been alive, and she was as much a fixture of Meridian Imports & Exports as the building itself

"Good morning, Sarah. How's the new grandbaby?"

"Perfect, as always. I'll show you pictures when you have a moment."

"I'll hold you to that."

Ethan went about the familiar task of greeting the other employees. He was warmly welcomed by the accounting department head, Maria. Old Johnson clapped him on the back as he passed by the logistics department. They were all important people in his life, and he would have been lost without them. They had watched him grow up and had become more like family than coworkers

His best friend, Victor Hale, waited for him outside the conference hall, a coffee in each hand. He grinned as soon as he spotted Ethan.

"About time. I was beginning to think you'd overslept."

Victor was the kind of guy who could charm his way out of any situation. He was tall and handsome with a mop of blond hair that had earned him the nickname "Golden Boy." They'd been friends since elementary school, growing up together through thick and thin. He was the one who'd watched over Ethan when his parents had died

"You got me coffee," Ethan said as Victor handed him a coffee.

"Vanessa said you'd forget to eat." Victor chuckled. "She texted me to make sure her man didn't starve to death before his big day."

Ethan laughed. "She worries too much."

"She loves you." Victor clapped him on the back. "There's a difference." Victor looked him over. "Ready for this?"

"Born ready."

They walked into the conference hall together

The meeting was everything Ethan had anticipated

He gave a confident report of the quarterly projections that had come from the company's last fiscal year. The rest of the board members gave him approving looks as they listened to his speech. It all reminded him of the proud grin on his grandfather's face when he'd announced his own projections to the board for his first full year of running the company.

His uncle, Marcus, sat at the head of the table, watching Ethan with an approving gaze. He was a tall man with graying hair and hands that had once been as strong as Ethan's. He didn't look as well as he usually did, Ethan noted with a frown. There were shadows beneath his eyes

"Excellent work, Ethan," Marcus said once the meeting had been adjourned. "Your father would be proud."

Warmth blossomed in Ethan's chest at the compliment. "Thank you. I've learned from the best."

Marcus's smile didn't quite reach his eyes. "We should set the timeline for the transition soon enough. Officially."

"I'd like that."

As the rest of the board members filed out, Ethan gathered up his papers to leave. His phone rang out, the familiar ringtone indicating that it was a message from Vanessa

Dinner tonight? Just us. We need to celebrate

Ethan smiled to himself. Absolutely. That little Italian place you love. I'll make the reservations

Perfect. I love you.

I love you too.

Victor came up beside Ethan. "Good meeting?"

"Better than good." Ethan put his phone back in his pocket as he replied. "I think this is really going to happen. The transition. The future. It all seems to be happening."

"You deserve it, man." Victor clapped him on the back. "You've waited long enough."

Ethan looked at his best friend. The man who had never failed to be there for him. "I couldn't have done it without you. You know that, right?"

Victor's smile was a bit softer. "That's what friends are for."

That evening, Ethan drove to the building where his Uncle Marcus's office was located before heading to their dinner date. It was a quiet building, most of its occupants having gone home for the night. The hallway was dimly lit, casting long shadows on the wall

Halfway down the hallway, Ethan stopped in his tracks. He could hear voices coming out of his uncle's office

"...not ready. The timing isn't right."

It was his uncle's voice

"Your timing isn't my concern. You agreed to the terms. You will follow them."

It was a man's voice, one that Ethan didn't recognize

"I know what I agreed to. I just need more time."

"Need to remember who you're dealing with."

There was a pause before the stranger spoke again. "The meeting went well, didn't it? The boy is confident. Comfortable. Exactly what we want."

Ethan's blood ran cold as his heart pounded in his ears. He pressed himself closer to the wall as he listened

"The transition," Marcus said quietly. "It won't happen."

"No. It won't."

Ethan's breath caught in his throat. He must have heard wrong. This meeting couldn't be happening. His uncle had praised him at the meeting, telling him that his father would have been proud

"We'll move forward as planned." The stranger's voice was smooth as silk. "And Marcus, don't disappoint us again."

Ethan's heart pounded in his chest as he watched from the shadows. Footsteps came closer to the door, and Ethan quickly slid into a nearby closet. The moment the door opened, Ethan peered out the crack in the closet door. A tall man in a dark suit stepped out of his uncle's office. He was followed closely by his uncle, but the man's face was obscured by the shadows

Ethan's breath caught in his throat. He didn't recognize the man, but he knew that his life would never be the same again

"One more thing. The boy's apartment. You're sure about the access?"

"It's arranged," said his uncle's voice

"Good."

Once they were out of sight, Ethan waited a few minutes before slipping silently out of the closet. He gripped his phone tightly in his hand. It rang twice before going to voicemail

Hey, it's Vanessa. Leave a message

"Vanessa. Call me back. Something's wrong." He hesitated before adding, "Just call me."

He stood in the empty hallway, staring at the door to the closet. It was probably nothing. His uncle had many business contacts that Ethan didn't know about. The transition was a complicated affair, and there were undoubtedly many factors that he hadn't considered. It was probably nothing

But the smooth voice of the stranger echoed in his ears: That's exactly what we want

Ethan stepped out of the building into the cool night air. The sun was setting, casting long shadows on the street. It should have been a beautiful sight, but it reminded Ethan of the conversation that he'd just overheard

He drove toward the Italian restaurant where he was supposed to meet Vanessa. He didn't call his uncle or his best friend. He told himself that it was all a misunderstanding

That everything would be all right

But in the back of his mind, a tiny voice whispered that his perfect little world was coming to an end, and he wasn't going to stop it

At the restaurant, Vanessa was waiting for him, her dark hair catching the candlelight as she smiled at him. He should have been mesmerized by her beauty, but all Ethan could think about was the conversation that he'd just had

"You're late," Vanessa said with a soft laugh as she reached out and took his hand in hers

Ethan sat across from her and smiled. "I've missed you all day."

Her fingers tightened around his hand for a brief moment before she let go. She picked up the menu and studied it as if searching for an answer. "We should order. I'm starving."

The waiter arrived, but Ethan barely heard what he said. His thoughts were still on the conversation that he'd overheard in the hallway

That's exactly what we want

Vanessa looked up at him over the menu. "Are you all right? You seem distracted."

"Just a long day," he replied, forcing a smile. "But it's over now. I'm here with you."

Her smile was gentle. "I'm proud of you, Ethan. You've worked so hard."

"This will be the beginning of it all," he said. "Once the transition is official, everything will change. It'll be better for us. For everybody."

She looked away. "Right. Better." Vanessa reached out and took his hand again. "Hey. Whatever happens, we'll face it together. Like we've always done."

For a long moment, Ethan said nothing, studying her face. "Together," she repeated.

Unbeknownst to Ethan, Vanessa's phone lay face down on the table.

It was something that she rarely did.