Beneath the surface

19

As Ethan's father walked out of Ethan's room, he couldn't shake off the feeling that he had to protect his son from Ava. He made his way to his study, lost in thought. The conversation with Ethan still lingered in his mind.

He sat down at his desk, his eyes fixed on the phone. He dialed a number and waited for the person on the other end to pick up.

"Investigate Ava Anderson," he instructed. "I want to know everything about her."

As he waited for the results, he couldn't help but think about the past. The memories of the government discovering his true identity, the lawyer's refusal to be bribed, and the tragic car crash that took the lawyer's family's lives still haunted him.

The door creaked open, and his assistant entered with a file. "Sir, we've found something," she said, her voice professional.

"Ava's past is shrouded in mystery, but we did find a connection to the lawyer's daughter, Sophia," she replied. "They attended the same school, and there are rumors of a deep-seated rivalry between them. Ava Anderson's connection to Sophia's family is complex, and we need to dig deeper."

Ethan's father's expression turned icy cold. "Find out everything you can about Ava Anderson. I want to know what she's hiding.

Emily sipped her coffee, listening intently as Ava discussed the mission update. "I've been avoiding Ethan since the party two days ago," Ava said, a mischievous glint in her eye.

"Why's that?" Emily asked, curiosity piqued. "You seemed to be getting along so well."

Ava smiled slyly. "I read in a book that playing hard to get is the best way to make him go crazy for me. And I have to admit, it's kind of fun to see him squirm."

Emily raised an eyebrow. "Be careful, Ava. You don't want to play with fire. Ethan's father is not someone to be trifled with."

Ava's expression turned serious. "I'm doing this for my family and for justice, Emily. I won't let my feelings get in the way. Besides, I think Ethan's starting to develop feelings for me. It's almost... cute."

Emily leaned in, her voice taking on a conspiratorial tone. "Oh? And what makes you think that?"

Ava's smile grew wider. "Let's just say he's been looking at me a lot more than usual. And when I didn't reply to his message about meeting up, he seemed really eager to follow up."

Emily chuckled. "You're enjoying this, aren't you?"

Ava nodded, her eyes sparkling with amusement. "Maybe a little. But it's not just about the thrill of the chase, Emily. I really do think Ethan could be useful to us. And who knows? Maybe we'll even get to use him to take down his father."

As they chatted, Ava's lunch break came to an end, and she had to leave. Emily watched her go, her mind drifting back to their days