Not Suitable For Work

The Secret She Was Trying To Protect

Ava couldn't breathe.

The waiting room seemed to spin around her.

Vanessa called me?

That was impossible.

She would have remembered.

After everything that had happened between them, there was no way she would forget a call from Vanessa Montgomery.

"I never received a call."

The woman scoffed.

"That's convenient."

Ethan's expression darkened.

"Enough."

The single word silenced the room.

Immediately.

The woman folded her arms.

Still glaring at Ava.

But she remained quiet.

For now.

A few minutes later, a doctor entered the waiting area.

Everyone stood.

Including Ethan.

"Doctor?"

The older man sighed.

"She's stable."

Relief flooded the room.

Ava released a breath she didn't realize she'd been holding.

Stable.

Thank God.

The doctor continued.

"However, she suffered a concussion and several injuries."

Ethan nodded.

"Can we see her?"

"One person at a time."

Without hesitation, Ethan followed the doctor.

Leaving Ava alone.

And suddenly every eye in the room turned toward her.

She immediately hated it.

Vanessa's mother sat down heavily.

The hostility in her eyes hadn't disappeared.

Not even slightly.

Ava looked away.

Trying to ignore the uncomfortable feeling crawling beneath her skin.

Something wasn't right.

Nothing about this situation made sense.

Why would Vanessa call her?

And why now?

Especially after everything that had happened.

The anonymous messages.

The threats.

The accusations.

None of it added up.

Almost forty minutes passed before Ethan finally returned.

His face was unreadable.

But something had changed.

Ava noticed immediately.

The tension in his shoulders.

The way his jaw remained clenched.

The troubled look in his eyes.

"Ethan?"

He glanced toward her.

Then toward Vanessa's family.

Clearly debating something.

Finally—

"We need to talk."

Ava's stomach dropped.

That was never a good sign.

A few moments later, they stood alone near a quiet hallway.

Far away from the waiting room.

Far away from curious ears.

The fluorescent lights buzzed softly overhead.

For several seconds, Ethan remained silent.

Then he handed her his phone.

"Look."

Ava frowned.

At first she didn't understand what she was seeing.

Then her eyes widened.

It was Vanessa's call log.

And there it was.

A call.

Placed to Ava's number.

Only minutes before the accident.

Duration:

Thirty-two seconds.

Ava's blood ran cold.

"I swear I never answered this."

"I know."

Her head snapped up.

"You do?"

Ethan nodded.

"I checked your phone records."

Ava blinked.

"You what?"

"I needed facts."

She opened her mouth.

Closed it.

Opened it again.

Typical Ethan.

"Your phone never connected."

He took the device back.

"The call went straight to voicemail."

Ava frowned.

"Then why call me?"

"That's what I want to know."

The answer sent a chill through her.

Because Ethan looked genuinely concerned.

Not suspicious.

Concerned.

And somehow that felt worse.

Suddenly, a nurse appeared.

"Mr. Blackwood?"

Ethan turned.

"Yes?"

"She's asking for you."

His expression sharpened immediately.

"Now?"

The nurse nodded.

"She's awake."

Ten minutes later, Ethan and Ava entered Vanessa's hospital room.

The sight shocked Ava.

Vanessa looked fragile.

Pale.

Exhausted.

Nothing like the confident woman she was used to seeing.

Machines beeped quietly beside the bed.

An IV line ran into her arm.

For a brief moment, Ava forgot all the conflict between them.

She simply felt sorry for her.

Vanessa slowly opened her eyes.

The moment she saw Ethan, tears gathered.

"Ethan."

He moved closer.

"I'm here."

Her gaze shifted.

Landing on Ava.

And instantly the room became tense.

Again.

Vanessa swallowed painfully.

Then whispered—

"You have to stop him."

Ethan frowned.

"What?"

Vanessa grabbed his wrist.

Weakly.

Desperately.

"The documents."

Ava exchanged a confused look with Ethan.

"What documents?"

Vanessa's breathing quickened.

Fear filled her eyes.

Real fear.

The kind Ava had never seen before.

"He's going to destroy everything."

"Vanessa."

Ethan leaned closer.

"Who?"

Vanessa's lips trembled.

Her voice barely audible.

"My father."

Silence.

The room froze.

Ava blinked.

Ethan's expression changed instantly.

Shock.

Confusion.

Disbelief.

"What?"

Vanessa closed her eyes.

A tear escaped.

"He used me."

The words broke apart.

"He wanted information."

Neither Ethan nor Ava spoke.

Neither could.

Because nothing about this made sense.

Vanessa opened her eyes again.

Looking directly at Ethan.

And for the first time since they'd met, she looked completely honest.

Completely broken.

"My father and Richard Blackwood have been working together."

Ava's heart stopped.

Richard.

Ethan's father.

The room seemed to tilt.

Because suddenly all the pieces started fitting together.

The missing file.

The threats.

The sabotage.

The sudden return of Richard Blackwood.

It wasn't random.

None of it was random.

Vanessa's voice cracked.

"I was supposed to help them."

Ethan stepped back.

As though physically struck.

"No."

"I didn't know how far they were willing to go."

Another tear slid down her cheek.

"Until it was too late."

The monitor beside her beeped faster.

Her breathing became uneven.

The nurse immediately stepped forward.

"You need to leave."

But before they could go—

Vanessa looked directly at Ava.

And whispered five words that made her blood run cold.

"You're the next target."

The drive back from the hospital was silent.

Not because Ethan and Ava had nothing to say.

But because there was too much to say.

Vanessa's words continued to echo inside the car.

"You're the next target."

Ava stared out the window.

Trying to convince herself she wasn't scared.

Failing miserably.

Because for the first time since all this started...

The danger felt real.

Not office gossip.

Not jealousy.

Not workplace drama.

Real danger.

Ethan tightened his grip on the steering wheel.

His mind was racing.

Richard.

His father.

Vanessa's father.

Working together.

The information made no sense.

Yet somehow it explained everything.

The sabotage.

The missing file.

The threats.

The anonymous messages.

Someone had been manipulating events from the shadows.

And somehow Ava had become involved.

Which meant she was vulnerable.

The realization made something dark stir inside him.

Protectiveness.

The kind he hadn't felt in years.

"You should stay somewhere else tonight."

Ava turned toward him.

"What?"

"Your apartment."

His voice remained calm.

Controlled.

But she could hear the concern beneath it.

"I'll be fine."

"No."

The answer came instantly.

Ava sighed.

"Ethan—"

"No."

Again.

The stubborn man was impossible.

Twenty minutes later they pulled into her apartment complex.

The parking lot looked unusually quiet.

Most residents had already gone inside.

The rain had finally stopped.

Leaving the night eerily still.

Ava unbuckled her seatbelt.

"I'm okay."

Ethan wasn't convinced.

Not even slightly.

"I'll walk you up."

"You don't have to."

"I'm aware."

The answer made her roll her eyes.

Yet secretly...

She was glad he insisted.

They entered the building together.

The hallway lights flickered softly overhead.

Everything appeared normal.

Until they reached her apartment door.

Then Ethan stopped.

Immediately.

Ava frowned.

"What?"

His gaze fixed on the lock.

The color drained from his face.

"Ava."

Her stomach tightened.

"What is it?"

The look in his eyes terrified her.

Because Ethan Blackwood wasn't a man who scared easily.

And right now...

He looked furious.

"The lock."

Ava stepped closer.

Then saw it.

Scratches.

Fresh scratches.

Around the handle.

Around the deadbolt.

As though someone had forced it open.

Her blood turned cold.

"No."

Ethan immediately moved in front of her.

Instinctively.

Protectively.

"Stay behind me."

His voice left no room for argument.

For the first time...

Ava obeyed.

Slowly, Ethan pushed the door open.

The apartment was dark.

Silent.

Empty.

At least at first glance.

He stepped inside carefully.

Checking each room.

The kitchen.

The bathroom.

The bedroom.

Nothing.

No intruder.

No movement.

No sound.

Yet something felt wrong.

Very wrong.

Ava entered moments later.

Her heart pounding violently.

Then she saw it.

The bedroom.

Her bedroom.

The room had been searched.

Drawers pulled open.

Closet doors hanging wide.

Personal belongings scattered across the floor.

Ava felt sick.

Someone had been here.

Inside her home.

Inside her private space.

The realization made her skin crawl.

"Ethan..."

Her voice trembled.

And that alone was enough to make his jaw tighten.

Because Ava rarely showed fear.

Yet right now...

She looked terrified.

Then Ethan noticed something sitting on her bed.

A single envelope.

White.

Untouched.

Placed carefully in the center of the mattress.

As though it had been left intentionally.

For her.

For them.

Slowly, Ethan picked it up.

Every instinct told him not to open it.

But he did anyway.

Inside was a photograph.

Just one.

Ava frowned.

Then took the photo.

The moment she saw it...

The world stopped.

Her knees nearly gave out.

"No..."

Ethan looked.

And instantly understood.

Why she looked so horrified.

Why she looked like she might faint.

The photograph wasn't random.

It wasn't old.

It wasn't edited.

It was recent.

Very recent.

The picture showed Ava asleep.

In her bed.

Inside this apartment.

Wearing the same pajamas she had worn three nights ago.

The photograph had been taken through her bedroom window.

While she slept.

Without her knowledge.

Without her consent.

Someone had been watching her.

Ava's hands began shaking uncontrollably.

Her chest tightened.

She couldn't breathe.

Couldn't think.

Couldn't process what she was seeing.

"This can't be real."

But it was.

And Ethan knew it.

Then something fell from the envelope.

A second piece of paper.

A note.

Short.

Simple.

Terrifying.

Ethan picked it up.

Read it once.

Then again.

His expression darkened with every word.

"Ava..."

She looked up.

Fear filling her eyes.

"What does it say?"

For several seconds, Ethan couldn't answer.

Because the message wasn't directed at her.

It was directed at him.

Finally, he handed her the note.

Ava read it.

And felt her blood run cold.

You can protect her at work.

You can't protect her everywhere.

The room became silent.

Dead silent.

Because whoever had left that note wasn't making a threat.

They were making a promise.

And for the first time since this nightmare began...

Ethan realized something.

This wasn't about company secrets anymore.

This wasn't about Vanessa.

Or Richard.

Or stolen files.

Someone was obsessed with Ava.

And they were getting closer.