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Choose Your Answer

The silence inside Ethan's office was unbearable.

Vanessa stared at him.

Ethan stared right back.

Neither willing to back down.

Ava stood awkwardly between them, wishing she could disappear.

"You think I threatened her?"

Vanessa finally laughed.

But there was nothing amusing about it.

The sound was sharp.

Offended.

Dangerous.

Ethan remained unmoved.

"I asked a question."

"No."

Vanessa folded her arms.

"I didn't threaten your assistant."

The emphasis she placed on the word assistant didn't go unnoticed.

Neither did the look she gave Ava.

A look that promised this conversation wasn't over.

Not by a long shot.

Ethan placed the note on his desk.

His expression remained unreadable.

But Ava could see it.

The tension in his shoulders.

The frustration in his eyes.

The fact that he clearly didn't know who to trust.

And somehow that hurt.

Because for a brief moment, she thought he trusted her completely.

Then again...

Maybe he did.

Maybe that was the problem.

Vanessa took a step forward.

Her heels clicking sharply against the floor.

"Ethan, can we talk privately?"

"No."

The answer came instantly.

Again.

And this time, Vanessa's patience snapped.

"Enough."

The single word echoed through the office.

Even Ava jumped.

Vanessa's eyes filled with anger.

Real anger.

The kind she'd been hiding behind polished smiles and elegant dresses.

"I'm tired of this."

Ethan's jaw tightened.

"Vanessa."

"No."

She pointed toward Ava.

"Not this time."

Ava froze.

"Vanessa, stop."

"You stop."

The blonde woman laughed bitterly.

"Do you think I'm blind?"

The room fell silent.

Nobody moved.

Nobody spoke.

Because everyone knew exactly where this conversation was headed.

Vanessa looked directly at Ethan.

"Ever since she started working here, you've changed."

Silence.

"You defend her."

Silence.

"You protect her."

Silence.

"You spend more time with her than you do with me."

Ava wished the floor would open beneath her.

Immediately.

Preferably now.

Because this was a disaster.

A complete disaster.

"Ethan."

Vanessa's voice cracked.

And for the first time, she looked hurt.

Not angry.

Not manipulative.

Just hurt.

"Tell me the truth."

The room became very still.

Ava's pulse quickened.

Something about the way Vanessa asked made it impossible to look away.

Almost impossible not to feel sorry for her.

Then came the question.

The question nobody wanted to hear.

The question Ethan had spent weeks avoiding.

"Do you have feelings for her?"

Silence.

Absolute silence.

Ava stopped breathing.

Vanessa waited.

Ethan didn't answer.

Seconds passed.

Then more.

And somehow his silence became an answer all on its own.

Vanessa's face slowly lost color.

"No."

The word escaped her lips like a whisper.

Disbelief.

Shock.

Heartbreak.

"No."

She laughed nervously.

As if trying to convince herself.

"You don't."

Still Ethan said nothing.

And that was the problem.

Because Ethan Blackwood always had an answer.

Always.

Yet now...

Nothing.

Ava looked at him.

Really looked at him.

And suddenly she understood.

The reason he couldn't answer.

The reason he wouldn't answer.

Because he didn't know.

Or worse...

Because he already knew.

Finally, Ethan spoke.

His voice low.

Controlled.

Dangerously controlled.

"This conversation is over."

Vanessa stared.

Hurt quickly transforming into anger.

Fury.

Humiliation.

And something much darker.

"You love her."

The accusation exploded through the room.

Ava's heart nearly stopped.

Ethan's expression hardened instantly.

"Enough."

"No."

Vanessa's eyes filled with tears.

"You may not admit it."

She pointed at Ava again.

"But I see the way you look at her."

The room went silent.

Because everyone knew.

Even Ava.

Even Ethan.

There was no denying it anymore.

Something was happening between them.

Something neither had planned.

Something neither was ready for.

Vanessa wiped angrily at her tears.

Then looked directly at Ava.

For several terrifying seconds.

And Ava didn't like what she saw.

Because it wasn't jealousy anymore.

It was determination.

The kind that made people dangerous.

"You win."

Ava blinked.

"What?"

Vanessa smiled.

A cold smile.

A frightening smile.

"I hope he's worth it."

Then she turned and walked out.

The office door slammed behind her.

Hard enough to shake the glass.

Leaving Ava and Ethan alone.

Again.

But this time...

Nothing felt the same

The silence after Vanessa left was suffocating.

Ava stood frozen near Ethan's desk.

Neither of them spoke.

Neither seemed to know what to say.

Because there was nothing to say.

Vanessa had already said it all.

The accusations.

The tears.

The questions neither of them wanted to answer.

Ava could still hear her voice.

"You may not admit it, but I see the way you look at her."

Her cheeks burned.

She immediately focused on her notebook.

Anywhere except Ethan.

Because if she looked at him right now...

She wasn't sure what she'd see.

Or what she'd feel.

Ethan pushed a hand through his hair.

Frustrated.

Exhausted.

The entire situation had spiraled out of control.

And he hated it.

Not because Vanessa was angry.

Not because people were talking.

But because Ava had become a target.

And that was the one thing he never wanted.

His gaze drifted toward her.

She looked uncomfortable.

Overwhelmed.

Far more affected by this than she wanted him to know.

A sharp guilt settled in his chest.

She didn't deserve any of this.

"I'm sorry."

The words surprised both of them.

Ava looked up.

Ethan rarely apologized.

Actually...

She'd never heard him apologize before.

"For what?"

"For all of this."

He gestured vaguely toward the office.

The gossip.

The scandal.

The drama.

Everything.

Ava swallowed.

"It's not your fault."

His eyes met hers.

For a brief moment, the noise outside the office seemed to disappear.

The tension shifted.

Becoming something softer.

Something far more dangerous.

Neither looked away.

Neither moved.

And slowly...

The distance between them felt much smaller than it should.

Then Ethan's phone rang.

The sound shattered the moment.

Both immediately stepped back.

Reality crashing down around them once again.

Ethan glanced at the screen.

Unknown Number.

His frown deepened.

He answered.

"This is Ethan Blackwood."

The person on the other end spoke rapidly.

Whatever they said drained the color from his face.

Ava's stomach tightened.

Something was wrong.

Very wrong.

"Ethan?"

He didn't respond.

His grip on the phone tightened.

The muscles in his jaw flexed.

"What hospital?"

Ava's heart dropped.

Hospital?

The room suddenly felt cold.

The voice continued speaking.

Ethan listened in complete silence.

Then—

"When did this happen?"

Another pause.

His expression darkened.

Dangerously.

Finally, he ended the call.

The office became silent.

Too silent.

Ava stared at him.

"Ethan."

No response.

"Ethan."

This time his eyes met hers.

And for the first time since she'd met him...

She saw genuine fear.

"What happened?"

His voice was low.

Barely above a whisper.

"Vanessa."

Ava froze.

The name hit like a punch.

"What about her?"

Silence.

Then—

"She's been in an accident."

The words sucked all the air from the room.

Ava's hand flew to her mouth.

"Oh my God."

Ethan looked away.

As though trying to process it himself.

"She lost control of her car."

The image immediately flashed through Ava's mind.

Rain.

Slippery roads.

Dangerous conditions.

Her stomach twisted.

"Is she okay?"

Ethan closed his eyes briefly.

"I don't know."

Minutes later, they were rushing through the hospital doors.

The entire drive had been silent.

Neither knew what to say.

The reality of the situation felt too heavy.

Too serious.

The emergency department was crowded.

Doctors moved quickly through hallways.

Nurses pushed equipment between rooms.

Families waited anxiously.

And somewhere inside the building...

Was Vanessa.

A receptionist directed them toward a private waiting area.

Ethan walked ahead.

His expression unreadable.

Ava followed quietly.

Feeling strangely out of place.

Then she noticed someone sitting in the corner.

A woman.

Middle-aged.

Elegant.

Clearly upset.

The moment she saw Ethan, she stood.

Relief flooded her face.

"Thank God."

Ethan frowned.

"Where is she?"

The woman hesitated.

Then her eyes shifted toward Ava.

The change was immediate.

Suspicious.

Judgmental.

Hostile.

Ava instantly felt uncomfortable.

"Who's she?"

The question wasn't directed at Ethan.

It was directed at Ava.

Like she was an unwanted guest.

"Ethan's assistant."

The woman laughed bitterly.

"His assistant."

Something about the way she said it made Ava's skin crawl.

Then the woman stepped closer.

"What are you doing here?"

Ava blinked.

"I'm sorry?"

The woman's eyes narrowed.

"Vanessa called someone before the accident."

The room went silent.

Ethan's attention sharpened immediately.

"What do you mean?"

The woman looked directly at Ava.

And suddenly Ava knew.

Whatever came next wasn't going to be good.

Not at all.

The woman folded her arms.

Her voice cold.

Accusing.

"Vanessa called her."

Ava's heart stopped.

"What?"

The woman pointed directly at her.

"You."

Silence.

Absolute silence.

Ethan's gaze snapped toward Ava.

Confusion flashing across his face.

The woman continued.

"According to the police, the last outgoing call on Vanessa's phone was made to Ava Williams."

Ava felt the floor disappear beneath her.

Because she had never received a call from Vanessa.

And somehow...

She knew this was only the beginning.