Chapter 3 His True Voice
605 Words
I was in the kitchen of the Bellemont Hills mansion, wearing a simple beige silk dress and no makeup, when I heard low footsteps in the foyer.
Ethan walked in, tall and striking in a perfectly tailored gray designer suit. He looked exactly like the man the world admired: handsome, charismatic, hardworking, and every inch the ideal entrepreneur.
But inside this house, in the corners where no one was watching, he never bothered to hide his coldness.
His eyes swept over my plain dress. His brow creased slightly. Then he tossed his custom suit jacket onto the sofa, tugged at his tie, and walked past the kitchen without looking at me.
"I am changing," he said flatly. "I have something tonight. I will not be home for dinner."
My fingers paused on the glass I was polishing. "A business dinner? Or a private gathering?"
Ethan glanced at me, irritation flashing in his eyes. "A small industry event. You are out of touch with business now. There is no need to ask."
I smiled. "All right. I understand."
Yes. I understood everything.
Nine years had been enough for a man who started with nothing to use his wife's premarital assets, family connections, and resources to climb to the top.
Nine years had been enough to turn Ethan into a sought-after name in the tech world and a familiar face in Bellemont's elite circles.
It had also been enough to feed his arrogance and greed.
Ethan saw my silence and mistook it, as he always did, for obedience. His voice eased a little. "My mother's seventieth birthday gala is in a few days. Make sure everything is perfect. No mistakes."
I looked at him, my expression unreadable. "Of course."
"One more thing," he said. "Do not wear red or white. Stay away from anything too bright. Those colors do not suit you."
I lifted my eyes and looked at the man I had loved for nine years.
I did not ask why.
"All right," I said, giving him the same gentle smile I had given him every time I agreed to something.
Outside, a black luxury sedan was waiting. Beside it stood a tall, disciplined figure in a dark suit.
The man was Weston, Ethan's driver and head of security.
Weston stood beside the car with his hands at his sides, his expression calm and professionally blank. As Ethan bent to get in, Weston glanced briefly toward the floor-to-ceiling window where I was standing.
I gave a small nod.
Weston lowered his head as if he had seen nothing at all.
Inside the car, Ethan dialed a number. When he spoke, his voice carried a tenderness I had not heard in years.
"Baby, I will pick you up as soon as I am done. I have already saved you the best seat at my mother's birthday gala. Do not worry. I will make sure Sophia does not wear anything too nice. Besides, she does not have your figure. Even if she dressed up, no one would look at her."
Chloe giggled on the other end. Her voice was sweet and syrupy. "I love you, Ethan."
Ethan's voice softened even further. "Baby, do not worry. In a few days, everyone in Bellemont will know who you are."
Every word came through the recorder Weston was wearing and landed clearly in my ears.
I smiled. My hand drifted to my chest, and a quiet, bitter laugh escaped me.
"Sophia, how did you ever fall in love with a man like this?" I asked myself.
Beneath Ethan's polished face and effortless charm, there was nothing but selfishness, greed, and ingratitude.
- Writer
