CHAPTER FOUR
1065 Words
Chapter 4: Cracks in the Armor
Isabella woke to the soft glow of city lights filtering through the floor-to-ceiling windows of her penthouse. She had barely slept, her mind a battlefield of past and present. Ethan had stayed—just as she had asked—but he had been nothing but a silent presence, respecting her space, waiting for her to let him in.
She shifted slightly, turning her head to find him sitting on the armchair across the room, his elbows resting on his knees, his gaze trained on her.
“You didn’t have to stay up,” she murmured, her voice hoarse from exhaustion.
His lips quirked up in a faint smile. “I wasn’t sure if you’d need me.”
Something tightened in her chest. She wasn’t used to people waiting for her, putting her first. Ethan had always been different that way. It was dangerous, the way he cared. The way he looked at her now—like he saw every crack in her armor and still chose to stay.
She sat up, running a hand through her tousled hair. “I’m fine.”
“Liar,” he said, but there was no accusation in his tone. Just quiet knowing.
She exhaled, shaking her head. “I just need to get through today. That’s all.”
Ethan studied her for a moment longer before nodding. He wouldn’t push, not yet. That was the difference between him and everyone else. He gave her room to breathe.
“Do you want coffee?” he asked, standing.
She almost laughed. The domesticity of it all, as if they were just two normal people sharing a morning instead of two battle-worn souls navigating an unspoken war.
“That would be nice.”
As he moved toward the kitchen, she let herself watch him, taking in the quiet strength in the way he carried himself. For a moment, she let herself pretend that things were simple.
But the moment shattered when her phone vibrated on the nightstand.
A name flashed across the screen.
Gabriel.
Her stomach turned.
With a slow, measured breath, she grabbed the phone and answered.
“What do you want?” she asked, keeping her voice neutral.
A smooth chuckle met her ears. “Good morning to you too, Isabella.”
She clenched her jaw. “Get to the point, Gabriel.”
He sighed as if disappointed. “Always so impatient. But fine, if you insist.”
She could hear the smirk in his voice before he continued, “I hear Ethan Carter is back in your life.”
Her grip on the phone tightened. “You hear a lot of things that don’t concern you.”
“On the contrary, darling, everything about you concerns me.”
She closed her eyes, forcing herself to stay calm. “I’m not playing this game with you.”
Gabriel’s voice lowered, taking on a sharper edge. “You should be careful, Isabella. You think Ethan can protect you? He couldn’t before, and he won’t now.”
A chill ran down her spine, but she refused to let it show. “Threats won’t work on me, Gabriel.”
“Who said anything about threats?” he murmured. “Just a friendly reminder that I’m always watching.”
The line went dead.
Isabella sat frozen, her pulse pounding. Gabriel had never been one for idle words. If he was watching, if he was keeping tabs on Ethan—
A shadow moved in the doorway. Ethan stood there, a mug of coffee in each hand, his expression dark.
“You okay?”
She forced herself to nod. “Fine.”
Ethan wasn’t convinced. He set the mugs down on the table and walked over, his gaze locked onto hers. “Who was that?”
“Gabriel.”
The single word was enough to make Ethan’s jaw tighten. “What did he want?”
“To remind me that he hasn’t gone anywhere.”
Ethan’s hands curled into fists at his sides. “He’s not going to touch you, Isabella. I won’t let him.”
She exhaled slowly, some of the tension easing. “I know.”
And, for the first time, she allowed herself to believe it.
Later That Morning
Isabella arrived at Montgomery Enterprises earlier than usual, needing the familiar rhythm of work to anchor her. The weight of last night, of Gabriel’s call, of Ethan’s unwavering presence, sat heavy on her shoulders.
Olivia Sinclair, her executive assistant, met her at the elevator, falling into step beside her. “Good morning, Ms. Montgomery. Your nine o’clock meeting has been moved to ten, and Mr. Hensley is waiting in the conference room.”
Isabella nodded, grateful for Olivia’s efficiency. “Thank you. I’ll be there in five minutes.”
She took a moment in her office, inhaling deeply, pushing everything else aside. Gabriel was a distraction. He had no power over her—not anymore. And if he thought he could rattle her, he was wrong.
Straightening her shoulders, she strode to the conference room.
Michael Hensley, her company’s CFO, looked up as she entered. His expression was unreadable, but there was an edge to his gaze that put her on high alert.
“Isabella,” he greeted. “We have a problem.”
She took her seat across from him. “Go on.”
Michael slid a file toward her. “Someone has been moving money—large sums—and covering their tracks well.”
A slow, creeping anger spread through her. She flipped through the documents, her pulse steady but sharp. The numbers didn’t lie.
Her eyes met Michael’s. “Gabriel?”
“I can’t say for sure,” Michael admitted. “But if he is involved, he’s better at hiding it than we anticipated.”
Isabella clenched her jaw. First, veiled threats. Now, this?
She set the file down with a deliberate motion. “Find out who’s behind this. If it’s Gabriel, I want undeniable proof.”
Michael gave a curt nod. “Understood.”
As he left, Isabella exhaled slowly, steadying herself.
Gabriel thought he could play his old games. That he could manipulate, threaten, and weasel his way back into her life.
But he was wrong.
She had made the mistake of trusting him once.
She wouldn’t make it again.
And this time, she would be the one to end the game.
- Writer
