HIS BIGGEST REGRET

Chapter 14: The signature

Serena couldn't move.

Ethan stood several feet away, his face partially hidden by the darkness of the hallway.

"How did you get in?"

He didn't answer immediately.

Instead, his eyes moved from Serena to the laptop.

"Did Damien see you with that?"

"No."

"Are you sure?"

"Yes."

Ethan walked toward her and closed the laptop.

"Then listen carefully."

Serena pulled away.

"No."

Ethan stopped.

"No?"

"You keep appearing whenever something happens."

Her voice trembled with frustration.

"You warned me about Damien. You knew about the hotel. You knew about Isabella. You somehow knew I was in danger before I even understood what was happening."

She pointed toward the laptop.

"And now you show up when I find this."

Ethan's expression remained unreadable.

"I need to know the truth."

"So do I."

"Then tell me!"

Her voice cracked.

"What is going on?"

Ethan stared at her for several seconds.

Then he pulled a chair toward her.

"Sit."

"I don't want to sit."

"Serena."

Something in his voice made her pause.

"This isn't about trust anymore."

He glanced toward the hallway.

"It's about survival."

Serena slowly sat.

Ethan remained standing.

"The file you opened is part of something called Project Glasshouse."

Serena frowned.

"I've heard that name."

"Where?"

"In your office."

Ethan's eyes narrowed.

"You saw the file?"

"Yes."

He exhaled slowly.

"Then you need to know what it means."

He walked toward the window.

"Five years ago, I was investigating a group of companies moving enormous amounts of money through offshore accounts."

"Billions."

Serena's eyes widened.

"What does that have to do with Isabella?"

"Everything."

Ethan's voice became quieter.

"Isabella discovered something."

"What?"

"She discovered that some of those companies weren't actually companies."

"They were fronts."

"For what?"

Ethan turned toward her.

"Money laundering. Fraud. Extortion."

Serena stared at him.

"And Damien?"

Ethan didn't answer.

That silence told her enough.

"You knew."

"I suspected."

"You knew my husband was involved."

"I knew his name appeared in several transactions."

"Why didn't you tell me?"

"Because I didn't know whether he was a participant..."

Ethan paused.

"...or a victim."

Serena's brow furrowed.

"What do you mean?"

"People don't simply walk away from Project Glasshouse."

He looked at her.

"They're either bought..."

"...or threatened."

Serena remembered Damien's frightened expression.

His secret phone calls.

His constant warnings.

His strange behavior.

Could he actually be trapped?

"No."

She shook her head.

"He cheated on me."

"I know."

"He lied."

"I know."

"He hid money."

"I know."

"Then how can you stand there and tell me he might be a victim?"

Ethan's expression softened slightly.

"Because a person can be guilty and still be afraid."

Serena fell silent.

That sentence struck somewhere deep inside her.

---

Suddenly...

A sound came from the hallway.

Both of them turned.

A floorboard creaked.

Ethan immediately stepped in front of Serena.

"Stay behind me."

"Who is it?"

He raised one finger.

Silence.

Another creak.

Then...

A shadow moved beneath the bedroom door.

Ethan reached inside his jacket.

Serena's eyes widened.

"Do you have a gun?"

"Stay here."

He moved toward the hallway.

The bedroom door opened.

A small figure stepped out.

"Mummy?"

Serena gasped.

"Lily!"

She rushed forward and pulled her daughter into her arms.

"What are you doing awake?"

Lily rubbed her sleepy eyes.

"I heard voices."

Ethan slowly lowered his hand.

"I'm sorry," Serena whispered.

She kissed Lily's forehead.

"Go back to bed."

Lily looked over Serena's shoulder at Ethan.

"Who is he?"

Serena hesitated.

Before she could answer, Ethan crouched down.

"I'm Ethan."

Lily studied him carefully.

"Are you Mommy's friend?"

Serena's cheeks warmed.

"I..."

Ethan answered first.

"Yes."

Lily nodded as if satisfied.

"Okay."

She yawned.

"Goodnight."

Ethan smiled faintly.

"Goodnight, Lily."

Serena carried her daughter back to bed.

When she returned to the living room...

Ethan was staring at the laptop.

"You should leave."

"I agree."

He closed the laptop and handed it to her.

"Don't open that file again."

"Why?"

"Because whoever sent it wanted you to find it."

Serena froze.

"What?"

Ethan looked directly into her eyes.

"That's what bothers me."

"Why would someone give me evidence against Damien?"

"Exactly."

Serena's stomach tightened.

"So the person sending me these messages isn't trying to help me?"

"Maybe."

"Maybe?"

"They could be trying to manipulate you."

"Into doing what?"

Ethan's gaze hardened.

"Into trusting me."

The words stunned her.

For the first time...

Ethan looked genuinely uncomfortable.

"I don't understand."

"Neither do I."

He stepped toward the door.

"But there's something you need to know."

Serena waited.

"That financial document..."

He paused.

"The signature isn't Damien's."

Serena's eyes widened.

"What?"

"I've seen his signature before."

Ethan shook his head.

"Someone forged it."

Serena stared at him.

"Then why did you say his name was connected to the transactions?"

"Because the account belongs to him."

Her confusion deepened.

"Then what does that mean?"

"It means someone used Damien's identity..."

Ethan looked toward the dark hallway.

"...and I think they wanted you to find it."

---

The next morning...

Damien sat alone in his car.

His phone rested in his hand.

A message appeared.

UNKNOWN NUMBER

«She found the account.»

Damien's face went pale.

Another message followed.

«She knows about Glasshouse.»

He stared at the screen.

Then typed:

Damien: You promised you'd leave her alone.

The reply came immediately.

«We did.»

«You were the one who brought her into this.»

Damien clenched his jaw.

Damien: What do you want?

Three dots appeared.

Then disappeared.

Then appeared again.

Finally, one message arrived.

«We want what your wife has.»

Damien's expression changed.

"What?"

A final message appeared.

«The original file.»

Damien stared at the screen.

He knew exactly what they meant.

The file Serena didn't even know existed.

The one thing he'd spent five years protecting.

The one thing that could destroy everyone involved.

Including him.

He looked toward the apartment building.

His wife was inside.

His daughter was inside.

And for the first time, Damien understood the terrible truth.

Serena wasn't caught in his mess by accident.

She had been brought into it...

Because of something she possessed.

Something she didn't even know she had.

Damien whispered to himself,

"God help me..."

Then his phone rang.

The caller ID showed one name.

Ethan Blackwood.

Damien stared at it.

He didn't answer.

The phone rang again.

And again.

Finally...

He picked up.

Neither man spoke.

Then Ethan's voice came through.

"I know what you're protecting."

Damien closed his eyes.

His voice was barely a whisper.

"Then you know why I can't let you have it."

Ethan's tone hardened.

"No, Damien."

A pause.

"I know why you think you're protecting it."

Damien's heart stopped.

"And I know..."

Ethan continued,

"...who actually has it."

The line went dead.