EpisodeFive
1574 Words
Ethan did not hesitate often.
Sophie had known that about him even when they were young. He has always been decisive and sharp. Ethan did not answer her immediately. That was when she realized that he was really hiding something from her.
“What’s on the last page?” she asked again, firmly..
Ethan still did not take his hands off the folder. “It’s nothing you need to worry about.”
“That’s not what I asked.” Sophie shot, furiously.
Silence grew between them for a moment. Ethan exhaled slowly.
“There's trust,” he said finally.
“A trust?” Sophie repeated.
“Yes. Set up ten years ago.”
Her heartbeat quickened. “For who?”
“For Lily.”
The room felt smaller.
“You didn’t know I gave birth to her ten years ago, so how come there’s a trust?”
“I didn’t,” he agreed. “But my grandfather did.”
Sophie stared at him, she was so confused. “That’s impossible.”
“It’s not.” Ethan said.
Her mind raced. “How would he—”
“He suspected you were pregnant.”
The words were too heavy for Sophie to process almost immediately. Sophie shook her head. “No. I never told anyone.”
“You didn’t have to. He had people watching the family constantly. He had to because he didn’t trust the world.”
“Or he didn’t trust his own sons,” she muttered.
Ethan didn’t argue.
“My grandfather added a clause to the family estate before he died,” Ethan continued. “If I ever had a biological child, a portion of the company would automatically be placed into a protected trust under that child’s name.”
Sophie felt dizzy. “You’re saying Lily already owns part of your company?”
“Yes.” he replied
“How much?” Sophie asked curiously.
“Enough.”
That doesn’t answer the question, and this made her stomach growling so hard.
“How much, Ethan?” She asked again, furiously.
“Thirty percent.”
The number echoed in her head. “Thirty percent? That’s not just enough,” she whispered. “That’s control.”
“It’s protection,” he corrected calmly.
“No,” she said, backing away slightly. “That’s war.”
Because thirty percent of a billion-dollar empire wasn’t symbolic.It was leverage, it was threat and power. And Lily had no idea.
Sophie rested her hands on her forehead. “This is why the board is panicking.”
“Yes.”
“They can’t challenge you directly, so they’ll try to control her.”
“Yes.” Ethan answered.
The realization made her cold. She almost didn’t believe all he said. “Lily has a trust in the Blackwood Enterprise, that’s almost impossible.” She said to herself.
“She’s just a child.” she muttered.
“She’s also my heir.” Ethan said calmly.
“I never wanted her to be involved in any of this, she’s just a child, she doesn’t have to go through all this.” Sophie said.
“And yet she was always connected to it,” he said quietly.
The real truth hurt actually. Sophie’s voice shaken, no matter how much she tried to control it. “Why didn’t you tell me this first?”
“Because I needed confirmation from a DNA test.”
“So you already filed one?” Sophie asked, with her voice still trembling.
“Yes,” he replied.
She closed her eyes for a moment. She hated the fact that everything was moving faster than she imagined.
“And if it comes back positive?” she asked.
Ethan’s expression softened just slightly. “It will.”
That certainty in his voice made her quite uncomfortable just like the trust did.
“And if it doesn’t?” she asked again
He swallowed hard. “It will.” He wasn’t speaking as a businessman now, he was now speaking as a man who had already accepted something emotionally.
Sophie turned away, walking toward the window. Outside, the estate looked dry, as she thought about what is about to become of her.
“You should have told me before hiring investigators, honestly,” she said quietly.
“I needed facts before promises.”
Sophie nodded slowly, like she knew that would be his next words. That was how he has been since they were young. He confirms first, before feelings.
“And what happens now?” she asked.
“The board will try to pressure me to remove her from the trust.”
“Can you?” Sophie asked, curiously.
“Yes,” he replied.
“Will you?” she asked again.
Ethan did not hesitate and did not process before he spoke. “No,” he said. The firmness in his voice surprised her.
“They’ll threaten you.” Sophie said
“I’ve been threatened before.”
“They could try to challenge the trust legally.”
“They won’t win, trust me,” Ethan added. His voice seems confident, and that was terrifying and reassuring at the same time.
“You sound like you’re sure of everything,” she said.
“I am.”
“I’m scared, Ethan.” Sophie added.
He stepped closer to her and said with a soft voice, “You think I’m dragging her into a battlefield.”
“You are,” she said
“I’m shielding her from one.”
She turned back to face him. “By giving her thirty percent of a corporate empire?”
“By ensuring no one can remove her.” Ethan said, quite certain.
The meaning sank in slowly. If Lily owned that much, no one could legally sideline her existence. No one could pretend she didn’t matter.
Sophie swallowed.
“So she’s protected,” she said.
“Yes.”
“But she’s also exposed.”
“Yes,” Ethan said honestly. It would almost be easier if he lied.
A small knock interrupted their conversation. Both turned facing the door directly. Lily opened the door gently, and peeped inside.
“Are you fighting?” she asked cautiously.
Sophie immediately adjusted herself, cleaning the sweat gathered around her head. “No,”she said.
“We’re discussing some grown-up paperwork,” Ethan smiled, so Lily could be relieved.
Lily said, almost frowning. “That sounds worse than fighting.”
Sophie almost smiled, she wanted Lily to be convinced that there was no problem, even though there is.
Lily entered the room and closed the door behind her, “Are you guys hiding something from me?” she asked, smiling, as if she was teasing them.
Ethan looked at Sophie briefly, and they both smiled.
“Why would we hide something from our princess,” Ethan said.
Lily smiled. Sophie asked Lily to go play in the penthouse, and she’d join her shortly.
Lily left the study room a moment later, humming softly as she leaves.
They both went silent again, Sophie looked at Ethan. She was scared that Lily might be taken away from her.
“Do you want to take her away from me?” Sophie asked, with tears gathered around her eyes.
“I won’t, I’m sharing, not taking over,” Ethan said with a soft voice.
After ten years of doing everything alone, the idea of sharing the responsibilities with someone else felt relieving, and at the same time, terrifying.
“You’re sure the board can’t override the trust?” she asked quietly.
“They can try.”
“And what will happen if they do?” Lily asked curiously.
His expression said it all, he was afraid too, but still controlled himself “Then they’ll learn why I’m still in control,” he said
Sophie exhaled slowly, that was it, the strength was loud but did not seem dramatic, just solid.
“I didn’t expect this to be this hard,” Sophie said quietly.
“Yes.”
“And it’s only the beginning, isn’t it?”
He didn’t answer immediately. “No,” he said finally.
Her stomach dropped. “What do you mean no?” she asked
He stepped closer, with an undefined expression on his face.
“The beginning,” he said quietly, “was ten years ago.”
Her pulse quickened..
“And if my grandfather suspected,” he continued slowly, “others might have too.”
The implication settled heavily between them.
“You think someone else knew?” she whispered.
“I think powerful men rarely keep secrets alone.”
She felt cold run through her veins, because if someone else had known—If someone had been waiting, then this wasn’t just about inheritance. It was about timing..
A notification popped up on Ethan’s phone screen, he looked at it and his expression changed.
“What?” Sophie asked.
He looked up at her slowly. “It seems,” he said carefully, “the board isn’t the only one interested in Lily.”
Her heart raced, her body was almost shaking.
“Who else?” she asked.
“My ex-fiancée,” he muttered, with a calm voice.
The room went silent for a moment, the both of them just stared at each other, and could not say anything.
And for the first time— The threat didn’t feel corporate. It felt personal.
And if the board chose Camille—what will happen to Sophie and Lily?
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