Chapter Two
1153 Words
The hum of New York City echoed faintly through the thick glass windows of Ethan’s office as the sun crept higher, casting long shadows across his desk. Ava had left an hour ago, but her presence lingered like an aftertaste in the air… a scent, a look, a spark too dangerous to ignore.
Ethan leaned back in his leather chair, closing his eyes for a moment. He hated how his mind drifted to her. A young, ambitious, and striking woman like Ava Carter was the exact type of temptation men in his position were warned about. But there was something about her, something sharp behind those emerald eyes that both intrigued and unsettled him.
His phone buzzed. A message from Liam Carter, his lifelong friend and CFO of Blackwood Enterprises.
Lunch? Need to talk.
Ethan sighed. Maybe a distraction was exactly what he needed.
The Black Ivy - Midtown Manhattan
The Black Ivy was one of those elite, reservation-only restaurants where the air itself smelled of wealth and old money. Dark wood, crystal chandeliers, and soft jazz playing in the background. Ethan arrived to find Liam already seated at a private booth near the back.
Liam, tall and rugged with messy brown hair and a mischievous glint in his eyes, stood when he saw him. “You look like hell, man.”
Ethan smirked, sliding into the booth. “Nice to see you too, Liam.”
“Whiskey?” Liam asked, raising his hand to signal the waiter.
“Make it a double.”
Once their drinks arrived, Liam leaned in, his expression shifting from casual to concerned. “Sophia called me last night.”
Ethan stiffened. “Why?”
“She’s worried about you. About the marriage. About… everything.”
“Jesus, Liam”
“Look, I’m not here to pry. I just think maybe you’re not seeing what’s happening around you. You’ve been different lately.”
Ethan took a long sip of his drink, the burn a welcome distraction. “I’m handling it.”
“Are you?” Liam pressed. “Because from where I’m standing, it looks like you’re drowning and refusing to grab a life vest.”
There was a pause before Liam added, “And I hear there’s a new assistant in your office.”
Ethan shot him a sharp look. “You’ve been listening to office gossip now?”
“No, but it doesn’t take a genius to see the pattern. First, it was the endless business trips, then the missed dinners, now a hot assistant who seems way too interested. You’re playing with fire, Ethan.”
“It’s not like that.”
Liam raised an eyebrow. “Isn’t it?”
Ethan sighed, setting his glass down. “It’s complicated. Sophia and I… we haven’t been in sync for a while. It’s not Ava’s fault.”
“I’m not blaming her,” Liam said gently. “But you need to figure out what you want before you blow up everything you’ve built.”
Before Ethan could answer, his phone buzzed again. A message from Ava.
Meeting rescheduled to 3 PM. Hope your lunch is going well.
Simple. Innocent. Yet reading it made his pulse quicken.
He put the phone away and looked back at Liam. “I know what I’m doing.”
Liam didn’t look convinced, but he let it go.
Blackwood Penthouse
Sophia Blackwood sat alone on the balcony, a cup of untouched tea growing cold beside her. The city buzzed beneath her, but up here, everything was eerily still.
She could still hear Ava’s voice in her head from earlier that day — polite, sweet, but laced with something darker. Sophia knew how women like Ava worked. She’d seen them in charity galas, fundraisers, networking events. The ones who circled men like sharks smelling blood in the water.
And Ethan… Ethan had grown distant. Absent. Nights spent away, eyes glazed during conversations, smiles that never quite reached his eyes. It had started years ago, but now it was undeniable.
Sophia’s phone rang, jolting her. She checked the screen, her best friend, Vanessa Monroe.
“Vanessa,” Sophia exhaled, answering the call.
“Hey, Soph. Just checking in. You sounded off yesterday.”
“I’m fine,” Sophia lied.
“Don’t do that. I know you. What’s going on?”
Sophia hesitated, then let out a soft, broken laugh. “It’s Ethan. There’s… someone else.”
Vanessa swore softly. “Who is she?”
“His new assistant.”
“Oh, Sophia.”
“I met her today. And I swear, Vee, she’s not here for the job. She’s here for him.”
“Have you talked to Ethan about it?”
Sophia let out a hollow laugh. “He won’t even stay for dinner, let alone listen to accusations.”
“You have to protect yourself, Soph. If this blows up, you can’t be the last to know.”
“I won’t be.” Sophia’s voice hardened, resolve building like steel in her spine. “If she’s trying to steal my husband, she’s going to find out exactly who Sophia Blackwood is.”
Blackwood Enterprises - Later That Afternoon
Back at the office, Ava Carter moved through the halls like a queen claiming territory. Every meeting she attended, every brief glance from Ethan, added another invisible notch in her growing plan.
By 3 PM, she was standing outside the boardroom, waiting for Ethan’s arrival.
When he appeared, Ava gave him a small, knowing smile. “Your 3 PM’s ready, Mr. Blackwood.”
“Thanks, Ava,” Ethan replied, his tone unreadable.
As they walked toward the meeting, Ava let her hand brush lightly against his, just enough to make him aware of her. His jaw clenched, but he didn’t pull away.
The meeting dragged for an hour, but Ava barely registered the numbers and projections. Her mind was on the man at the head of the table — the way his shirt sleeves were rolled up, the tension in his shoulders, the shadow of stubble along his jawline.
As the board members filed out, Ava remained behind.
“Is there something else, Ava?” Ethan asked, collecting his papers.
“I wanted to thank you,” Ava said, moving closer. “For trusting me with all this. I know how important this deal is.”
“You’re doing good work,” Ethan said, though his voice was guarded.
“I want to do more,” she murmured, her eyes locking with his.
For a moment, the office air thickened. Ava could almost feel the charge between them. She took a risk, brushing a stray thread off his shoulder, her fingers lingering just a beat too long.
Ethan stepped back. “We should… keep things professional, Ava.”
“Of course,” she said sweetly, though inside, she smiled.
Because she could see it now, the hesitation, the c***k in his defenses.
And cracks always spread.
- Writer
