A dangerous secret
711 Words
Chapter Seven: A Dangerous Secret
The following morning, Amelia woke to the sound of her phone buzzing nonstop.
She reached for it sleepily.
Twenty-three missed calls.
Thirty-seven messages.
Confused, she opened the first notification.
"The Ice King Melts? CEO Ethan Knight Seen Smiling at Wife During Charity Gala."
Another headline appeared.
"Love or Business? Billionaire Couple Becomes the Talk of the City."
Photos from the previous night filled every entertainment page.
One picture caught her attention.
Ethan was looking at her as they danced.
Not at the cameras.
Not at the guests.
At her.
She smiled without realizing it.
A knock interrupted her thoughts.
"Mrs. Knight?" Mrs. Brooks called.
"Mr. Knight is waiting for you in the dining room."
---
Ethan was already reading the morning newspaper when Amelia entered.
Without looking up, he said,
"We're trending."
"I noticed."
She sat across from him.
"The headlines don't bother you?"
"They're expected."
She folded the newspaper.
"What if people start believing we're actually in love?"
Ethan met her eyes.
"That would make our jobs easier."
His answer was practical.
But for some reason...
It disappointed her.
---
Later that afternoon, Amelia decided to explore the mansion's gardens.
The roses were in full bloom, their sweet fragrance filling the air.
As she wandered down a stone path, she heard raised voices coming from a nearby gazebo.
She recognized one of them immediately.
Ethan.
Curious, she stopped before stepping into view.
"...I told you never to come here."
His voice was calm but firm.
Another man answered.
"You don't have a choice anymore."
"I said no."
"The documents will become public."
Amelia frowned.
Documents?
There was a long silence.
Finally, Ethan spoke again.
"How much?"
The stranger laughed.
"So the mighty Ethan Knight can be blackmailed after all."
Amelia's heart skipped.
Blackmailed?
Before she could hear more, her foot accidentally snapped a dry branch.
Crack.
Both men turned.
The stranger quickly pulled his cap lower and hurried away.
Ethan walked toward Amelia.
"Were you listening?"
"I..."
She lowered her eyes.
"I'm sorry."
He sighed.
"You weren't supposed to hear that."
"Who was he?"
"It doesn't matter."
"It obviously does."
His jaw tightened.
"I'll handle it."
"Ethan..."
He looked away.
"For once..."
His voice was barely above a whisper.
"Please trust me."
She wanted answers.
But something in his eyes stopped her.
Fear.
Not for himself.
For her.
She nodded.
"I trust you."
His shoulders relaxed.
"Thank you."
---
That evening, rain clouds gathered over the city once again.
Unable to stop thinking about the conversation, Amelia wandered into the mansion's library.
She found Ethan sitting alone beside the fireplace, a glass of sparkling water in one hand and an old photograph in the other.
He looked tired.
More tired than she had ever seen him.
She quietly sat beside him.
Neither spoke for several minutes.
Finally, Amelia asked softly,
"Do you always carry the weight of the world alone?"
Ethan looked at the flames dancing in the fireplace.
"I've been doing it for so long..."
"I forgot what it feels like not to."
Without thinking, Amelia gently placed her hand over his.
"You don't have to anymore."
Ethan looked down at their hands.
Her fingers were warm.
Gentle.
Comforting.
No one had reached for him like that in years.
Slowly...
He turned his hand over, intertwining his fingers with hers.
Neither of them moved.
Neither of them spoke.
The silence said everything words couldn't.
For the first time in a long time...
Ethan didn't feel alone.
---
Upstairs, hidden behind a slightly open bedroom door, someone watched the moment unfold.
Victoria.
She had quietly entered the mansion earlier under the pretense of dropping off documents for Ethan.
Instead...
She had seen everything.
The hand-holding.
The smiles.
The growing closeness.
Her expression darkened.
"So..."
she whispered to herself.
"The contract is becoming real."
She pulled out her phone and dialed a number.
"It's me."
A deep voice answered.
"Have they fallen for each other?"
Victoria looked toward the library one last time.
"They're getting close."
The man on the other end chuckled.
"Perfect."
"Proceed with phase two."
Victoria ended the call.
A slow smile spread across her face.
"If I can't have Ethan..."
She slipped the phone back into her purse.
"...then neither can Amelia."
- Writer
