Chapter7:TheManbehindTheToolbox
795 Words
Chapter Seven: The Man Behind the Toolbox
The next morning, Ethan stood in front of the mirror in his penthouse.
Not the bathroom mirror in his apartment.
The one in the private dressing room of the Hawthorne estate.
The man staring back at him looked completely different.
Tailored suit.
Perfect haircut.
Luxury watch.
The face the world knew.
Ethan Hawthorne.
Billionaire.
CEO.
The man whose signature could move markets.
But all he could think about was a woman who laughed at his terrible jokes and offered him a painting instead of a payment.
His phone buzzed.
Grace.
"Sir, the board meeting begins in forty minutes."
"I know."
"And Mr. Richard Collins will be attending."
Ethan adjusted his cufflinks.
"Good."
"You're still planning to keep the disguise?"
A pause.
"Yes."
Grace sighed.
"At some point, the truth has to come out."
"I know."
"Then why wait?"
Ethan looked out at the city below.
"Because once Isabella knows who I am, I'll never know if she sees Ethan..."
"Or the money."
Across town, Isabella stared at her phone.
Three unanswered messages from Ethan.
She wasn't angry.
She was confused.
Last night, something had changed.
She had seen it in his eyes.
A secret.
Something heavy.
Her sister's words echoed in her mind.
"You don't really know him."
Isabella hated that Vanessa might be right.
But she hated even more that the thought of losing Ethan scared her.
Her phone rang.
"Ethan?"
"No."
Her heart sank.
"Vanessa."
"Can we talk?"
Isabella almost refused.
Almost.
But something in her sister's voice sounded different.
"What happened?"
"I need your help."
That alone made Isabella suspicious.
"With what?"
"Richard's meeting today."
"What about it?"
Vanessa hesitated.
"I think something is wrong."
At Hawthorne Global...
The entire executive floor was buzzing.
Richard walked into the building wearing confidence like armor.
This time, he had done his homework.
He had researched every detail about Hawthorne Global's leadership.
Every executive.
Every board member.
Every photograph.
Except one.
The maintenance worker.
The plumber.
The man he still didn't understand.
The elevator doors opened.
Richard stepped out.
And froze.
Ethan stood at the end of the hallway.
Still wearing his plumber's uniform.
Richard stared.
"You."
Ethan looked up.
"Good morning."
Richard narrowed his eyes.
"You're here again."
"There's a leak."
Richard looked around.
"Of course there is."
A bitter smile crossed his face.
"Funny."
"What is?"
"You always seem to appear where important people are."
Ethan picked up his toolbox.
"Maybe important people have a lot of plumbing problems."
Richard didn't laugh.
"You think you're clever."
"No."
"I think I'm a plumber."
Richard stepped closer.
"I don't believe you."
The hallway became quiet.
Then a voice interrupted.
"Mr. Collins?"
Both men turned.
A group of executives walked toward them.
At the front was a woman carrying a tablet.
"Your meeting with Mr. Hawthorne has been moved to the main boardroom."
Richard immediately straightened.
"Thank you."
The woman nodded.
Then she looked at Ethan.
"Sir?"
Richard froze.
The woman continued.
"The chairman asked if you could join him before the meeting."
Ethan nodded.
"I'll be there."
Richard looked between them.
Something didn't add up.
"Excuse me," Richard said slowly.
"Who exactly are you calling?"
The woman looked confused.
"Mr. Hawthorne."
Silence.
Richard's eyes moved to Ethan.
Then back to the woman.
A cold feeling entered his chest.
"Mr. Hawthorne..."
He whispered.
But before he could finish, Ethan lifted his toolbox and walked toward the maintenance hallway.
Leaving Richard standing there.
Unsure.
Suspicious.
And closer than ever to discovering the truth.
The boardroom doors opened.
Richard entered.
The entire room stood.
Not for him.
For the man walking in behind him.
A man in a black suit.
A man everyone recognized.
A man whose face appeared on every financial magazine in the world.
Ethan Hawthorne.
Richard's blood ran cold.
But then...
His phone buzzed.
A message from Vanessa.
"I saw Isabella this morning. She still believes he's just a plumber."
Richard slowly looked toward the man at the head of the table.
Then toward the hallway where the plumber had disappeared.
Two images.
One man.
One impossible truth.
And suddenly Richard understood.
The plumber...
Was the billionaire.
Meanwhile, Isabella sat alone in her art studio.
Her phone lit up.
A breaking news alert appeared.
HAWTHORNE GLOBAL CEO ETHAN HAWTHORNE TO ANNOUNCE MAJOR BUSINESS DECISION TODAY.
She stared at the photograph.
The man in the picture.
The billionaire everyone admired.
The face was familiar.
Too familiar.
Her hands began to shake.
Because she knew that face.
She had kissed that face in the rain.
She had laughed with that man.
She had trusted that man.
"No..."
She whispered.
"This can't be..."
And for the first time...
The secret Ethan had fought so hard to protect...
Was beginning to c***k.
- Writer
