Ella stepped through the door of her home, the weight of her conversation with Ethan still heavy on her shoulders. The moment she entered, the familiar chaos of her life enveloped her the sounds of Leo and Liam playing in the living room, the soft hum of the refrigerator, the scent of dinner wafting in from the kitchen. But it all felt distant, overshadowed by the bombshell she had just learned.
“Derek!” she called, urgency threading through her voice as she moved toward the kitchen.
Derek looked up from chopping vegetables, his brow furrowing at the sight of her. “Ella, you’re back early. Everything okay?”
She took a moment to steady her breathing, the gravity of Ethan’s revelation tightening her chest. “No, it’s not okay. You won’t believe what I just found out.”
Derek wiped his hands on a towel, his expression shifting to concern. “What is it?”
Ella took a deep breath. “Ethan knows. He knows that Tania was behind the attempt on my life.”
Derek’s face darkened, his jaw tightening. “He knew all this time, and he didn’t do anything? That bastard!” He slammed his hand on the counter, frustration spilling over. “How could he let it get this far? He should have come to you, told you the truth, done something!”
“I know,” Ella replied, the sting of betrayal mixing with her own hurt. “But he was manipulated by her. He was grieving, Derek. I get it, but he could’ve fought for me. For our family.”
Derek shook his head. “That doesn’t excuse him, Ella. Not when you were out there, scared for your life. You deserve better than that. You always have.”
Ella’s heart ached at his words, the anger she had felt shifting to sadness. “I released the article I planned to publish before I found out the truth about Ethan. It’s about how he jumped to marry Tania right after I was presumed dead. I want everyone to know the truth.”
Derek’s eyes widened, his anger replaced by surprise. “You actually went through with it?”
“I have to,” she said, a sense of determination filling her. “I can’t let her get away with this. People need to understand the kind of person she is. She can’t keep lying and manipulating everyone.”
“You’re playing a dangerous game, Ella,” Derek warned, concern lacing his tone. “What if Ethan tries to retaliate? Or what if Tania does?”
“I’ll take that risk,” she replied, her resolve firm. “I can’t live in fear anymore. I won’t let her control me, not when I have Leo and Liam to protect.”
Derek studied her for a moment before nodding slowly. “Just be careful. You’re stepping into a minefield, and I don’t want you to get hurt.”
Ella gave him a small smile, grateful for his unwavering support. “I know, and I appreciate it. But I have to do this.”
The next morning, the fallout from Ella’s article reverberated through Ethan’s world. An emergency meeting was called in his office, and the atmosphere was thick with tension as his executives gathered around the conference table.
“Ethan,” one of his financial analysts started, shifting nervously in his seat. “We’re seeing a significant drop in stock prices. Investors are pulling out left and right.”
Ethan’s heart sank as he absorbed the news, the implications swirling in his mind. “How bad is it?”
“Really bad,” another executive chimed in. “With the article circulating and the public fallout from your marriage to Tania, we’re losing confidence. If we don’t act quickly, it could devastate the company.”
Ethan’s hands clenched into fists on the table, his mind racing. “We need to issue a statement, clarify the situation. We can’t let this spiral out of control.”
As they brainstormed damage control strategies, Ethan felt a knot tightening in his stomach. Just then, a notification pinged on his phone. He glanced down, and his heart dropped when he saw the headline: Business man Ethan Married Too Soon After Formers wife Presumed Death, does he have a hand in it, his Tania involved as well?
He quickly opened the article, his pulse quickening as he read through Ella’s damning words. The barbs she’d thrown felt sharper than any knife, each sentence a reminder of his failures. He looked up, determined to stop the bleeding before it was too late.
“Ethan!” one of the executives interrupted his thoughts. “What’s our next move?”
Ethan swallowed hard, the weight of his past crashing down on him. “We need to contact the press. Get ahead of this. I want a full press conference to address the allegations.”
As he spoke, the door to the conference room swung open. Ella stepped inside, a mix of defiance and triumph radiating from her. A hush fell over the room, and Ethan felt his heart drop. She was here, right in front of him, a living reminder of all he had lost.
“Hi, everyone,” Ella said, her voice cool and collected. “I just wanted to stop by and say hello.”
Ethan’s heart raced, the weight of her presence suffocating. “Ella, what are you doing here?” he asked, struggling to keep his voice steady.
She looked directly at him, a challenge in her gaze. “Just reminding everyone that I’m still alive. In case anyone forgot.”
The executives exchanged confused glances, unsure of how to react. Ethan felt the walls closing in around him, panic rising as he realized the damage Ella’s presence could do.
“Leave, Ella,” he said, his voice strained. “This isn’t the time or place for this.”
She ignored him, stepping further into the room. “I think it’s the perfect time, don’t you? Especially with all the whispers about how you jumped into a new marriage so quickly. I just wanted everyone to know the truth.”
Ethan felt the blood drain from his face as the weight of her words settled in. “You’re making this worse!” he hissed.
“Maybe that’s the point,” Ella shot back, her tone sharp. “Maybe it’s time you faced the consequences of your actions.”