Ethan smiled at me, gently brushing a loose strand of hair from my face. “You need to go back home to your father, and I have to get back to work,” he said.
I rolled my eyes, frustration bubbling up. “What work? Importing illegal goods and killing people who annoy you?” The words tumbled out before I could stop them. Deep down, I didn’t want Ethan returning to that life.
His smile faded, and I caught a glimpse of hurt in his eyes. “Is that really all you think I do?” he asked, his brows knitting together.
I sighed, pulling away slightly. “What else am I supposed to think?” I snapped, unable to contain my frustration. After everything I’d seen, I knew I should’ve chosen my words more carefully, but the truth was, I didn’t know what to believe anymore.
Ethan’s voice softened, his tone almost pleading. “How many times do I have to tell you, Emily? I’m not the villain you’ve made me out to be.”
“But you’re not a saint either,” I countered. “It doesn’t matter if those people deserved what they got or if you did it for money. It still doesn’t make it right.” I knew he was tired of my moralizing, but I couldn’t help myself.
“Can’t we just stay here?” I pleaded, desperation creeping into my voice. “I can talk to my father over the phone, and you could live off the money you already have. It’s more than enough. We could start afresh, leave everything behind and begin again.”
Ethan looked at me as if he wanted to agree but knew he couldn’t. “I wish it were that simple, Emily. But it’s not,” he said, his voice tinged with regret.
A surge of frustration welled up inside me. “Fine, do whatever you want,” I snapped, getting up from the bed, trying to put some distance between us.
“It’s not like that, Emily,” Ethan called after me, rising to follow. I headed downstairs, but in this small house, there was nowhere to escape, no room to lock myself in and shut him out.
“Then how is it?” I shouted, my emotions spilling over. Just as Ethan was about to respond, his phone rang.
I turned to him, my heart racing for reasons I couldn’t fully understand. “Who is it?” I asked, anxiety creeping into my voice. Ethan hadn’t received many calls since we boarded the yacht.
Ethan glanced at his phone, an uneasy look crossing his face. He hesitated, then looked back at me. “Excuse me,” he muttered before answering.
“Christof,” Ethan said into the phone, and my heart skipped a beat. Gloria’s father.
I moved closer, straining to hear the conversation, but all I could see was Ethan nodding. “I’m sorry about Gloria,” he said, his tone firm and serious. “But I hope you understand it was necessary.”
My pulse quickened, my mind racing with possibilities. What was Christof saying? Ethan’s face gradually relaxed as the conversation continued.
“I’m glad you understand,” Ethan said, a smile slowly creeping back onto his face. “I’ll make sure to compensate you for it.”
I watched him, my mind churning. “Next week?” Ethan asked, his voice now casual. “Of course, just let me know when, and I’ll be there.” He chatted for another couple of minutes before finally hanging up, his expression unreadable.
“Who was that?” I asked, trying to sound casual, but before he could answer, I quickly added, “What did he say?”
Ethan looked at me, his face breaking into a smile. “It was Gloria’s father,” he said, almost too casually.
“He called to talk about the unfortunate incident with Gloria,” Ethan explained.
“Okay…?” I replied, raising an eyebrow, unsure of how to interpret his calm demeanor.
“He was surprisingly understanding,” Ethan continued. “He also wanted to invite us to her memorial and a party to celebrate her life.”
Shock washed over me, leaving me speechless. Was this some kind of trap? A way for Gloria’s father to get back at Ethan? Doubts and suspicions swirled in my mind. Was this part of the plan Wayne and Christof had?
“You’re not going, right?” I blurted out.
“Of course I am,” Ethan replied casually, his nonchalance sparking anger within me.
“You can’t! It’s obviously a trap,” I insisted, my voice rising with urgency. But Ethan just smiled, as if I didn’t understand the situation.
“It’s not, Emily. Don’t worry,” Ethan said, stepping toward me to take my hands, but I pulled back, disbelief washing over me. Was he insane? Couldn’t he see what was happening?
“Can’t you see? You killed his only daughter, and now he’s inviting you to her memorial? No father is that understanding!” I said, hoping he would see the logic.
Ethan shook his head gently, as if trying to soothe me. “It’s different, Emily. Christof and Gloria weren’t that close. If anything, I’m more like a son to him than she ever was a daughter.”
I couldn’t believe the words coming out of his mouth. “Are you insane?” I yelled, my frustration boiling over. I knew this was a trap, but I couldn’t tell him how I knew without revealing too much.
“Please, just listen to me,” I persisted, my voice breaking. “It’s a trap, Ethan. No father forgives someone who killed his child, even if she was his one-millionth child!”
Ethan shrugged, his calm demeanor infuriating me. “Not Christof. He’s a businessman, Emily. He knows the rules of our world. Gloria broke them. that was her final straw.”
As he mentioned betrayal, I felt my heart stop. My blood ran cold as I realized the gravity of my situation. His business wasn’t known for forgiveness, and I’d done something far worse than Gloria ever had.
Ethan smiled, shaking his head gently. “You don’t need to worry about me, my darling. I make the rules, and I’m safe,” he said, his confidence unwavering.
But as he spoke, I couldn’t shake the feeling of dread. Christof was definitely up to something with Wayne.
I weighed my options, feeling trapped between two terrible choices. Was it worse to watch the love of my life die because I betrayed him, or to die at the hands of the man I loved, who had killed so many and saved just as many?