Chapter 3 - Vanessa Learns Who Ethan Really Is
Vanessa confronted Ethan that evening.
“You knew she was rich?”
“No.”
“You dated the chairwoman of Carter Holdings for three years and somehow never knew?”
“She hid it!”
Vanessa stared at him.
“You lived with her.”
“No.”
“Then you were never that close.”
That hurt.
Ethan poured whiskey.
“She deliberately deceived me.”
Vanessa laughed.
“She drove a cheap car.”
“You decided that meant she had no value.”
“That is different.”
“Is it?”
He looked at her.
“Whose side are you on?”
Vanessa’s expression changed.
“There shouldn’t be sides.”
Ethan began pacing.
“She bought my company.”
“She approved my promotion.”
“And now she’s pretending this is some ethical investigation.”
“Maybe it is.”
Ethan stared.
Vanessa continued.
“What did you do?”
“Nothing.”
“Ethan.”
“Nothing illegal.”
Vanessa heard the wording.
“What did you do?”
He finally admitted Meridian.
His college roommate, Jason Price, had started the firm.
Ethan helped secure contracts.
In exchange, Jason had occasionally paid for trips.
Restaurants.
A watch.
Vanessa stared at the Rolex on Ethan’s wrist.
“That?”
He looked down.
“It was a birthday gift.”
“From a vendor?”
“A friend.”
“He was both.”
Silence.
Vanessa asked:
“Anything else?”
“No.”
That was a lie.
She knew it immediately.
The next morning, Vanessa packed one suitcase.
Ethan found her at the door.
“You’re leaving because Emily is richer than me?”
Vanessa turned.
“No.”
“You think this is about her money because money is how you measure everyone.”
She removed the diamond bracelet Ethan had bought her.
Placed it on the table.
“You didn’t fall in love with wealthy women.”
“You fall in love with what standing beside them says about you.”
“That’s not love.”
She left.
Ethan watched the elevator close.
Then his phone rang.
Jason Price.
“We have a problem.”
“What?”
“Carter’s auditors requested everything.”
“How much?”
“Everything.”
Ethan sat down.
Then Jason said:
“They’re going to find the Northbridge payments.”
Ethan stopped breathing.
“What Northbridge payments?”
May you like
Jason became silent.
And Ethan suddenly realized the scheme was larger than even he understood.
