Chapter 6. A Crack In Control

The ride back from the gala was quiet.

Not peaceful. Not comfortable.

The kind of silence that stretched too far and said too much.

Emily sat beside Ethan, her hands resting in her lap, her gaze fixed on the window. The city lights passed by in blurred streaks, but she wasn’t really seeing them.

Ethan noticed.

He had been watching her since they left.

“You’ve been quiet,” he said, his voice calm but observant.

Emily didn’t respond.

He glanced at her briefly before returning his eyes to the road ahead.

“Was it the gala?” he asked again. “Did something happen?”

Still nothing.

She didn’t turn. Didn’t speak.

And for the first time in a long while, Ethan felt something unfamiliar.

The rest of the drive passed like that.

Long. Silent. Unresolved.

When the car finally pulled into the mansion, Emily didn’t wait. She stepped out immediately.

“Emily” Ethan called, looking worried.

“Goodnight,” she said softly, without looking back.

And she walked inside.

By the time Ethan entered the house, her door was already closed.

Locked.

He stood in front of it for a second before knocking.

“Emily.”

No answer.

He knocked again, harder this time.

“Open the door.”

Still nothing.

Then he heard it.

A quiet sound from inside.

Broken.

Crying.

His expression changed immediately.

“Emily?” His voice sharpened. “Open the door.”

The crying didn’t stop.

Ethan stepped back and called, “Lila.”

She appeared quickly. “Yes, sir?”

“The key.”

She hesitated slightly. “Sir, she might”

“The key,” he repeated.

That was enough.

Moments later, the door unlocked.

Ethan pushed it open.

Emily was on the floor.

Curled into herself, shaking, her shoulders rising and falling with uneven breaths. Her fingers clutched tightly at her dress as if it was the only thing holding her together.

Ethan stepped in slowly and shut the door behind him.

“Emily…”

She didn’t look up.

“I’m tired,” she whispered, her voice breaking. “I’m so tired. I can’t do this anymore. He won’t leave me be, He won’t. She cried, the tears flowing down her cheek as she talked.

Ethan moved closer, his brows tightening.

“What happened? What’s going on Emily please control yourself.

A hollow laugh escaped her.

“He won’t stop,” she said. “He just won’t stop.”

Ethan’s voice lowered. “Who won’t stop, Jason?”

She nodded weakly, finally lifting her face. Her eyes were red, filled with fear and frustration.

“I ran from him. I left everything. I tried to disappear,” she said. “But he keeps finding me.He's everywhere.”

Her voice trembled as she continued.

“He watches me. Send messages. Reminds me that I’m not free.”

Ethan crouched slightly in front of her.

“Emily, why didn’t you tell me?”

“I didn’t want to worry you,” she said softly.

“You’re supposed to,” he replied, his tone firm now. “That’s the whole point of this arrangement.”

She shook her head. “I thought this marriage would protect me.”

A tear slipped down her cheek.

“But he’s still there somewhere waiting to do something”

Ethan held out his hand. “Give me your phone.”

She hesitated, then handed it to him.

He scrolled through the messages.

His jaw tightened with every line he read.

Unknown numbers. Familiar words. Hidden threats.

Control disguised as affection.

Ethan’s grip on the phone hardened.

“You’re done with this, you’re done with him now and you’re done with this line and this phone.” he said with so much anger on his face.

Emily frowned slightly. “What do you mean?”

“I’m getting you a new phone. A new number,” he replied. “No one gets it.”

She looked at him. “You think that will stop him?”

Ethan met her gaze directly.

“That might not stop him, but I will stop him. Cause now he’s dealing with my wife, you’re not just that Emily anymore, you’re Emily Reed. My woman and no motherfucker is gonna treat my woman like a puppet. Not under my watch.” He said holding Emily’s hand with so much emotion on his face

Something in his voice made her go still.

“I’m here to protect you,” he added, softer now. “But you’d have to let me. I need to know everything, and I need to know your whereabouts. If this arrangement is gonna work then you have to trust me. I know that it's not gonna be easy but you need to try.”

Emily didn’t argue again.

Instead, she broke into a loud cry.

Completely.

Ethan pulled her into his arms, holding her steady as she cried into his chest. He didn’t rush her. Didn’t interrupt.

He just stayed there. And somewhere inside him he felt something he hasn’t felt in a long time. He felt so worried for her and hurt and that was a dangerous feeling for someone like him. He held her tightly.

Until her breathing slowly began to calm.

Later, he helped her onto the bed.

“You need rest,” he said quietly.

She nodded faintly.

Exhaustion had already taken over.

Ethan stood there for a moment, watching her.

Then he turned and left the room.

Back in his study, his expression changed.

The softness was gone.

Replaced by something sharper.

More controlled.

He picked up his phone and called, “Richard.”

“Yes, sir.”

“I need you in full security detail,” Ethan said. “For Emily. And get me everything you can find about Jason. I will send you the full details.”

A brief pause.

“Understood.”

“No one gets near this house without clearance,” Ethan continued. “And you’ll be driving her from now on.”

“Yes, sir.”

Ethan ended the call and stood there for a moment.

Still.

Thinking. he said to himself “Jason or whatever your name is the game has just begun”

The next morning felt different.

Not perfect. Not safe.

But lighter.

Emily sat by the window with her laptop open, going through emails she had ignored for too long.

Design requests.

Client inquiries.

Work waiting for her.

She exhaled slowly. “I can’t keep running,” she murmured. “At least not from everything. And now that I have Ethan I really need to learn to trust him. Cause the only reason I accepted this in the first place is to be protected from that fool. So I need to stop being scared and focus on the things I love doing. I need to start designing again, I could use that as my escape.” She said with a faint smile on her face. Now that's hope for Emily.

A soft knock came.

Lila entered with breakfast.

“Good morning, ma’am.”

Emily gave a small smile. “Good morning.”

Lila placed the tray down gently. “Are you feeling better today?”

Emily nodded. “I’m feeling great thank

You Lila.”

“If you need anything, please let me know.”

“Thank you, Lila.”

Later, Emily stood in front of Ethan’s study.

She knocked once.

“Come in,” his voice came from inside.

She stepped in.

Ethan looked up, slightly surprised.

“I came to say thank you,” she said.

He leaned back slightly. “For what?”

“For last night,” Emily replied. “For being there. I don’t like… being seen like that.”

Ethan studied her for a moment.

“It’s fine,” he said. “I’ll get you the new phone later today.”

She nodded. “Okay.”

Then he added, “There’s something else.”

Emily looked at him.

“I want you to come with me tonight,” he said. “Dinner.”

She frowned slightly. “Dinner? That wasn’t part of the contract.”

“I know,” he replied calmly. “It’s not about the contract.”

She stayed silent, waiting.

“You handled the gala well,” he continued. “Even when you weren’t okay, you held it together until we got home.”

Emily looked down briefly.

“That matters,” Ethan said. “You’re taking your part of this seriously. I should do the same.”

A pause.

“Consider it a thank you.”

Emily studied him for a second, then nodded slowly.

“…Alright.”

And she turned to leave

Back in her room, she sat on the edge of the bed.

“Dinner?” she murmured to herself.

She let out a small breath.

“Well…Let’s see how that goes.”

Back in his study, Ethan picked up his phone and dialed Claire.

Claire answered almost immediately. “Good morning, sir. What happened? You didn’t come into work today.”

Ethan leaned back in his chair, his tone calm but firm. “Yes. I won’t be coming in today. I have something important to handle before lunch.”

There was a brief pause on the other end. “Alright, sir,” Claire replied carefully. “Do you need any files brought to you?”

“No,” Ethan said shortly. Then, after a beat, his voice shifted colder, more commanding. “But I need something else.”

Claire hesitated. “Something else, sir?”

“A dress,” he said plainly.

“A dress?” Claire repeated, clearly confused.

“Yes. A nice gown. A short, elegant, sexy one. For dinner tonight.”

Claire blinked in surprise, her tone now laced with curiosity. “For who, sir?”

Ethan didn’t hesitate. “For my wife. Emily.”

“Oh…” Claire murmured, still trying to process it. “Is there a special occasion?”

Ethan’s voice dropped, sharp and controlled. “Do there have to be an occasion? Just do as I say.”

The line went silent for a second.

“It has to be delivered before 8 p.m.,” he added.

“Yes, sir,” Claire replied quickly, though uncertainty lingered in her voice.

The call ended abruptly.

Claire lowered her phone slowly, frowning. “Dinner?” she repeated under her breath. “Dinner… dinner… hmmm he wants a gown for Emily right. She’s gonna get a gown, a very good one at that. I’m sorry Emily I love you still, but Ethan needs to know he belongs to me.” She said with a weird smirk on her face.

Later that afternoon, a dress arrived. Lila dropped it in Emily’s room.

Elegant. Carefully packaged.

Emily looked at it briefly before setting it aside.

Moments later, Ethan stepped into her room.

His eyes moved immediately to the sketches spread across her bed.

He walked closer.

“You draw these?” he asked.

Emily looked up. “Yes.”

He picked one up, studying it.

“These aren’t simple designs.”

“I didn’t say they were,” she replied.

A faint pause.

“I’m a designer,” she added.

Ethan looked at her again.

Different this time.

“I can see that.”

He placed the sketch down and brought out a small box, setting it on the table.

Emily opened it.

A diamond necklace.

She blinked. “This is too much.”

“It’s not,” Ethan said. “It’s for tonight.”

She hesitated.

“Take it,” he added. “Don’t argue this time.”

Emily sighed softly but didn’t refuse again.

When Ethan left the room, his steps didn’t slow.

If anything, they became more restless.

He walked straight into his study and shut the door behind him.

Then ran a hand through his hair.

“What is wrong with me?” he muttered.

He started pacing.

“Last night… today… this dinner…”

He stopped.

His jaw tightened.

“I don’t do this,” he said under his breath.

“I don’t get involved. It’s a contract Ethan.”

He exhaled sharply, shaking his head.

“No.”

His voice dropped, firmer now.

“This is nothing.”

“Just part of the deal.”

But even as he said it

it didn’t sound convincing anymore.

He leaned back against his desk, staring at nothing.

“…We don’t fall in love,” he said quietly.

A pause.

Then again, more firmly

“We don’t.” He said with a funny grin on his face.

A voice came from outside the study like someone was there listening to him. He paused and called out. “Who’s there? Did someone hear me? I hope it's not Emily.”