Chapter Two- Past Resurfacing

~ Ethan ~

The glass shattered before I could even wrap my head around what was happening.

"Get down, sir!" Collins, my assistant, shouted as a heavy paperweight slammed against the office wall, just inches from where I stood. Chloe was in the doorway, her chest heaving, a storm of fury and heartbreak etched on her face.

"You think you can just toss me aside?" she screamed, tears welling in her eyes. "After everything I gave up for you?"

I jumped to my feet, my anger flaring to match hers, but deep down, I couldn’t ignore the chilling reality. She was unstable, more dangerous than I had ever dared to admit.

Just an hour before, I had stood in front of the mirror, adjusting my navy suit, admiring the polished image of a man in control. Now, my life felt like it was unraveling.

The morning had kicked off like any other, just the way it always did.

The alarm blared. I opened my eyes to the lofty ceiling of my penthouse, stretching every muscle before heading to my private gym. The spin bike thumped beneath me, sweat trickling down as my heart raced in sync with my ambition. I thrived on this routine, strength, control, power.

"Fitness keeps me feeling younger, sharper… and downright invincible," I murmured to my reflection, a grin spreading across my face as I flexed my muscles.

As I finally stepped out of the gym, Miss Lily, my housekeeper, was already hard at work in the kitchen. "Good morning, sir," she greeted me with a respectful nod.

"Morning, Lily. Breakfast in fifteen, and let’s keep it light," I said, already making my way to the shower.

The bathroom was my sanctuary. Steam filled the air, scented candles flickered softly, and the water poured over me, as if trying to wash away the weight of my unspoken troubles- my fractured family, the mother I lost, the father who built an empire but never really got me.

By the time I emerged, the CEO mask was firmly in place. Crisp white shirt. Navy suit. Gold tie. Cartier watch. Gucci shoes. To the world, I was polished, composed, and powerful. That was the essence of Ethan Fisher: untouchable.

At the dining room table, my driver, Henry, greeted me as he set down my coffee. "The car is ready, sir."

"Good," I replied, eyeing the avocado toast Miss Lily had prepared. Perfect, as always.

Then it was off to the office, the towering headquarters of Fisher’s Corporation. My inheritance, my battleground, my legacy. Employees straightened up as I walked in, their whispers brushing against me like shadows. Respect. Envy. Desire. I thrived on it.

Collins, my assistant, was waiting at my office door, going over my schedule. Deals, calls, board meetings. My life boiled down to bullet points.

But I barely listened. My thoughts were on the empty desk outside my office. My secretary had left months ago, and Collins still hadn’t found a replacement. "You need to take care of that," I said firmly.

"Yes, sir," he replied.

That’s when the knock came. Sharp, Unexpected.

Collins swung the door open, and my heart dropped.

Chloe.

My ex-girlfriend, the one who had shattered me for another guy, and now she seemed stuck in the past. She walked in with a swagger, her hips swaying, and the scent of her perfume filled the room like a heavy fog.

"What are you doing here?" I asked, trying to keep my voice steady.

"Oh, come on, don’t act like you’re not happy to see me," she shot back with a sugary smile, but her eyes sparkled with something darker.

I felt my muscles tense. She had betrayed me once, and I had worked hard to piece my life back together after that. I wasn’t about to let her tear it apart again.

She moved closer, her hand brushing against my chest. "Ethan, we’re meant to be together. You know that deep down."

I pushed her hand away, more forcefully than I intended. "No. You made your choice. Now you have to deal with it."

Her face darkened. "You really think I’m just going to walk away? You can’t just erase me like one of your failed projects."

"Get out, Chloe."

But instead, she lunged at me, forcing me back onto the sofa, trying to press herself against me. I grabbed her wrists, my jaw tight with anger.

"Stop it. This is insane. You disgust me," I spat.

That’s when she snapped. She grabbed the heavy glass paperweight from my desk and hurled it across the office, barely missing me.

"You’ll regret this!" she screamed, before storming out and slamming the door so hard that the walls rattled.

Collins stood there, completely still, looking as pale as a ghost.

I poured myself a glass, my hand shaking slightly as I lifted it to my lips. The whiskey burned its way down my throat, soothing the anger that was bubbling inside me.

I had thought I was untouchable. But as I looked at the shards of glass glimmering on my office floor, I couldn’t escape the truth that my past was far from finished.

And deep down,

I felt a strange, cold shiver: Chloe wasn’t the only one making a comeback.