Chapter 13

Just as they approached Ethan's office, Arden felt a light tap on her shoulder.

She recognized that familiar tap immediately. There was only one person who greeted her that way: Declan Moore, Ethan’s personal assistant.

Arden turned to find Declan flashing a wide, familiar grin. She smiled back warmly without saying a word. She had known Declan since they were children; his father had worked for her parents, meaning she had spent plenty of time around him before leaving to study abroad. Upon her return, she had momentarily lost track of the boy who always used to seek her approval—until she got engaged to Ethan and found Declan working closely at his side, thrilled to see her again. When she had initially broken things off with Ethan, Declan had secretly reached out to plead on his boss's behalf. Now, seeing them reunited, Arden had no doubt Declan was genuinely happy.

As Ethan stepped up, Declan’s professional demeanor snapped back instantly. He offered a crisp nod, stepping forward to open the office door for them.

“I'll have some coffee sent in,” Declan said as Arden and Ethan settled inside, lingering for a moment at the threshold.

“Are the files ready?” Ethan asked, bypassing the coffee offer entirely.

“Yes, Sir. I prepared two copies,” Declan replied, swiftly stepping over to place a pair of leather-bound folders on the mahogany desk.

Ethan picked up one document while casually sliding the second across the desk toward Arden.

“Go through it and make sure you understand every clause before signing,” Ethan instructed, his eyes already locked onto the pages before him.

Arden grabbed a sleek pen, flipped straight to the final signature page, and signed her name.

“You're required to sign here as well,” Arden noted, pointing to an additional addendum.

Ethan gave her a long, lingering stare before reaching across to sign it. They repeated the process with the second document.

“Listen to me very carefully,” Ethan began, his tone dropping into a serious, commanding register. “Every preparation has been made for tomorrow. All you have to do is take the pill provided. Once swallowed, it will safely mimic death for exactly one hour.”

“What about my sister Stephanie?” Arden asked, her voice tightening. “She plans on injecting me with a substance that induces cardiac arrest to clear any traces of poison from my system so it looks like natural heart failure.”

Ethan reached out, wrapping his warm hand firmly over hers. He could easily sense the residual terror vibrating through her, but they were locked in now. He had given his word, and he would let no harm touch her.

“You just have to trust me, Arden. I will protect you to the very end,” Ethan assured her, his dark eyes unwavering.

“Thank you so much, Ethan,” Arden whispered, a stray tear slipping down her cheek. Without a word, Ethan gently wiped the tear from her cheek with his thumb.

They sat in companionable silence for a brief moment before Declan returned, sliding a steaming cup of coffee directly in front of Arden, followed by another for Ethan.

“Thank you,” Arden said softly, lifting the cup and taking a careful sip. A genuine, relaxed smile broke across her face. “You still remember how I like my coffee?”

“Of course. It's burned into memory—I could never forget,” Declan replied with a polite smile.

Ethan, who had returned to reviewing a stack of contracts, glanced up. His expression softened noticeably as he watched Arden.

Right on cue, Arden's stomach gave a loud, unapologetic rumble. She dropped her gaze, a shy, embarrassed flush coloring her cheeks. With all the chaos, she hadn't eaten lunch yet, and the wall clock confirmed it was already past 3:00 PM.

“Let's go get some lunch,” Ethan offered, standing up. He looked at Declan, who offered a subtle bow and excused himself to prep the vehicle.

“Let's just eat at the office cafeteria,” Arden suggested, hesitating. “I wouldn't want people to see us together outside—the gossip mill moves fast, and—”

“You don't need to explain yourself, Arden,” Ethan gently cut in.

She looked up, stunned. “Why are you helping me like this?” she finally asked, unable to hold back the question any longer. When she had first arrived, desperate and drowning, she hadn't cared about his motives—she just needed a lifeline. But sitting here now, she needed to know.

Before Ethan could answer, Declan reappeared at the doorway. “The car is ready, Sir.”

“Let's go. I'll tell you everything over food,” Ethan told Arden, standing up as Declan led the way toward the underground parking garage.

Instead of the cafeteria, the car whisked them away to an exclusive, five-star hotel, where they were escorted directly into a fully reserved private dining lounge.

Declan meticulously checked the table setting. “Enjoy your meal, Sir, Ma'am,” he said, offering a respectful bow before turning to leave.

“Declan, why don't you join us?” Arden offered quickly, hoping to diffuse the heavy, charged air lingering between her and Ethan. 

"Hope you don't mind?” Arden asked Ethan.

 She offered a charming smile that made Ethan's pulse skip a beat—a soft, vulnerable side of her he had never seen before.

“As long as you're comfortable, I have no objections,” Ethan replied smoothly, pouring himself a glass of red wine. He found himself utterly bewildered by how effortlessly this woman was rewriting his emotional boundaries.

Without waiting for a further invitation, Declan joined them.

Across the table, Arden casually reached over, picking up a delicate side dish and dropping a piece onto Ethan's plate. “Try this.”

Her tone was so effortlessly domestic that Ethan couldn't help wondering if she had bumped her head somewhere.

“So, Declan, what have you been up to lately?” Arden asked smoothly, keeping up a cheerful facade while her free hand beneath the table gripped tightly at the fabric of her skirt, praying that tomorrow's dangerous gamble wouldn't fall apart.

The haunting ghosts of her past life echoed constantly in the back of her mind.

Suddenly, Ethan’s phone buzzed sharply against the tabletop. He reached over and picked it up—but the single notification glowing on the screen made his dark brows furrow sharply..