Chapter Twenty Eight

The only thing she could hear was her own heavy breathing and the sound of her sneakers hitting the treadmill.

She woke up with a burst of energy the next morning and with the thought of last night hanging over her head, she felt..different.

She was right, Seth failed and he didn't bother to argue last night. What if he didn't because she was wrong? It didn't matter.

One thing she knew she wasn't wrong about was how he couldn't take his eyes off her. That in itself is a fact that made her get out of bed with a little dance in her feet.

Her classes at the Zean School of business would start soon and she decided it was time to slip into a routine. Gym, shower, breakfast and school.

Maybe she would feel a little sane if she stuck to that routine.

Thea glanced at the treadmill, it's been fifteen minutes. She pushed the stop button and got off, grabbing her towel in the process. She wipes her face with the towel, walking towards the dumbbells.

As she got closer, she saw through the gym’s large glass walls that the patio doors were open. Out on the patio, Seth and Ethan were standing there, her conversation almost inaudible.

Thea arched her brows, what are they talking about so quietly?

Something felt wrong. Curious, Thea walked closer to the door, her eyes scanning the duo in silence.

Ethan looked distressed. He seemed to be pleading with Seth, his hands open in a helpless gesture.

Seth had his arms tucked in his pockets, cold eyes glaring down at Ethan.

Thea’s heart sank. She knew that look. Whatever it was, it's not good.

“You had one job and you let a nobody lay his hands on my wife?”

Thea froze. His wife?! That's…new. He only ever addresses her as his wife in front of Celine. Her eyes followed Seth in silence, what on earth was going through his head?

It was no lie, she was in fact his wife but those words coming out of his mouth felt…surprisingly sincere.

“I'm sorry boss. I have no excuse for this incident..” Ethan said quietly, his eyes barely meeting Seth's.

She got closer, as quietly as she could, her mind racing with a million thoughts. Wait, could this be about Runes?

Ethan had sent Seth the picture of Rune grabbing her arm at the bridal store. Seth's anger last night had been clear.

“I have a valid reason to relieve you of your duties. You had one job but somehow, it seemed to have been too much work.” Seth said, his gaze focused on something far off in the distance.

Ethan bowed his head. “I sincerely apologise for my incompetence, Boss. It was never in my intention for this to happen.”

Seth turned his back on Ethan. “Leave. And drop off your ID with the head of security on your way out.”

“Wait, what?” Thea asked in disbelief, drawing both their attention.

She pushed open the door and marched straight out onto the patio.

"What's going on here?" she demanded, startling both men.

Seth's head snapped towards her, his expression tightening as he gave her a once over.

She had on a matching pair of sports bra and shorts, her hair pulled up in a bun. Goodness, why does she look beautiful in every damn thing?

Ethan glanced down at the floor, his expression unreadable.

"This is not your concern." Seth said, dismissing her.

"It is absolutely my concern! He's my bodyguard isn't he?" Thea retorted, walking closer until she was standing just a few feet from them. "This is about what happened yesterday at the bridal store, isn't it? About Rune. Are you about to fire Ethan?"

Seth's jaw tightened. " Yes. I intend to fire him. I hired him and I can relieve him of his duties."

Gosh, she wanted to slap that arrogant look off his fucking face! He's so annoying with his words sometimes!

“He's my staff, this is private business.” He adds, his eyes narrowed down on her and his voice tight.

Thea clenched her fist, she wasn't having it.

"No it's not!" Thea's voice rose, a defiant look in her eyes.

A flicker of amusement went past Seth's eyes and vanished just as quickly as it came.

"He did his job. He reported what happened. He was protecting me! You can't fire him for Runes Sterling being a pig!"

Seth's eyes hardened. "His duty was to ensure no one touched you. He failed."

"Rune caught me by surprise. Ethan was doing his best! He's not a mind reader! And you're being completely unreasonable right now.”

His eyes blazed, a vein throbbing in his temple. He looked like he wanted to lash out but Thea didn't back down. She held his gaze, her own unwavering.

"You hired him to protect me," Thea continued, her voice firm. "And he takes that job seriously. He follows your orders. If you fire him, it shows that you punish people for things outside their control. It shows that you're not fair. It shows that you're just looking for someone to blame because you can't handle your own anger about Rune."

Seth's stern face almost crumbled at her words, she could read him like an open book.

She took another step, invading his personal space. "So, let me make this very clear, Seth. If you fire Ethan, I'm sure you're going to hire someone else but I promise you, I'll make you have a run for your money on this one..”

Seth chuckled. “Is that a threat?”

Thea folded her arms. “If it sounds like it, sure.”

His eyes scanned her in silence, ready to call her out on her bluff but she was dead serious.

“Or I'll call Celine and tell her a little story about how you fired Ethan.” She smirked. “We both know whose side she's going to take and I promise you, I'll put up enough drama to last you for weeks. Try me.”

Her voice was low, loud enough for only him to hear. She wasn't just angry; she was making him an offer.

She knew his weak points, and she was pressing hard.

Seth stared at her, his expression unreadable. His eyes flickered between her face and Ethan's. He knew she meant every word.

The silence on the patio was thick, broken only by the distant sounds of Zean city.

Seth slowly released the breath he'd been holding. His shoulders dropped slightly. He turned his gaze from Thea to Ethan.

"Ethan," Seth said, "Consider this a warning. Your attention to detail must improve. You are not fired."

Ethan's head shot up, relief flooding his face. "Thank you, sir! I... I understand, sir. It won't happen again."

Seth gave a curt nod, then turned and walked past Thea without another word, heading back into the penthouse.

Thea watched him go, a smile spreading across her face.

She turned to Ethan, who was still looking shocked but relieved.

"Are you okay?" she asked softly.

"Yes, Ms. Thea," Ethan said, a genuine look of gratitude in his eyes. "Thank you. Truly. I... I don't know what to say. I…I was worried I would lose my job. You really saved a life today, Ms Thea."

Thea simply nodded, giving him a reassuring smile. “Its alright. And I'm sorry. I should have listened to you. You wouldn't be here if I allowed you to do your j0b.”

Ethan sighed. “I'm sure we can come to an agreement regarding that. Thank you so much, once again.”

Thea nodded and Ethan took his leave. She glanced down at the busy road mapped around the city, her arms wrapped around her shoulders as she allowed herself to breathe.

Her heart was racing in her chest and she was relying desperate to relax. Did she just…stand her ground? Against Seth?