Chapter 4: Beneath the surface

Julianna's pov

I take a slow, shaky breath. Without looking back at the mess, I walk to the backdoor and lock up the bar. My body feels heavy, weighed down by everything that happened tonight. The rush of adrenaline from earlier is gone, I stand at the entrance for a moment, staring into the dark. With a deep sigh, I turn on the light, filling the room with a soft white glow. The light feels too bright, too normal for what just happened.

I kick off my shoes, but I don't bother with anything else. Not yet. My feet take me to the bathroom.

The cold floor tiles help me focus as I reach for the shower knob. The sound of water running fills the quiet room, echoing around me.

I step under the water, fully clothed, letting the water drench me. My hair clings to my face, and my clothes stick to my skin, but I don't care. My fingers move mechanically, unbuttoning my dress, peeling it away until I'm bare, exposed.

The warmth of the water feels nice against my skin, but inside, I still feel cold.

I scrub my skin hard, starting with my neck, where Jake kissed me. The memory of it makes me sick. I scrub harder, scratching at my skin, but it’s not enough. The water doesn’t wash away the disgust, the fear. I scrub my arms, my whole body, trying to get rid of the feeling. I don’t even want to think about how close I came out… I can't finish the thought. 

And then there’s him. Ethan. The way he looked at me, like I was nothing. My anger rises again as I remember his cold eyes, his words, his smirk. I mean how dare that bastard act like I'm trash. I hate Ethan Frost more than ever.

I let out a frustrated cry, the sound swallowed by the rush of water. I feel disconnected, like none of this is real. The night, Liam’s betrayal, Jake’s assault, Ethan’s arrogance–it’s all too much, and yet it’s all too real.

I pressed my forehead against the cold shower wall, the water still pouring over me, mixing with the tears I didn't realize I was shedding.

I feel weak and I hate myself for it. I’m glad Henry isn’t here to see the elder sister who he looks up to as being a weakling.

~~~~~~~~

Ethan’s Pov

I grip the steering wheel, the city’s light flashing by as i drive through the near-empty streets. Jake’s arrogance, the girl’s defiance. There was something about her, something that lingered longer than it should.

Curiosity.

It’s annoying that I'm even thinking about her. She was different, not in any significant way, but in how she didn’t crumble. She’s amusing, not many people speak to me the way she did. But I shake it off. I don’t have time to waste on some bar girl with an attitude.

As I reach my penthouse, my phone rings. I glance at the screen–Jane. Of course. I let out a slow breath before answering.

‘’What is it’’ I say, while getting into my room and getting into the shower.

Her voice is filled with urgency. ‘’Sir, there’s something you need to see. Your name is everywhere. A picture of you and that popular gay model from the event….holding hands.’’

I pause. ‘’So what?’’ and did you just say holding hands.?’’

She hesitates before dropping the bombshell. ‘The worst part is….. You are being called a gay, it’s trending all over the internet, Sir.

I clench my jaw. The word gay echoes in my mind, laced with the weight of what this will mean for the company, for me. This will spread like wildfire.

I hang up and immediately pull out my phone, fingers flying across the screen as I open up social media. The notifications are relentless, but it’s the headlines that hit me hard;

** ’’Is Ethan Frost, CEO of Nexus Oil and Gas, Hiding His Sexuality?’’

** ’’Billionaire Bachelor or Gay? Ethan Frost’s Secret Relationship with a Male Model Revealed.’’

** ’’Heartbreaker or Hidden in the Closet? Ethan’s Frost’s Rumored Sexuality Breaks Millions of Women’s Hearts.’’

My teeth grind together as I scroll through the comments. Some people are shocked. Others claim they always knew. Speculation spreads like a virus–my lack of public relationships with women, my distant demeanor, everything feeding into their narrative.

.’’This explains why he’s never been seen with a serious girlfriend.’’

.’’I knew it, He never seemed interested in women.’’

.’’He’s broken so many hearts. Girls thought they had a chance with him. Guess not’’

I scoff and toss my phone onto the bed as I air-dry my wet hair. I’m used to shit like this, but I won't allow my company to be ruined because of silly rumors. These rumors have the potential to harm my reputation, my company. And that’s not something I'm willing to let slide.

I grab my phone, calling Jane back.

‘’Call an emergency board meeting tomorrow at eight,’’ I say, my tone firm.

‘’Yes, sir,’’ she responds quickly.

I hang up without another word and toss my phone back onto the bed, my mind racing with strategies for damage control:press releases, silencing the news, and erase any doubts from the board. I need to create a situation that will make this rumor disappear. The shareholders will be all over this by morning, questioning my image, my choices, and whether any of this will affect Nexus.

I pull out my laptop and open my emails, scanning through a backlog of messages. I see a list of potential hires that Jane sent over last week. My eyes skim without much thought, but then…one stands out.

Juliana Adams.

My gaze lingers on her name, and a smirk pulls at my lip. Julianna Adams. With a short chuckle, I close the email and pick up my phone quickly typing a message to Jane.

“Send a message to potential candidates including Julianna Adams.”