Chapter 27

Ethan’s POV

“Ethan,” David said carefully, watching me stare out the window. "The chairman says he's out of patience.'' 

I didn’t move-- The silence between us stretched, filled only by the ticking of the antique clock on the shelf behind me.

David cleared his throat. “It’s been almost a week since she went off the radar. There’s only so much I can say to buy time.”

'RINNNGGGGG'

The shrill ring of my office phone cut through the tension. I picked it up immediately. “This is Ethan Reynolds.”

Another phone buzzed a second later. David looked down at his screen, his brows lifting. “It’s the chairman,” he mouthed.

I exhaled and ended my call. “Handle it,” I said.

David answered, his voice level. “Yes, sir. Ethan is—currently in a board meeting... Yes, I’ll remind him. Understood.”

He hung up slowly. “He says one more day of silence, and he’ll come to the office himself.”

“Tell him I understand,” I said, sitting down and opening a document just to look busy.

David didn’t move. “Ethan… You’ve been chasing this lie for a week now. If you want out—”

“She hung up on me.”

He blinked.

“She lied, stumbled over it, then hung up and turned off her phone. No goodbye. No apology.”

David nodded slowly. “So... we’re still on schedule for Sunday, then?”

“Unless you’d like to take my place?” I muttered.

“Hard pass,” he said quickly.

I glared at him. “Over the past week, you’ve been covering for me.”

He nodded. “The cold excuse bought us a few days. Then I added the sudden business trip. Howard sounded suspicious.”

“I’m running out of patience.”

“You’re not the only one. I could hear the exhaustion in his voice

''Wait, what if you go to her office” David deadpanned

Silence. 

‘’ You do know where her office is right?... right?.Wow how did you even let that slip past you’’

I looked down at the folder opened before me, while letting David go on a rampage on how careless I was for a thorough person, which I hate to admit but he’s right. 

‘’Maybe you should go skeet shooting with your grandpa, who knows, luck might be on your side and you finally hunt down a woman’’

‘WHAT?’

I slammed my folder shut. “David, do you think hunting makes any sense to me?”

He deadpanned. “Absolutely not.”

“Then. Take. Care. Of. It. Isn’t that your job as my assistant? So I can focus on mine?”

David tensed but nodded.

“This is a promise you personally made to the chairman,” he said calmly.

“So?”

“Whether you keep it or not—you should—”

“You’ve changed.”

David raised an eyebrow. “Changed?”

“You used to do anything for a good cup of tea.”

“What does that have to do with—”

“Twenty years ago,” I interrupted, “you promised to steep tea properly if I lent you five bucks for a stupid book.”

David blinked. “You’ve got to be kidding me?” so much disbelive in his voice

I didn’t answer. Just glared.

“So you’re cashing in that favor now?”

A smirk formed on my lips. “Tea still tastes like crap. Time to make good on your debt.”

---

David’s POV

It started with an argument.

“She ghosted,” Ethan muttered, pacing by the window. “Hung up, blocked me, vanished like she never existed.”

“And you want me to track her down?” I said, folding my arms. “You expect me to pull off a miracle when I’ve never even seen this woman?”

Ethan paused, clearly annoyed. Then he pulled out his phone, scrolled for a moment, and tossed it at me. “Here. Security feed. From the restaurant.”

I caught it. Blurry footage—grainy, low-light. A woman in a red dress, back turned, her head angled slightly. The camera didn’t catch much of her face. Just a flash of long lashes, pink wig, and exaggerated posture.

“This could be anyone.”

“She’s not just anyone. She’s Jessica.” He said the name like it meant something. Like I was supposed to see her and understand.

I didn’t.

Still, I saved the photo.

And here I was in front of the Bellamy &co. building in the black SUV, fixing my tie. At least I might get to see Riley again, I thought, and allowed myself a small smile. Thanks, Ethan.

I checked my watch. There was still time before everyone clocked out. As I waited, I let my thoughts drift back to that old incident—Ethan pulling out that stupid book memory as emotional blackmail.

---

Flashback

“Starting today, this’ll be your home,” Howard had said, dragging me up the steps of a spotless townhouse. “Be nice, Ethan.”

Inside, a boy about my age shut the door with surgical precision, his eyes unreadable.

“This lil’ rascal’s Ethan,” Howard boomed. “Introduce yourselves!”

“It’s a pleasure,” I offered, extending a hand.

Ethan didn’t take it. Just stared, then turned and vanished upstairs.

“He’s not mad at you. Just... adolescent.”

That next morning, I tried again, I served his mom, Diana, a cup of tea.

“You’re a sweetheart,” she cooed. “Ethan! Come eat! You’ve got a brother now!”

Ethan entered, glanced at me, then said, “Not hungry,” and left.

I assumed he hated me. I was wrong.

That night, I fell ill, Fever. Chills.

When I woke, there was a towel on my forehead.

Ethan sat beside me, arms crossed.

“Don’t die. It’d be annoying.”

The next morning, there was porridge in the fridge.

“Housekeeper made it,” he grunted.

That was Ethan’s way of saying he cared.

Now, standing outside the building, I chuckled to myself. Of all the ways to be dragged into corporate matchmaking, this was perhaps the most absurd. And yet, I didn’t mind. Not entirely. Especially if I got to see Riley.

I kept my eyes on the building entrance, trying to stay casual. Then—there she was.

Riley stepped out, sunglasses on, her stride purposeful but tight with tension. She didn’t see me. Not yet.

She got into her car and pulled out like she had somewhere important to be. I didn’t waste a second. I climbed into my SUV and followed at a discreet distance, curiosity gnawing at my gut.

For a while, she just drove in silence. No stops. No detours. But as soon as we hit Midtown, something clicked.

I recognized the street.

Then the building.

GlowMira.

I blinked. “No way.”

I slowed as I parked a few cars down. From this angle, I had a perfect view of her swerving to the front entrance like she’d done it a hundred times before.

“Huh,” I muttered. “Interesting.”