Chapter 10

Mia spent the next two days trying not to think about Ethan.

It wasn't working.

His confession kept replaying in her mind.

I still love you.

She had waited two years to hear those words.

Now that she had finally heard them, they didn't bring the happiness she once imagined.

They brought pain.

Because love had never been the problem.

Trust was.

Ethan had loved her in his own broken way, but he had made her feel alone inside their marriage.

And now Ryan was showing her what it felt like to be seen.

That scared her.

She didn't want to use Ryan to forget Ethan.

She didn't want to return to Ethan simply because he had finally learned to chase her.

For once, she wanted to choose what was best for herself.

Mia picked up her handbag and left for her new office.

She had work to do.

---

When she arrived, she noticed something strange.

The office looked completely different.

The boxes were gone.

The shelves had been assembled.

The furniture had been arranged.

Even the broken light in the reception area had been replaced.

Mia stopped in the doorway.

“Who did this?”

One of the workers smiled.

“A man came early this morning and paid for everything.”

“Who?”

The worker hesitated.

“I don't know his name.”

Mia's heart sank.

She already knew.

She walked into her office.

On her desk sat a small envelope.

She opened it.

Inside was a receipt.

Everything had been paid for.

But there was no note.

No message.

Nothing asking for gratitude.

Mia stared at it.

Ethan.

She immediately called him.

He answered after one ring.

“Hello?”

“Did you do this?”

A pause.

“Yes.”

“Why?”

“Because your office needed it.”

“I didn't ask you to.”

“I know.”

Mia's voice hardened.

“I told you I don't want your money.”

“And I didn't give you money.”

She frowned.

“You paid for my entire office.”

“I paid a contractor.”

“That's the same thing.”

“No.”

His voice remained calm.

“Mia, I didn't put your name on anything. I didn't invest in your company. I didn't buy a share.”

He paused.

“I simply fixed what was broken.”

She didn't know how to respond.

Ethan continued.

“You can reimburse me if it makes you feel better.”

“You know I will.”

“I know.”

For a moment, neither spoke.

Then Mia quietly said,

“Thank you.”

There was silence.

It sounded like Ethan had forgotten how to breathe.

“You're welcome.”

The call ended.

Mia stared at her phone.

That had been the first time she had thanked him since their separation.

And she knew it had meant far more to him than it should have.

---

That afternoon, Ryan came to the office.

He immediately noticed the changes.

“Wow.”

Mia sighed.

“Ethan.”

Ryan looked at her.

“He paid for all this?”

“Yes.”

Ryan was quiet for a moment.

Then he smiled.

“Are you angry?”

“A little.”

“Why?”

“Because I don't want him buying his way back into my life.”

Ryan nodded.

“You shouldn't let him.”

Mia looked at him.

“But?”

“But if he wants to prove himself, let him prove himself with actions, not money.”

Mia studied his face.

“You're not jealous?”

Ryan laughed softly.

“Of course I am.”

She blinked.

“You are?”

“I'd be lying if I said I wasn't.”

He stepped closer.

“But jealousy doesn't give me the right to control you.”

Mia's heart softened.

Ryan reached into his pocket.

“I brought you something.”

He handed her a small box.

Mia opened it.

Inside was a simple silver pen.

She stared at it.

“It's beautiful.”

“For your first contract.”

She looked at him.

“You remembered.”

“You told me last week that you wanted to sign your first business deal yourself.”

Mia smiled.

“I did.”

“Then you should have something to remember the day.”

She looked down at the pen.

Ryan's gestures were never extravagant.

They were thoughtful.

That was what made them dangerous.

Because Mia was beginning to understand why someone could fall in love with him.

---

Later that evening, Mia stayed behind to organize some documents.

She was searching through files when she found an old folder.

Her name was written across it.

She frowned.

She opened it.

Inside were copies of financial records from Carter Group.

Mia's eyes widened.

She recognized the documents.

They were the same records Vanessa had used to accuse her of stealing company money.

But there was something different.

Mia examined the dates.

The transactions had been made before she had even been given access to the company's financial department.

“That isn't possible.”

She turned another page.

There were signatures.

Authorization codes.

Payment records.

And then she saw something that made her blood run cold.

A transfer had been made from a Carter Group account to a private account belonging to Blackridge Holdings.

Mia remembered the name.

The same name connected to Ethan's mother.

Her hands began to shake.

She flipped through the pages.

There were several transactions.

But the final one caught her attention.

It had been made three days before the cheating photographs appeared.

Mia sat down.

“This wasn't about getting me divorced.”

Her voice was barely a whisper.

Someone had been moving money through her name.

Someone had deliberately created evidence against her.

And whoever did it had access to Carter Group.

Her phone suddenly rang.

Ethan.

Mia stared at the screen.

She answered.

“Ethan.”

His voice sounded tired.

“Are you still at the office?”

“Yes.”

“Don't stay alone.”

She frowned.

“Why?”

“I've been investigating the financial records.”

Mia's heart raced.

“So have I.”

There was silence.

“What did you find?” he asked.

“Blackridge Holdings.”

Ethan stopped breathing for a moment.

“You found it?”

“Yes.”

“Mia, listen to me carefully.”

His voice became serious.

“Don't touch anything else.”

“Why?”

“Because I don't know who has access to those records.”

She stood.

“Ethan, someone used my name to move money.”

“I know.”

“And you knew?”

“I suspected.”

“Why didn't you tell me?”

“Because I was trying to protect you.”

Mia's anger rose.

“You don't get to decide what I can handle anymore.”

“I know.”

His voice softened.

“That's why I'm telling you now.”

Mia looked at the documents.

“What is Blackridge?”

Ethan was silent.

“Ethan?”

“My mother's company.”

Mia's eyes widened.

“Your mother?”

“Yes.”

“Then why were transactions made through it?”

“I don't know yet.”

Mia swallowed.

“But I'm going to find out.”

“So am I.”

“No.”

She frowned.

“No?”

“I don't want you investigating this alone.”

“I don't need your permission.”

“I know.”

He sighed.

“But I'm asking you.”

Mia was quiet.

“Why?”

“Because whatever this is, it already destroyed our marriage once.”

His voice dropped.

“I won't let it hurt you again.”

Mia's heart tightened.

For a moment, she almost forgot everything else.

Then Ethan said,

“And Mia?”

“Yes?”

“If you discover anything about Vanessa, don't confront her.”

“Why?”

“Because if she's involved, she may realize we're investigating her.”

Mia stared at the documents.

She suddenly felt cold.

“Ethan…”

“What?”

“I think she already knows.”

Before he could answer, the lights in Mia's office went out.

She froze.

“Ethan?”

The line was still connected.

“Mia?”

She heard a sound behind her.

A faint movement.

Then something crashed against the floor.

Mia gasped.

“Someone is here.”

“Mia, get out of the office!”

She grabbed her phone.

The door behind her slowly opened.

A dark figure stood in the doorway.

Mia couldn't see the person's face.

Then the figure stepped into the room.

And Mia heard a voice she recognized.

“Looking through things that don't belong to you can be dangerous, Mia.”