Chapter 18

Mia stared at the message until the words blurred.

Ask Ethan what happened the night your mother died.

Her fingers tightened around the phone.

She had spent years believing her mother's death was a tragic accident.

There had never been a reason to question it.

Until now.

And somehow, Ethan's name had been dragged into it.

Mia immediately called him.

He answered on the second ring.

“Mia?”

“Where are you?”

There was a pause.

“At my office.”

“I need to see you.”

His voice changed instantly.

“Are you okay?”

“No.”

“I'll come to you.”

“No.”

She swallowed.

“I'll come to you.”

Twenty minutes later, Mia walked into Carter Group.

The receptionist greeted her nervously.

Everyone knew who she was.

The billionaire's former wife.

The woman Ethan had publicly admitted he had wronged.

Mia ignored the whispers and went straight to his office.

The door opened before she knocked.

Ethan stood behind his desk.

The moment he saw her face, his expression softened.

“What happened?”

Mia walked inside.

She closed the door.

Then placed her phone on his desk.

Ethan read the message.

His face changed.

“What is this?”

“I received it tonight.”

He looked at her.

“Who sent it?”

“I don't know.”

Mia's voice trembled.

“But I want the truth.”

Ethan nodded slowly.

“Ask me.”

“What happened the night my mother died?”

Silence.

Ethan's face became pale.

Mia immediately noticed.

“You know something.”

“Mia…”

“You know something.”

He looked away.

“Your mother died in a car accident.”

“I know what everyone told me.”

“Mia—”

“But you reacted when I asked.”

Ethan closed his eyes.

For several seconds, he said nothing.

Then he walked around the desk.

“I was seventeen.”

Mia stared at him.

“What does that have to do with my mother?”

“My father had business with your mother.”

Her heart pounded.

“What kind of business?”

“Your mother worked with Carter Group.”

“I never knew that.”

“You weren't supposed to.”

Mia took a step back.

“Why?”

“Because your mother discovered something.”

“What?”

Ethan hesitated.

“She discovered that money was being moved through several companies connected to my father's business.”

Mia's eyes widened.

“Fraud?”

“Yes.”

“And she reported it?”

“She was going to.”

Mia's breathing became shallow.

“What happened?”

“My father tried to stop her.”

“Did he kill her?”

“No.”

Ethan answered immediately.

“No.”

Mia searched his face.

“Then who did?”

“I don't know.”

“You're lying.”

“I'm not.”

“Then why have you kept this from me?”

“Because I was told you were safer not knowing.”

“By whom?”

Ethan looked at her.

“My mother.”

Mia's heart sank.

“Your mother knew?”

“Yes.”

She turned away.

Everything suddenly felt connected.

His mother's interference.

The financial records.

Vanessa.

The anonymous messages.

Her own mother's death.

She pressed her hands against her temples.

“I don't understand.”

Ethan stepped closer.

“You don't have to understand everything tonight.”

“Yes, I do.”

“Mia.”

“I spent my entire life believing my mother died because of an accident.”

Her voice cracked.

“And now you're telling me people around your family knew there was more to it?”

Ethan nodded.

“I found out pieces of the truth years ago.”

“When?”

“After my father died.”

Mia looked at him.

“Why didn't you tell me?”

“Because I wasn't sure what was true.”

She stared at him.

“And you decided for me that I couldn't handle it?”

“I decided I couldn't risk hurting you with information I couldn't prove.”

Mia laughed bitterly.

“You always decide everything for me.”

Ethan flinched.

“I know.”

“No. You don't.”

She stepped closer.

“You decided when I was allowed to speak. You decided what I should believe. You decided Vanessa deserved your trust more than I did.”

Her eyes filled with tears.

“And now you're telling me you decided I didn't deserve the truth about my own mother.”

Ethan's expression broke.

“You're right.”

Mia wasn't expecting that.

He didn't defend himself.

He didn't argue.

He simply accepted it.

“I was wrong.”

Mia looked away.

Ethan continued softly.

“I thought protecting you meant keeping things from you.”

He took a breath.

“But I've learned something.”

“What?”

“Love without trust isn't protection.”

Mia's eyes met his.

Ethan walked toward her.

“I should have told you everything.”

“You should have.”

“I know.”

For a moment, neither spoke.

Then Ethan reached for her hand.

Mia hesitated.

But she didn't pull away.

His fingers gently closed around hers.

“I don't want you to face this alone.”

She looked at their joined hands.

“I can't go back to being your wife just because you're finally telling me the truth.”

“I know.”

“I don't even know if I can trust you.”

“I know.”

“And Ryan…”

Ethan's jaw tightened at the name.

But he forced himself to relax.

“Ryan is your choice.”

Mia looked surprised.

“You're not jealous?”

“I am.”

He gave a faint smile.

“I'm jealous every time he makes you smile.”

She almost smiled.

“But I have no right to stop you.”

His thumb brushed gently across her hand.

“I lost that right when I lost your trust.”

Mia's heart ached.

For a moment, she wanted to lean against him.

She wanted to remember the man she had loved before everything broke.

But she couldn't forget the woman she had become.

She slowly pulled her hand away.

“I need to find out what happened to my mother.”

“I'll help you.”

“Not because you want me back.”

Ethan looked directly into her eyes.

“Then let me help because you deserve the truth.”

Mia nodded.

“Okay.”

Ethan looked relieved.

Then his phone rang.

He glanced at the screen.

His expression immediately changed.

“Who is it?”

He didn't answer.

Instead, he picked up the call.

“Hello?”

Mia watched his face.

“Where did you get this?”

Silence.

Then Ethan's voice became cold.

“Send it to me.”

He ended the call.

Mia stared at him.

“What was that?”

Ethan looked at her.

“Daniel.”

“What did he find?”

Ethan hesitated.

“Something about your mother's accident.”

Mia's heart began pounding.

“What?”

Ethan turned his phone toward her.

A photograph appeared on the screen.

It showed the road where her mother had died.

But there was something else.

A black car was parked behind her mother's vehicle.

Mia stared at it.

She recognized the license plate.

Her face went pale.

“That car…”

Ethan looked at her.

“What?”

Mia's voice trembled.

“I've seen that car before.”

“Where?”

She looked up at him.

“Outside my apartment.”

Ethan's expression hardened.

Mia's phone suddenly buzzed.

Another message appeared.

“Now you know why your mother had to die.”

Mia froze.

Ethan read the message over her shoulder.

His face turned cold.

And for the first time, his fear was impossible to hide.

“Someone is watching you.”

Mia looked at him.

“Then they know I'm investigating.”

Ethan nodded.

“And they know I'm helping you.”

The room fell silent.

Mia looked at the photograph again.

Then at Ethan.

For the first time, she realized the person threatening her might not care whether she chose Ethan or Ryan.

They simply wanted her to stop searching for the truth.

And Mia had no intention of stopping.