Chapter 3: The Secret Behind the Engagement
The sentence followed me all the way home.
He wasn’t planning to marry you for love.
I had heard cruel things before.
I had survived hostile negotiations, betrayal from business partners, and competitors who smiled while trying to destroy everything I built.
But somehow, hearing those words from a stranger hurt more.
Because Thomas wasn’t angry.
He wasn’t trying to hurt Ethan.
He looked almost sorry for me.
The rain had started by the time I reached my apartment.
I stood by the window for almost an hour, watching the city lights blur against the glass.
Then my phone rang.
Rachel.
I answered immediately.
“Tell me you’re not calling to tell me I made a mistake.””
A pause.
Then she said, “I was going to ask if you were okay.””
I closed my eyes.
“I’m fine.””
Rachel knew me too well.
“That means you’re not.””
I sat down.
“Send the notices.””
“Already started.””
“Good.””
Another pause.
Then Rachel lowered her voice.
“Olivia, I also found something.””
My fingers tightened.
“What?””
“Ethan accessed information about your company.””
I went still.
“When?””
“Several times over the past six months.””
I stared at the dark window.
“Are you sure?””
“Yes.””
Rachel sounded careful.
“He wasn’t looking at public information. He accessed reports about your acquisitions, your ownership structure, and your private investments.””
A cold feeling moved through me.
I remembered every conversation.
Every dinner.
Every moment Ethan asked questions about my company.
I had thought he was interested in my life.
I had thought he was finally trying to understand me.
But maybe he wasn’t trying to know me.
Maybe he was trying to calculate me.
“Rachel,” I said quietly.
“Yes?””
“Find out everything.””
“Everything?””
“Everything about Ethan Harrington.””
The next morning, the first termination notices were delivered.
By noon, Harrington Dynamics’ executives were calling.
By two, Victoria was calling.
I ignored her.
By three, Ethan called.
I answered.
Not because I wanted to hear his voice.
Because I wanted the truth.
“Olivia.””
His voice sounded exhausted.
“Where are you?””
“Why?””
“We need to talk.””
I looked at the documents Rachel had sent me.
Bank transfers.
Emails.
Messages.
Evidence.
“You’re right.””
A pause.
“You agree?””
“No.””
I looked at the screen.
“We need to talk because I want to understand something.””
“What?””
“When did you decide I was an opportunity instead of a person?””
Silence.
Long silence.
Then:
“That’s not fair.””
I almost smiled.
“Fair?””
“Yes.””
His voice became defensive.
“You’re acting like I planned some huge betrayal.””
“Didn’t you?””
“No.””
“Then explain the research.””
Another silence.
That was enough.
“Olivia…”
I heard the hesitation.
The calculation.
The same thing I had heard from executives during negotiations.
Not honesty.
Strategy.
“I was trying to understand your world.””
“No.””
I stood.
“You were trying to understand my value.””
“Olivia, that’s not true.””
“Then tell me why your mother demanded one hundred thousand dollars from me.””
He didn’t answer.
“Tell me why you let her insult me.””
Still nothing.
“Tell me why you never told your family who I really was.””
His voice dropped.
“My family would have treated you differently.””
I laughed quietly.
“That’s exactly the problem.””
I walked to the window.
“They only would have respected me because of what I own.””
“Olivia, please.””
The desperation in his voice would have worked before.
Not now.
“What did your mother promise you?””
Silence.
Then I heard him breathe.
A small mistake.
A tiny pause.
But enough.
I knew.
“Ethan.””
“No.””
“What did she promise you?””
His voice cracked.
“Nothing.””
“Try again.””
Finally, he whispered:
“She said if I secured the Bennett partnership, I would take over the company.””
I closed my eyes.
There it was.
The truth.
Not a marriage.
A transaction.
My fiancé wasn’t trying to become part of my life.
He was trying to acquire it.
I ended the call.
Ten minutes later, Rachel called again.
“Olivia.””
Something in her voice made me sit up.
“What happened?””
“We found the reason Ethan needed the engagement.””
I looked at the documents on my desk.
“I already know.””
“No.””
Rachel paused.
“This is bigger.””
My stomach tightened.
“What do you mean?””
She lowered her voice.
“The Harrington family isn’t just trying to access your company.””
I waited.
“They’re trying to hide the fact that Harrington Dynamics is about to collapse.””
I looked out at the city.
The same city where people thought the Harrington name represented power.
The same family that had laughed at me.
The same people who believed they owned the room.
Then Rachel said the words that changed everything.
“There’s one more thing.””
“What?””
“The person who caused the collapse…”
May you like
A pause.
“Was Ethan Harrington himself.””
